(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Having bagged a total of three gold medals, Omani sailors emerged as the overall top performers at the Arab Sailing Championship in Abu Dhabi, UAE recently.
The competition, organised by Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club, took place from December 21-24 in the Optimist, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial and Laser Standard classes.
The championship was an opportunity for the young Omani sailors, all of whom are members of Omantel's Youth Sailing Programme, to test their skills in the regional waters.
The Oman Sail athletes outclassed their rivals to collect the team racing gold after close competition against teams representing host nation UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Algeria and Morocco.
At the individual level, Oman's Alaa al Amrani came a close second overall in the Optimist class, with only a one-point difference from the eventual winner, while Talal al Haremi finished fourth place, followed by Mohammed al Qasmi in sixth and their compatriot Mohammed al Alawi in the eighth place.
Action from the Arab Sailing Championship in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Samiha al Riyami, the only woman to participate from the Omani contingent, won the gold in the women's category and finished tenth in the overall standings. Oman took the leading spot in the Laser 4.7 class, with Abdul Malik al Hinai scoring 18 points, followed by Salim al Alawi in sixth place and Ubaid al Battashi in tenth place.
In the Laser Radial class, Musab al Hadi, best known for his performance in 49er class, got in fifth place overall with 32 points. In the Laser Standard class, Hussain al Jabri gained the fourth position, with fellow Ahmed al Hassani in sixth position.
Commenting on the success, Mohsin al Busaidi, Youth Programme Manager at Oman Sail said, 'This event was definitely a confidence booster for every member of the squad. With their determination, the team rounded up a training-packed year by gaining leading positions that will build on their aspirations in future competitions.'
Oman Sail's national team manager, Rashid al Kindi, who was part of the Omani delegation in Abu Dhabi, said, 'The results show an overall progress in terms of the team's performance, a result of our continuous efforts to elevate their skills in their perspective sailing classes.'
Bahraini team, which got two medals, came second and UAE, which got one gold was third in the overall ranking.
The prize-giving ceremony was held under the patronage of Sheikh Khalid al Nahyan, the chairman of the UAE Sailing & Rowing Federation, and attended by Sheikh Khalifa Abdullah al Khalifa, the president of the Arab Sailing Federation.
The Arab Sailing Championship is held every two years, with the next edition scheduled to be hosted by Morocco.
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