Friday 03 / January / 2025
Muscat: Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) Secretary General Taha Al Kishry and Oman Sail CEO Dr Khamis al Jabri have expressed pride and delight after Oman’s sailing pair of Musab Al Hadi and Waleed Al Kindi won a historic silver medal at the ongoing 19th Asian Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou on Tuesday.
Al Hadi and Al Kindi claimed the Sultanate’s first silver at the Asiad in the men’s skiff 49er event.
In his exclusive remarks to Times of Oman from Hangzhou, Al Kishry said: “We are immensely proud of the remarkable achievement of our sailors, Musab and Waleed, who have brought home the Sultanate’s first silver medal at the Asian Games.
“This accomplishment not only ends the Sultanate’s 13-year medal drought but it has also been achieved in style. Their
[Musab and Waleed] dedication, hard work, and passion for sailing have shone brightly on the international stage, showcasing the immense talent and potential within Oman’s sports community.”
Al Kishry, who along with OOC chairman Khalid Al Zubair, have been working hard towards Oman’s goal of achieving medals at the continental events for the past many years. The top OOC bosses will certainly have a sense of satisfaction after the latest exploits in Hangzhou.
Al Kishry added: “This fabulous achievement is a testament to the unwavering support of the Oman Olympic Committee and the commitment of our athletes to excellence. We believe that this success will inspire future generations of Omani athletes.
“We would like to extend our gratitude to the athletes, their coaches, and everyone involved in their journey. We also look forward to the medals ceremony tomorrow [Wednesday], where we hope to see Oman rightfully recognised on the medal standings. This silver medal is a moment of immense pride for our nation, and we are excited about the future of Oman sports.”
Our sailors have etched their names in history: Jabri In his first comments to the media, a jubilant Oman Sail’s CEO Dr Khamis Al Jabri, said, “Our sailors, Musab Al Hadi and Waleed Al Kindi, have etched their names in Oman’s sports history with their extraordinary silver medal win at the Asian Games on Tuesday.
“This remarkable feat not only adds a significant milestone to our sporting journey but also inspires future generations of Omani sailors. We are immensely proud of their dedication, team work, and resilience.”
He added: “This silver medal, the first of its kind for Oman in the Asian Games, showcases our commitment to excellence in sports. It’s a testament to the incredible talent we have in Oman.
“As we celebrate this historic moment, we look forward to even greater accomplishments on the global sporting stage”.
The medal on Tuesday also erased the pain of Musab and Waleed, who narrowly missed a bronze medal in the same event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In 2018, going into the final race, the duo of Musab and Waleed were in second place overall and in medal contention, but finished the last race in fourth behind South Korea.
The final race was won by the India pair of KC Ganapathy and Varun Thakkar, which helped them draw level overall on 43 points with Oman. However, India took the bronze medal on the countback system which decided the tie. On Tuesday, Musab and Waleed won silver while Ganapathy and Thakkar missed bronze narrowly with a fourth spot..
