Archery, sepaktakraw and pickleball impress at Amateur Sports Forum

MUSCAT: The curtain came down on Wednesday evening on the second edition of the Amateur Sports Forum, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth, represented by the Amateur Sports Department. The event, held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, spanned three days of intense competitions and remarkable public and participant turnout.
The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Azzan bin Qasim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, who honoured the winners of the three tournaments: archery, sepaktakraw and pickleball.

Archery Championship
The archery competition witnessed wide participation across different age categories. In the men’s open category, Hassan Khan secured first place, followed by Abdulrahman al Farsi in second and Mohammed al Kiyumi in third. In the juniors’ category, Mohammed al Hasani took the top spot, while Arnav came second and Abdullah al Hasani third.
In the women’s category, Doha Marghani claimed gold, with Noha Noreen taking silver and Mounes Izanlonn finishing third. In the youth category, Syed Zuhaib clinched first place, Mohammed al Khalasi came second and Osama Anwar al Badawi took third.

Sepaktakraw Championship
The sepaktakraw matches were marked by competitiveness and excitement. In the singles event, Faisal al Harthy won gold, Abdullah al Ismaili secured silver and Mohammed al Balushi claimed bronze.
In the men’s doubles category, the duo of Faisal al Harthy and Mazen al Dhabari captured first place, followed by Mohammed al Abdali and Abdullah al Ismaili in second, while Juma al Sanani and Riyadh al Mufriji finished third.
Among the juniors’ doubles, Badr and Salem al Mashari shone brightest to win gold, with Yusuf al Ruweidhi and Ali al Mashari in second and Hamza al Shukri with Mohammed al Ramdhani in third.

Pickleball Championship
The pickleball competition remained thrilling until the final moments. The pair of Yousef al Alawai and Lea Dulam clinched the title after a decisive 11–7 victory in the final. Kelly Rauk and Dan Everett came second, while Bryan Harris and Ana Puaratanna settled for third.
Mohammed al Nyadi, Head of the Amateur Sports Department at the Ministry, affirmed that the second edition was a “remarkable success,” noting that the three championships were held under near-international standards, as reflected in the participants’ feedback and the high technical level. He added that archery, in particular, was conducted with professional standards praised by international referees, representing a qualitative leap in organising such tournaments in Oman.
Saudi referee Salman al Hilali also praised the technical level of the archery championship, pointing out that the participation of around 40 archers reflected the sport’s growing popularity in Oman, and stressing that applying regulations in line with international standards gave the competition a professional character.

Pickleball organiser and participant Hisham Shaaban said that pickleball is a social sport at its core, combining fun and competition while giving players the chance to connect with others. 'This championship was an important step in introducing the game to the community, and we are working on expanding its fan base in Oman.'
Meanwhile, Iranian player Mounes izanlonn, who took third place in the women’s archery event, expressed her pride in participating, noting that the excellent organisation opens the door for more such tournaments that encourage players to raise their technical level.
For his part, Mazen al Dhabari, who won the doubles title in sepaktakraw, said: 'I did not expect this level of strength and competitiveness. The championship was an important preparation stage for upcoming events and revealed new talents that truly deserve support.'