Oman’s Ali al Balushi strikes gold at Paris Indoor athletics

MUSCAT: Oman’s leading sprinter Ali bin Anwar al Balushi continued his impressive rise on the international stage after clinching the gold medal in the men’s 60 metres at the Meeting de Paris Indoor 2026, part of the World Athletics Indoor Tour Silver, in Paris on Sunday.
Al Balushi delivered a commanding performance in the final, clocking a seasonal best of 6.52 seconds to secure first place and top the podium. Cameroon’s Emmanuel-Alobwede Eseme finished second with a time of 6.55 seconds, while Italy’s Filippo Randazzo claimed third place in 6.59 seconds. Cuba’s Jenns Reynold Fernandez was placed fourth in 6.61 seconds, followed by his compatriot in fifth at 6.63 seconds, with Benin’s William Aguessy rounding off the field in sixth, also in 6.63 seconds.

Earlier in the day, Al Balushi underlined his strong form by winning Heat 2 of the Men’s 60 metres, crossing the line first in 6.60 seconds. Cuba’s Reynier Mena finished second in 6.64 seconds, with Randazzo taking third place in 6.65 seconds, confirming Al Balushi’s consistency throughout the competition.
The Paris triumph came less than a week after another notable showing by the Omani sprinter at the Bauhaus-Galan Indoor 2026 in Sweden. In Stockholm city, Al Balushi clocked 6.60 seconds in the men’s 60 metres final to finish fifth in a high-calibre field featuring several of the world’s elite sprinters, marking a strong opening to his indoor season.

IMPRESSIVE LIST
Al Balushi’s latest success adds to an impressive list of achievements over the past year. In November 2025, he had claimed gold for Oman in the men’s 100 metres, recording a time of 10.34 seconds, and played a pivotal role in the national team’s silver-medal finish in the men’s 4x100 metres relay, alongside Mohammed al Saadi, Rashid al Asmi and Mulhim al Balushi.
In September, the Omani sprinter had competed at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he had produced a commendable performance in the men’s 100 metres. Racing at the Japan National Stadium, Al Balushi clocked 10.25 seconds to finish fourth in Heat 3 of the opening round, against a world-class field that included USA’s Noah Lyles, Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake and Bahamas’ Terrence Jones.