Al Shamsi wins bronze at Asian Youth Games

Oman added a new athletic achievement at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain as runner Al Yazan al Shamsi claimed the bronze medal in the 800 metre race with a time of 1:58.79 in a thrilling finish against Saudi competitors. His compatriot Raed al Balushi finished fifth in the 200 metre final, clocking 21.97 seconds.
In taekwondo, Mutasim al Maskari exited in the round of 16 after a narrow 1–2 loss to Mongolia’s Timuulin Tmenmjanni despite winning the first round 3–2 before losing the next two by a slim margin. He had earlier advanced with a 2–1 victory over Afghanistan’s Abdulbasit Sufi Zad following a strong comeback in the decisive round that ended 12–0. His team-mate Qaboos al Balushi was eliminated after losing 0–2 to Japan’s Notani Koja following a nose injury that affected his performance.
The Omani equestrian team continues its participation in the individual events with hopes of achieving positive results in the upcoming competitions. The games feature more than 5,000 athletes from 45 Asian nations competing in 24 sports and 253 events held across major venues, including Isa City, Khalifa Sports City, the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, the Endurance Village, and Sama Bay area.
SWIMMING BEGINS MONDAY
Swimmer Mohammed bin Khamis al Wahaibi will begin his campaign on Monday in the 50 mete freestyle at 11 am Muscat time. If he qualifies, he will compete in the final at 8:30 pm. He will also race in the 100 metre freestyle and 50 metre backstroke on Tuesday before concluding his participation on Wednesday in the 100 metre backstroke.
ATHLETE AND OFFICILAS’ REACTIONS
Al Shamsi expressed his happiness after winning bronze saying his goal was gold but the competition was strong and that he considers the bronze an important milestone in his first Asian Games appearance. He dedicated the medal to his country Oman, the Olympic Committee, his coaching and management staff, and his family, promising to keep working hard for more achievements.
Brigadier Retired Said bin Mohammed al Hajri, Deputy Head of the delegation and President of the Oman Athletics Association, praised Al Shamsi’s performance, noting that the achievement confirms that investment in youth is paying off and that this medal marks the beginning of greater continental and international success. He added that the result reflects the continuous support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY), dedicating the victory to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, with hopes for further success in the future.
National coach Ahmed bin Khamis al Siyabi said Al Shamsi’s result came from consistent effort and that he has great potential and could have placed higher, but a delay in accelerating after the first lap affected the final result. He added that this was the athlete’s first major continental participation and that with more experience, he will become one of the top runners in Asia. The medal will serve as motivation for him and his team-mates to keep performing at their best.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE EQUESTRIAN TEAM
Sayyid Mundhir bin Saif al Busaidy, President of the Oman Equestrian Federation, met with the national equestrian team during a dinner organised by the Oman Olympic Committee, where he expressed pride in their participation, encouraged them to stay focused and confident, and urged them to deliver their best performances in the upcoming events.