MUSCAT: Oman Sail’s 49er teams of Musab Al Hadi and Waleed Al Kindi, and Ahmed Al Hasani and Abdul Rahman Al Mashari will aim to achieve their Olympic dreams at the Last Chance Regatta, being held as part of the Semaine Olympique Française, this week in Hyères, France. The four sailors will be part of nearly 1000 athletes from 90 countries taking part – three times the figure for the actual Olympic competition – with many looking to seal qualification and ensure Oman is represented at the Games this coming July.
After nearly two years of preparation and qualification events, Oman’s chances of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition rest on a week in France where up to 50 places will be on offer across all 10 events. The team will be led by Hashim Al Rashdi who has been working hard with both sailors to prepare for conditions in Hyeres and the pressures of high-level competition.
In the build up to the regatta, the team has been undergoing a training camp with the French national team in order to improve every aspect of their physical, technical, tactical and mental conditioning.
Hashim Al Rashdi, Oman Sail’s Olympic coach, said, “This is a great opportunity for our team to clinch qualification. We have had a challenging route to this regatta but in between events we have worked hard on and off the water to prepare and be ready when the first race begins. Qualifying for the Olympic Games would be a huge achievement for the nation, for Oman Sail, and of course for the sailors themselves. They know that everyone is behind them and offering their full support, and we are confident they will perform to the best of their abilities.”
Musab Al Hadi added, “This is a very important regatta, and the races carry great significance for all of us, as well as the entire nation. Our preparation has been good, and we are ready for the challenge. To be able to reach the Olympic Games would be a dream come true for us all personally and for the whole nation. We are very grateful for the support of Oman Sail, the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth and the Oman Olympic Committee. Now it is up to us to show our strengths and claim a place at the Olympics.”
In order to qualify, the Omani team will need to finish in the three remaining places available for the 49er event. Racing will take place over six days before heading into a Medal Stage from 25-27 April.
There are just two months to go until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and all of the major national teams will be competing in Hyères as some look to finalise qualification and others gain valuable experience in a format that mirrors the Olympic Sailing Competition at a competition in Hyères Harbor for those nations already qualified.
The Olympic Sailing competition gets underway on 28 July until 8 August at Marseille Marina where 330 sailors – with equal distribution between men and women – will compete in all 10 events.
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