Development centres boost Oman’s badminton talent base

MUSCAT: The Athletes Development Centres Badminton Championship concluded at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher after two days of competitive action that brought together 39 boys and girls from different training centres.
The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Mahfoudha al Kittani, Associate Professor of Sports Sciences at the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University, who honoured the winners across the various age groups. She praised the technical levels displayed during the tournament and underlined the importance of such competitions in identifying young talent and strengthening individual sports among youth and junior players.
The championship featured several closely contested matches, particularly in the final rounds, where the players showed strong technical ability, determination and competitive spirit. The performances also reflected the growing impact of the Athletes Development Centres and the work being carried out by coaches to build players through structured and continuous training programmes.

In the boys’ under-17 category, Abdullah al Owaidi claimed first place following a consistent run throughout the competition. Ahmed al Azri finished second, while Sultan al Azri took third place.
In the boys’ under-13 category, Osama al Khamisi secured first place, followed by Moayad al Nadabi in second and Younis al Shidi in third. In the boys’ under-11 category, Yaseen al Khamisi emerged champion after producing impressive performances, with Firas al Siyabi finishing second and Ziyad al Battashi third.
In the girls’ under-13 category, Rawaan al Busaidy won first place, while Tarteel al Wardi came second and Hoor al Maamari finished third.
The tournament forms part of wider efforts to expand the base of badminton in Oman and provide young players with competitive exposure in an official environment. It also supports the long-term objective of preparing players capable of strengthening national teams in future regional and international events.

CLEAR PROGRESS
Waseem al Khatib, badminton coach at the Oman Racket Sports Committee and coach of the Athletes Development Centres, said the championship came after more than eight months of regular training and two selection phases.
He noted that the tournament revealed clear progress among the players and produced several promising talents. He said the commitment of the players, the discipline shown during training and the support of parents had played a major role in the development witnessed during the event.
Al Khatib added that most participants were from young age groups, particularly under-10, in addition to U13 and U17 players, which reflects the success of early talent identification. He said training centres in Bausher and Al Maabela have seen growing interest, with sessions sometimes attracting around 25 players in Bausher and 16 in Al Maabela despite limited court space.

He added that the committee will continue school selection visits to discover new players, with a focus on recruiting children at an early age and developing them technically, physically and mentally. Plans include internal and external camps, as well as participation in international tournaments, depending on available resources.
Rawaan al Busaidy, winner of the girls’ U13 title, said the championship gave her valuable experience and greater confidence on court. Abdullah al Owaidi, winner of the boys’ U17 title, said his success came after months of hard work and would motivate him to continue developing, with the ambition of representing Oman in regional and Arab competitions.