MUSCAT, March 27 - Saif bin Mohammed al Rubaeiy, Oman Special Olympics Chairman, stated that Oman’s Special Olympics heroes imprinted their name into the annals of Special Olympics history as they claimed 47 medals at the Special Olympics World Games which concluded in Abu Dhabi recently. With a field boasting of more than 7,000 players from 195 countries, Oman’s Special Olympics heroes succeeded to grab 13 gold medals, 18 silver and 16 bronze medals.
“We are proud with this achievement form our champions. Special Olympics members committed prior travelling that their aim is to raise the Sultanate flag up in this top level event. They have achieved the target and succeeded to represent the country in such honourable and strong way. We would like to dedicate this accomplishment to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, the first sponsor of Special Olympics,” he said.
Oman’s Special Olympics stars bagged medals in football, sailing, handball, equestrian, tennis, bocce and volleyball. The athletes had undergone a comprehensive training programme during the last one and half year. Also, the Oman squad’s solid performance at the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi is a clear message that they can reach to the superior level if they get the right support and tools.
“Trust and confident are main titles that we learned from our heroes. Reaching to this number of medals reflect the experience gained by Oman’s Special Olympic stars. The first participation of the players in the previous edition of games which had held in UAE in 2018 was a preparatory one and that helped the athletes enrich their skills and technical experience,” the Oman chief of Special Olympics added.
“A detailed training programme for all the team members is almost ready and to be executed in coordination with related associations and committees. We are seeking that the associations and committees to provide the necessary services and facilities for stars of Special Olympics. We are depending a lot in this preparatory programme as it will shape the players readiness for the upcoming tournaments. Also, from this domestic training programme, we will identify the potential players who will be in the final squad,” Al Rubaeiy pointed out.
Al Rubaeiy recalled some memories of the champions and he mentioned that when the players travelled from the Sultanate in presence of their families, the feelings were mixed between the fear and responsibility at the same time. “The champions have delivered their best, reached to the podium and raised the flag of the nation. A special thanks to the player’s families for their continuous support,” he concluded.
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