Oman shines as sporting hub in 2023

Muscat: Oman continues to host the most important and largest international tournaments in various sports in 2023. Organising such international sporting events in Oman presents a golden opportunity for participants and international delegations to become acquainted with the authenticity, heritage, and culture of the Omani people. Additionally, they can enjoy visits to various sites and tourist attractions in Oman, which will contribute to the revitalisation and promotion of tourism in the country. This hosting also reaffirms Oman's status on the international stage, highlighting its human, logistical, infrastructure, and organisational capabilities, qualifying it to host various international sports tournaments and events. Oman has received acclaim for hosting these global tournaments, putting Oman on the sports map in international federations in the near future. The success of these events confirm the confidence of these associations in nominating Oman to host the best tournaments.

Oman hosted the 20th edition of the World Veteran Table Tennis Championships 2023 in January at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. The championship, organised by the Oman Table Tennis Association in coordination with the International Table Tennis Federation and under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth, saw the participation of 1,600 players, ranging in age from 40 to 90, representing 69 countries from around the world.

Oman also hosted the World Amateur Chess Championship 2023, organised by the Oman Chess Committee in coordination with world chess body Fide, at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher in November. The event featured 427 players from 64 countries, including 356 male players and 71 female players.

Oman hosted the Hockey5s Asia Cup 2023, which took place at the Sultan Qaboos Youth and Culture Complex in Dhofar in August. It featured intense competition among 21 men's and women's teams. In the women's category, 10 teams participated, including Oman, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Iran. The teams from India, Thailand, and Malaysia secured qualification for the World Hockey5s Championship, which will be held in January 2024 in Muscat. In the men's category, 11 teams participated, including Oman, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Pakistan. The teams from India, Pakistan, and Malaysia qualified for the World Championship, which will be held in January 2024 in Muscat.

Oman won the bid to host the 2024 Hockey5s World Cup, receiving 13 out of 16 votes in competition with six other bids. The chairman of the Oman Hockey Association emphasised that winning the right to host this tournament is a significant achievement for the country and Omani sports since it will be the first global event of its kind for Hockey5s, putting Oman on the map of the tournament's history.

As part of its prominent initiatives to promote its tourism, cultural, and heritage assets on the international stage, Oman hosted the Ironman 70.3 competition in February. The event, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, lasted for three days and took place at Qurum Beach, with the participation of over 800 athletes from 63 countries.

Oman achieved numerous successes in the sports field at both the global and international levels during the current year. Thanks to good preparation, continuous training, and accumulating experience through international participation in various sports.

Oman garnered 14 medals at the end of its participation in the 15th Arab Games hosted by Algeria in July. More than 3,800 athletes from 22 Arab countries participated in 22 events. Oman finished 12th in the overall standings with 14 medals (5 gold, 4 silver, and 5 bronze). This positive achievement was recorded despite modest preparation and late scheduling for the Arab Games, affecting the physical and technical readiness of some teams.

Oman, represented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth, achieved the gold medal in the individual category - under 21 years old - for the photographer Noof bint Salim al Siyabiyah for her artistic work titled ‘Mystery’, at the 41st International Youth Biennial of Photography (FIAP) held in Norway in 2023.

Oman, represented by the Oman Olympic Committee, participated in the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China in seven sports: athletics, weightlifting, aquatic sports, shooting, sailing, beach volleyball, and hockey. Oman secured two medals (silver and bronze) in this edition, with 75 delegates, including 44 athletes. The sailing team, comprising sailors Musab bin Mohammed al Hadi and Walid bin Isa al Kindi, secured second place and a silver medal for the first time in the Olympic 49er boat races. Runner Hussein al Farsi also won the bronze medal in the 800-metre race.

Oman's para-athletics team has achieved remarkable success at the fourth edition of the Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou, China. The event featured participation from 44 countries, with over 5,000 athletes competing in 566 competitions across 22 different sports at 19 sporting venues.

The Omani contingent clinched a total of four medals. This includes two gold medals, both secured by star athlete Mohammed al Mashaikhi who won the lone medal for Oman in Paralympics. Al Mashaikhi came supreme in the shot put and javelin throw events in Hangzhou. Furthermore, Al Mashaikhi’s outstanding performance also earned him a qualification in the shot put event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France. Mohammed al Qassmi contributed to the team’s success with two silver medals in shot put and javelin throw events.