Muscat, Dec 2
As the sixth edition of the Annual Festival for Persons with Disabilities draws to a close on Wednesday evening at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth( MoCSY). The final day features a dedicated marathon for persons with disabilities, alongside the concluding rounds of bocce, goalball for the blind, boccia, wheelchair basketball, badminton and table tennis. Competitions begin at 8 am, followed by the festival’s closing ceremony at 7 pm.
Amid these vibrant activities, the track events, particularly the 50m and 200m races, stood out as some of the most competitive and widely followed contests, showcasing impressive performances from participants representing Wafa Centres, inclusive education schools and associations across the Sultanate of Oman.
50m Race – Female Categories
The women’s 50m events witnessed remarkable results. Sadan al Kalbani from the Children Association – Seeb claimed first place in category F1 with a time of 11.61 seconds. In category F2, Saraa al Farsi from the Intellectual Education School secured the top spot with 10.14 seconds.
Meanwhile, Zamorda al Hashmi from Wafa Centre Al Mudhaibi dominated category F3 with an impressive 9.39 seconds, and Noor al Shamli from Wafa Centre Maqniyat recorded one of the day’s best times by winning category F4 in 9.28 seconds.
50m Race – Male Categories
In the men’s 50m races, Abdullah al Hadhabi from Inclusive Schools Al Batinah South won category M1 with 9.65 seconds.
Category M2 saw an outstanding performance from Khalid Beyt Habadhah of the Omani Association – Salalah, who clocked 7.56 seconds.
Another highlight came in category M8, where Younis al Dawoodi from Wafa Centre – Bidbid clinched first place with a time of 7.73 seconds.
Additional podium finishes were shared among participants from Wafa Centres in Sohar, Sur, Nizwa, Al Buraimi and other wilayats, reflecting the depth of competition across the short-distance events.
200m Race – Male and Female Categories
The excitement continued in the 200m events. In the women’s category F1, Reema al Shaibi from the Intellectual Education School took first place with a time of 39.71 seconds.
For the men, Omar al Farji from Wafa Centre – Al Amerat dominated category M1 with 29.54 seconds.
One of the standout performances came from Mishal al Amri from Wafa Centre – Al Suwaiq, who won category M3 after clocking 25.83 seconds, marking one of the fastest times across all 200m races.
Other winners emerged from Wafa Centres in Bahla, Al Mudhaibi, Sur, Izki and Khasab, highlighting the strong presence and athletic growth of participants from specialised centres and inclusive programmes.
Ahmed al Hashmi, Head of the Programmes and Competitions Committee, said the sixth edition of the festival featured three specialised officiating workshops designed to prepare technical staff for upcoming para-sport events, including the West Asia Championship hosted by Oman next February. A total of 60 participants from government entities and universities benefited from the training. He noted that the festival aims to enhance technical skills, expand participation and strengthen capacities in disability sports, praising the support of all partners and reaffirming Oman’s commitment to empowering persons with disabilities.
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