OMAN BAG SIX MEDALS ON THIRD DAY
Oman’s athletes grabbed six more medals on the third day to make their tally to 18 in the first Gulf Youth Games, which the UAE is hosting until next May 2. Oman won two gold, two silver and one bronze on Thursday.
In para athletic competitions, Omani champion Faisal al Balushi won the gold in 200 metres in the morning, while he won the silver in 100 metres in the evening. Omani girl Maryam al Badi won the bronze medal in the women’s 100 metres.
Abdullah al Anbari, Oman para athletics coach, expressed his overwhelming happiness. “The victory came despite limited preparation due to the climatic conditions, but our heroes achieved these medals as a gift to the people of the Sultanate.”
In women’s athletics, Oman’s Ghaya al Saadi, came first to take the gold with a time of 1 minute and 14 seconds in 400m race. Samer al Yaarubi snatched the gold medal in 1,500m race. Ahmed al Jabri took the bronze in men’s 100 metres sprint.
Earlier, the GCC delegations meeting was held in Dubai, in the presence of Nasser al Tamimi and Nabil Ashour, members of the Board of Directors of the UAE Olympic Committee and Organising
Committee for Youth Games. Kadhim al Balushi, Oman delegation manager, along with Hanaa al Battashia, administrator of Oman delegation, attended the meeting.
The meeting dealt with explaining all aspects related to technical, arbitration matters, location, competitions time and logistical services to all athletes in the Games.
On Friday, the chess competition will start at the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club and the badminton competition will begin at the Zayed Sports Complex hall in Fujairah. The sailing competitions will continue at the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club.
In football, there are two matches, the first between UAE and Bahrain and second between Kuwait and Oman at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The athletics competitions and para athletics will continue at Officers Club in Dubai.
The badminton competitions will see the participation of five teams: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar competing in individual, team, doubles and mixed games.
Para athletic competitions will conclude on Friday with 6 events for male and female categories, including the 100m race (chairs), shot put (sitting), shot put (standing), discus, 200m race (chairs) and 800m race (chairs).
As many as 85 athletes from five countries are participating in para athletics. UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman have all fielded their para athletes for the Games. The track competitions include 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 2,000m, 100m (chairs), 200m (chairs), 800m (chairs) in addition to the field competitions (discus - javelin - shot put - high jump).
As for Saturday’s competitions, four competitions will be held, with volleyball joining the rest of the competitions that were launched previously, namely sailing, badminton, chess and athletics.
The victory came despite limited preparation due to the climatic conditions, but our heroes achieved these medals as a gift to the people of the Sultanate
ABDULLAH AL ANBARI Oman para athletics coach