Muscat: The Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) is set for its 11th participation in the Summer Olympic Games, with four athletes representing three different sports disciplines in Paris 2024.
Among them is young sprinter Ali bin Anwar al Balushi, making his Olympic debut, and female sprinter Mazoon al Alawi, competing in her third Olympics after Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Both will participate in the 100-metre race. National shooter Said Ali al Khatri will make his Olympic debut in the Men’s Trap Shooting category, while swimmer Issa Sameer al Adawi will compete in the 100-metre freestyle event for the second consecutive Olympics, following his appearance in Tokyo 2020.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will commence this Friday and runs until August 11.
Ali al Balushi secured his place in the 100-metre event by qualifying directly among the top 56 sprinters, a position confirmed by World Athletics, the global governing body of the sport. The other athletes from Oman were granted international invitation cards, a result of the OOC's strong network and connections with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Solidarity Commission, and various international sports federations.
Last Thursday, OOC Secretary General Taha al Kishry met with the athletes to congratulate them on the honour of representing Oman on the world stage. He encouraged them to perform their best, aiming to bring honour to Oman through positive and advanced results that reflect the nation's sporting progress.
Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed al Zubair, Chairman of the OOC, will lead Oman’s official delegation to the Paris Olympics. The delegation will also include His Highness Sayyid Azan bin Qais al Said, Vice Chairman of the OOC; Taha Suleiman al Kishri, Secretary-General of the OOC; Ali bin Salim al Busaifi, Oman’s delegation manager, Amer al Zeidi, a physiotherapy specialist; and Adil al Balushi as the media reporter. Additionally, the team will feature Shuaib al Zadjali, an anti-doping official, and Abdulmoneim al Alawi, a FINA open water referee.
Ali al Busaifi will depart for Paris on Monday to finalise preparations ahead of the athletes' arrival. He will attend the Chef-de-Mission meeting at the Olympic Village on Tuesday, which will address accommodation arrangements for the national team, the logistics for the Olympic opening ceremony, and the issuance of accreditation cards for all delegation members.
“I have been in close contact with the Paris 2024 Olympics coordinators over the past months. It is essential to arrive in Paris a few days before the national team to ensure all arrangements are in place,” said Ali al Busaifi. “The Chef-de-Mission meeting will cover various topics to ensure a smooth entry and comfortable stay for our athletes in the Olympic Village.”
“We extend our gratitude to the Paris 2024 Organising Committee and our national team members for their cooperation and support. We wish our athletes the best as they arrive in Paris to commence their training ahead of the competitions,” he added.
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