Oman’s Golf and Equestrian Teams Continue Their Competitions Amid a Competitive Atmosphere

Oman’s national athlete Raed Al-Balushi advanced to the 100-meter final after finishing third in his semifinal heat, achieving a new personal record of 10.87 seconds. Meanwhile, the national equestrian and golf teams continue their competitions with hopes of securing strong results in the individual events, as part of the 3rd Asian Youth Games hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain from October 22 to 31.

The Games bring together more than 5,000 male and female athletes representing 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, competing across 24 sports, 31 categories, and 253 events held at several sports venues, including Isa Sports City, Khalifa Sports City, the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre, the Endurance Village, and Sama Bay.

Al-Balushi qualified for the 100-meter final after finishing third in his semifinal heat, behind China’s Laij, who placed first with a time of 10.59 seconds, and Vietnam’s Ngai, who finished second in 10.83 seconds. Al-Balushi will compete against Asia’s top sprinters in the final, which is expected to be highly competitive due to the narrow time differences among the runners. The Omani sprinter enters the race with determination and focus, aiming to finish strongly and possibly set another personal best to enhance his standing in Asian athletics.

Equestrian Competitions

In the team equestrian event, despite rider Taha Ziyad Al-Balushi completing a flawless round with zero penalties, some technical errors and the team’s adaptation to new environmental conditions for the horses affected their overall standing in this first continental participation for the youth equestrian team. The national equestrian team looks forward to achieving notable results in the individual events, reflecting the progress of equestrian sport in Oman.

The team includes riders Sayyid Abdulaziz bin Fahad Al-Busaidi (born 2009), competing in the individual 120cm category; Taha bin Ziyad Al-Balushi (born 2010), also in the 120cm category; and Sarah bint Suhail Al-Kathiri (born 2009), competing in the same event height.

Golf Competitions

The national golf team continues its participation with hopes of advancing beyond the preliminary rounds and reaching the finals. The team consists of three players: Adam bin Masoud Al-Barwani, Mahir Nikhil Sembat, and Branch bin Gopal Jagwani, competing in both individual and team categories. The past two days have witnessed intense competition and high-level performances from the best golfers across Asia.

Taekwondo Competitions

The taekwondo team began its individual events on Friday. Oman’s Ziyad Al-Balushi lost his match to Indonesia’s Rashmad in straight rounds. Meanwhile, Omani athlete Shahnaz Al-Maawali advanced to the quarterfinals after a remarkable victory over Bahrain’s Sheikha Al-Yaqubi, winning two rounds to none (8–1, 14–2). Fidaa bint Fouad Al-Barwani will compete in her first match on Saturday, while Qaboos Al-Balushi and Al-Mutassim Al-Hajri will undergo weigh-ins on Saturday before starting their matches on Sunday.

Supervision and Support

To ensure optimal conditions and a positive environment for the athletes, the Oman Olympic Committee delegation continues to provide strong support to all national teams. The delegation’s management regularly visits the teams to identify their needs, motivate the athletes, and encourage them to give their best performances that reflect Oman’s sporting progress.

Present with the delegation are Brigadier (Ret.) Saeed bin Mohammed Al-Hajri, Deputy Head of the Delegation, and Abdullah bin Mohammed Bamkhalaf, Secretary General of the Oman Olympic Committee. The administrative team includes Badr bin Ali Awlad Thani as Team Manager and Kazem bin Khan Mohammed Al-Balushi as Assistant Manager. H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Khamis Ambusaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education and Head of Delegation, departed Bahrain after attending the official opening ceremony of the Games.

Arrival of the Swimming Team

The national swimming team will arrive in Bahrain on Saturday. The team is represented by swimmer Mohammed bin Khamis Al-Wahaibi (born 2009), who will compete in the 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, and 50m butterfly events, under the supervision of coach Abdelhafid Rahmani Goudari.

The national e-sports team will arrive on Monday to compete in the “Rocket League” event, scheduled for October 29–30. The team consists of three players born in 2008: Sultan bin Kamran Al-Balushi, Mishari bin Ammar Al-Ajmi, and Abdullah bin Badr Al-Amri. The technical and administrative staff includes Hamed bin Yaqoub Al-Jahwari (Team Administrator) and Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Ateqi (Coach).

Determination and Ambition

Omani sprinter Raed Al-Balushi expressed his happiness after qualifying for the 100-meter final, saying: “Praise be to God for reaching the final after tough and highly competitive heats. I entered the race with great determination and confidence in my abilities. This achievement is the result of long preparation and intensive training supported by the coaching staff and the Oman Athletics Association.”

He added: “Qualifying for the final means a lot to me. I aim to deliver an even stronger performance in the final, raise Oman’s name high among the participating nations, and I wish success to all my teammates in the upcoming races.”

Deserved Qualification

National speed coach Fahd Al-Mushaikhi said: “We are proud of our athlete’s qualification for the 100-meter final. It’s an important milestone that reflects his great effort and preparation over the past period. The semifinal was tough, but he maintained focus and confidence, achieving a new personal record. Our goal is to maintain the same spirit and determination in the final and deliver a performance worthy of Oman’s standing in Asian athletics.”

Al-Mushaikhi expressed confidence in the abilities of other Omani runners competing in the 200m, 800m, and 2000m events, noting their solid physical and mental readiness. He emphasized that this participation provides valuable experience for young athletes and helps strengthen Oman’s presence in Asian athletics.

He also noted that Raed Al-Balushi is one of the promising talents developed through the Athlete Preparation Centers supervised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth. He joined the national athletics training program in March 2025 and has shown continuous improvement, achieving a new personal record of 10.87 seconds in this competition.

Flawless Round

Rider Taha Ziyad Al-Balushi said: “Thanks be to God for this performance. The round was strong and highly competitive. I entered with confidence and focus, aiming to achieve a result worthy of our national team. I completed the round smoothly thanks to the great cooperation between me and my horse, as well as the technical and moral support from our coaching team.”

He added: “I commend my teammates for their commendable performances despite facing some technical difficulties beyond their control. Such competitions require high concentration and come with great challenges, but we gain valuable experience that strengthens our readiness for future events. We will continue working together with focus and determination in the upcoming individual competitions to represent Oman in the best possible way.”