Ali Al-Baluchi Claims 100m Gold, Delivering a Remarkable Presence for Oman at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh

Omani sprinter Ali Anwar Al-Baluchi shone in one of the most competitive speed events, capturing the gold medal in the 100m sprint with a time of 10.30 seconds. His victory adds a new achievement for the Sultanate of Oman at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. His teammate, Mulhem Al-Baluchi, also delivered an impressive performance, finishing fourth in the final with a time of 10.41 seconds. Together, the duo marked a strong Omani presence in one of the marquee events of athletics. Both athletes had secured their spots in the final after standout performances in the heats, where Ali finished first in his group with a time of 10.26 seconds, while Mulhem placed second in his heat with 10.34 seconds.

Gold medalist Ali Al-Baluchi expressed his overwhelming joy at the achievement, affirming that the victory is “a modest gift to the nation during its glorious national days, and to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq — may God protect him.” He noted that the gold medal crowns months of continuous preparation, saying: “My goal was to raise the Sultanate’s flag high in this major event, and thanks to God, I was able to achieve that. I thank my technical and administrative teams, the Oman Olympic Committee, and the Ministry for their tremendous support. I promise the fans to give even more in future competitions.”

Musa bin Khamis Al-Baluchi, Deputy Head of Oman’s delegation, stated that this achievement reflects the capabilities of Omani athletes and their potential to compete at major international events. He added that Ali’s gold and the recent weightlifting results are “the product of consistent support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, close follow-up by the Oman Olympic Committee, and cooperation among sports federations.” He emphasized that the delegation enters the Games with a clear ambition to achieve more medals, considering today’s results a strong motivation for all teams to continue their efforts.

Brigadier (Ret.) Saeed bin Mohammed Al-Hajri, President of the Oman Athletics Association, highlighted that this victory confirms the effectiveness of the preparation and development programs implemented by the federation. He stressed that Omani athletes can reach even higher podiums when provided with a fully supportive training environment. Al-Hajri described Ali Al-Baluchi’s triumph as an important message to young talents on the importance of commitment and improvement, noting that the federation, in cooperation with the Ministry, continues to enhance its development system through youth programs, advanced technical equipment, and expanded partnerships with clubs, universities, and relevant institutions. He extended congratulations to His Majesty the Sultan — may God protect him — and dedicated the achievement to His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham for his great support to Omani sports.

In other competitions, fencer Harith Al-Harthi exited the tournament after losing 12–15 to Iran’s Amir Hossein in the round of 16, while Ahmed Kaskas was also eliminated after falling 9–15 to Uzbekistan’s Amirkhan Dorytikov. Monday’s events saw strong performances from several nations, with Saudi athlete Hussein Al-Hazam winning the pole vault gold and Morocco’s Salah Eddine Benyazid taking gold in the 3000m steeplechase. African and Asian countries continued to dominate long-distance, throwing, and jumping disciplines in a highly competitive atmosphere.

Fencing events were marked by notable Uzbek and Turkish performances, while taekwondo competitions concluded with medal victories for athletes from Morocco, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. In women’s handball, teams from Iran, Turkey, and Kazakhstan secured important wins, while in 3×3 basketball, the men’s teams of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran excelled, along with women’s teams from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Algeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Amid these diverse competitions, Omani athletes continue to impress with their strong presence and rising ambition to secure more achievements in the coming days.