2015 sports achievers honoured
The annual ceremony, held under the auspices of Minister of Sports Affairs Sheikh Saad Al Saadi, saw around 520 athletes representing different sports and teams honoured for their excellent results during 2015
Sports Reporter MUSCAT: The Ministry of Sports Affairs organised the Annual Awards Gala at Grand Hyatt on Monday evening to honour the Omani athletes and teams who won the laurels for the Sultanate during 2015 at various regional, international and world events.
The ceremony, held under the auspices of Minister of Sports Affairs Sheikh Saad bin Mohammed Al Mardhouf Al Saadi, saw around 520 athletes representing different sports and teams honoured for their excellent performances and results during 2015.
The ceremony was also attended by heads of various sports associations and committees as well as the representatives of sponsors who supported the athletes and teams during the year.
Sheikh Rashad Al Hinai, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Sports Affairs, while welcoming the athletes and the dignitaries, said: “We are delighted to gather here today and celebrate the achievements of our sport- spersons during the last year.
“This annual event, under Sports Activities Fund, honours the athletes for hoisting the national flag at international events with their excellent performances.
“This year we are felicitating more than five hundred athletes. And that shows that all these athletes with their hard work and dedication have succeeded in winning laurels for the country. This ceremony and awards are aimed at encouraging them to continue with their good work and achieve further success in the future,” he added.
Starting with the Asian championship-winning Oman beach soccer team to the history making national cricket squad, that qualified for the ICC World T20 Championship, and to the national paralympic teams who won medals of different colours at the regional level, this year’s list of awardees was lengthy one to the delight of the officials as well as the sports fans.
The ceremony also saw the min- istry honouring the government and private sector companies for their support to the sports during the year. As expected Omantel took the top award, the glittering gold trophy, while Oman Oil Company won the silver and the national carrier Oman Air took the bronze trophy. Among other companies who were honoured included Occidental Oman, Sabco, Badr Al Samaa, Bank Muscat and Ooredoo.
List of awardees:
Beach soccer team: Title winners at Asian championship held in Qatar in March and GCC championship in Qatar in April. U-19 football team: Winners of GCC U-19 championship in Qatar in September. U-16 football team: Winners of GCC U-16 championship in Qatar in August. U-23 football team: Third place at GCC U-23 championship in Bahrain in March. Seeb Club: 2nd place at GCC Club Championships in May in Muscat. Beach volleyball team: 2nd place at GCC championship in Qatar in April. Beach volleyball team: 3rd place at Arab championship in Jordan. Volleyball team: 3rd place at Dammam GCC Games in October. Handball team: 2nd place at GCC championship in Qatar in April. Handball team: 3rd place at Dammam GCC Games. Handball team: 2nd place at Asian championship in Muscat in May. Athletics team: 4 silver medals at Arab championships in Bahain in April. Athletics team: 3 gold, 2 silver at Dammam GCC Games. Athletics team: 3 silver, 2 bronze at GCC championships in Saudi Arabia. Athletics team: 1 silver and 1 bronze at Arab junior athletics championships in Tunisia. Swimming team: 5 gold, 2 silver at GCC Beach Games in Qatar. Swimming team: 1 gold, 1 silver, 5 bronze at GCC junior championships in UAE in February. Swimming team: 3 gold, 3 silver, 15 bronze at GCC Aquatic Games in Qatar in September. Swimming team: 4 gold, 3 silver, 8 bronze at Dammam GCC Games. Tent pegging team: 2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze (Asian) and 1 gold, 2 silver (international) at championships in India in March. Equestrian (endurance): 1 bronze at Dammam GCC Games. Tennis team: 1 bronze at GCC U-14 championships in Saudi Arabia. Tennis team: 1 bronze at GCC championships in Qatar in November. Camel racing team: 2 silver, 1 bronze at Dammam GCC Games. Camel racing team: 3 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze at GCC championships in Oman in November. Shooting team: 1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze at GCC championships in Kuwait in October. Women’s volleyball: 2nd place at GCC Women’s Games in Oman in November. Shooting team: 1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze at Oman GCC Women’s Games. Equestrian (Endurance): 1 silver at GCC Women’s Games. Athletics team: 6 gold, 2 silver, 7 bronze at GCC Women’s Games. Tennis team: 4 gold, 2 bronze at GCC Women’s Games. Taekwondo team: 1 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze at GCC Women’s Games. Bowling team: 1 bronze at GCC Women’s Games. Paralympic athletes: Women’s Games. Powerlifting team: 6 gold, 5 silver, 12 bronze at Asian championship in Hong Kong. Powerlifting team: 5 gold, 11 silver, 8 bronze at GCC championships in Qatar. Weightlifting team: 4 silver at Dammam GCC Games. Body-building team: 1 gold, 2 silver at Asian championships in Japan. Sailing team: 2 gold, 3 silver at GCC Optimist championship in UAE in April. Sailing team: 3 gold, 1 silver at GCC championship in Qatar in April. Bowling team: 1 gold, 1 bronze at GCC U-19 championship. Golf team: 2 bronze at GCC U-18 championships in Kuwait, 3 gold at GCC U-15 championship in UAE. Cycling team: 1 gold, 2 bronze at GCC championship in Bahrain. Karate team: 4 bronze at West Asia championship in UAE in September. Sepak takraw team: 3rd place at Thailand international championships. Cricket team: 1st at the ACC T20 championship in UAE and for clinching the ICC World T20 berth at World T20 Qualifier in Scotland and Ireland. Paralympic team: 2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze at GCC championships in Qatar.
3rd place at GCC