MUSCAT: Seeb Club lifted the title of 2025 Oman Men’s Table Tennis Team Championship following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Ibri Club in the final at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on Sunday night.
Seeb’s Korean player Minha Hawang alongside with Bilal al Rasdhi and Muhannad al Balushi powered Seeb to register a strong come back to the podium after an absence in the last season. Muhannad retained the podium spot as he represented champions Salalah in last season.
The final registered tough challenges from both teams as Ibri players including professional Chinese player Yonis Yinhang Xu, Ahmed al Riyami and Nasser al Balushi worked hard to bounce back but the final deciding half ended in favour of Seeb.
In the third-place playoff, Al Rustaq defeated Taqah 3–1 to claim the bronze medal while Taqah, who included Bahrain's Anwar Makai, reached semifinals for the first time.
Ibri entered final after edging Al Rustaq 3-1 in semifinal while Seeb reached semifinals after their 3-1 victory over Taqah. The presence of several foreign professional players from countries including China, South Korea and Bahrain this season added remarkable competitiveness and technical quality to the domestic championship.
The final ceremony took place in presence of Brigadier (Retd) Said bin Mohammed al Hajri, Chairman of Oman Athletics Association, in the presence of board members of Oman Table Tennis Association (OTTA), club officials, besides fans and guests.
The chief guest delivered the medals and trophies to the winning clubs and players across all categories of the 2025 domestic season. In the under-11 singles category, Mohammed bin Sami al Zaabi from Saham claimed the title, while Al Moamin al Alawi from Yanqul finished as runner-up and his team-mate Al Yazid al Alawi finished third.
In the under-15 singles, Yousuf al Riyami of Al Rustaq emerged as champion, followed by Ali al Ajmi of Saham in second place and Turki al Abri of Al Rustaq in third. In the under-19 singles, Ahmed al Riyami of Ibri secured the gold medal, with Luqman al Farsi of Ibri finishing second and Nasser al Zaabi of Saham taking third.
In the men’s singles (senior) category, Muhannad al Balushi of Seeb captured the title after a thrilling final, Ahmed al Riyami of Ibri finished as runner-up and Ghassan al Ghassani of Seeb came third.
Brigadier (Retd) Said al Hajri praised the OTTA for its efforts in promoting and expanding the sport across the Sultanate. “The final showcased the remarkable progress of Omani players and their technical development. I extend my congratulations to Seeb Club for their title win, and commend Ibri and Rustaq Clubs for their impressive performances. The continued growth of local talent will undoubtedly pave the way for regional and international success,” Al Hajri said.
CHAMPIONS’ REFLECTIONS
Muhannad al Balushi, who achieved a double triumph this season by winning both the men’s singles and men’s team titles, expressed his delight: “ This success is the result of continuous effort, daily training and the great support from Seeb Club’s management and coaches. It motivates me to aim higher and represent Oman strongly in international competitions, starting with the upcoming WTT Star Contender Muscat 2025.”
Meanwhile, Ahmed al Riyami of Ibri Club described the season as “exceptional,” highlighting the team’s multiple podium finishes across categories. “Winning and competing locally gives us confidence and technical maturity to challenge at regional and international levels,” he said.
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