Muscat: Oman will take part in the official opening ceremony of the 4th GCC Games Doha, as Qatar hosts the regional multi-sport event from May 11 to 22 under the slogan “One Gulf, One Heart.”
The Omani delegation is headed by HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al Said, Chairman of the Oman Olympic Committee and Head of Oman’s delegation to the Games. He is accompanied by Abdullah Ba Mukhalef, Secretary-General of the Oman Olympic Committee, Dr Marwan al Juma, Deputy Head of Delegation, along with members of the administrative and technical teams and national squads.
Oman’s flag during the opening ceremony will be carried by taekwondo athlete Nibras al Tooqi and women’s 3x3 basketball player Shamsa al Dhaha al Khinji.
Oman is competing with 11 national teams across swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, fencing, karate, shooting, athletics, 3x3 basketball, snooker, volleyball and bowling. The national teams will be aiming to deliver strong performances and compete for podium places in a Games that brings together athletes from all GCC countries.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to be held at Al Shaqab Indoor Arena, with organisers promising a distinctive ceremony reflecting the unity and shared sporting identity of the Gulf. The fourth edition features 17 sports, including handball, table tennis, athletics, padel, fencing, boxing, taekwondo, karate, swimming, billiards, snooker, 3x3 basketball, shooting, archery, volleyball, equestrian and bowling.
Oman enters the Doha Games with ambitions to build on its best-ever medal tally, achieved at the third GCC Games in Kuwait in 2022, where Omani athletes won 32 medals — 12 gold, five silver and 15 bronze. Oman had earlier won 11 medals at the inaugural edition in Bahrain in 2011 and 29 medals at the second edition in Dammam in 2015.
Badr bin Ali Awlad Thani, Director of Oman’s delegation, said the administrative team had completed all arrangements to receive the national teams in Doha. He said coordination with the Organising Committee had covered accommodation, transport, technical meetings and competition schedules to ensure a smooth participation for Omani athletes.
He added that Oman’s delegation headquarters had been prepared at the team hotel, while a medical clinic had also been set up for the Omani delegation under Dr Mohammed Loubani and physiotherapist Buthaina al Hassani.
Meanwhile, Oman’s fencing team arrives in Doha today ahead of its competitions at Aspire Dome from May 13 to 15. The squad includes Ahmed bin Anwar Kaskas, Said bin Khalid al Shuaibi, Ali bin Hamad al Busaidy, Al Harith bin Salim al Harthy and Israa bint Saif al Siyabi.
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