Building Oman’s future medal hopefuls : Dakar 2026

MUSCAT, NOV 14
The conclusion of the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games, Dakar 2026, should mark more than the end of another international sporting participation for Oman. It should serve as a turning point in strengthening coordination between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY), the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC), and national sports associations and committees.
Oman’s participation in Dakar offered encouraging signs of the potential within its emerging sporting talent. The standout performance came from young fencer Jana al Sharji, who finished fourth in the women’s individual épée competition, coming within reach of an Olympic Youth medal.
With the MoCSY preparing to launch its talent development programme, the next step should be to translate the lessons from Dakar into practical technical plans.
Oman’s national fencing coach, Tunisian Hicham Karshoud, revealed that Jana is currently ranked third in the world in the under-17 category, a position that deserves greater attention and a structured programme.
“This achievement needs to be given greater focus so that we can maintain this level and develop it further through close cooperation between the Ministry, the Oman Olympic Committee and the Oman Fencing Committee. We need to identify the sports with genuine potential to deliver medals for the country and invest in them based on the progress already being achieved,” Karshoud said to Oman Observer.
He also highlighted Salma al Dughaishi, who is ranked 11th in the world in the under-17 category, alongside several other promising fencers.
The experience in Dakar also reinforces the importance of assessing international participation through more than medals and final rankings. Swimmer Hamed al Hasani, who represented Oman in the aquatics competition, gained important experience from his first Olympic appearance.
Moving forward, Oman’s approach should focus on identifying athletes with strong competitive potential at an early age, selecting priority sports based on international results, establishing clear technical targets and providing consistent access to qualified coaching, scientific support and high-level competitions.
The next phase will require closer cooperation between the MoCSY, OOC and national federations. Oman’s objective should not simply be to increase the number of athletes participating in major competitions, but to build a competitive pathway capable of producing athletes who can challenge for medals.