MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman is preparing to host the fifth School Beach Sports Championship, organised by the Oman School Sports Association (OSSA) from August 29 to September 3, at the beach courts of the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah, Dhofar Governorate.
The championship is part of the federation’s efforts to promote school sports, encourage students to adopt an active sporting lifestyle and provide young athletes with a competitive platform to develop their skills and gain valuable experience. The event also aims to strengthen the values of teamwork, discipline and fair competition among school students.
Fahad bin Khalfan al Mashaikhi, OSSA Vice-Chairman, said the championship represents an important fixture on the school sports calendar as the country’s only school event dedicated to beach sports. He noted that holding it during the summer vacation gives students an opportunity to remain active and develop their skills, while also serving as a platform for identifying promising talent. He added that several former participants have gone on to represent school and age-group national teams, and thanked OQ, Oman Oil, Badr Al Samaa Hospital and Al Waha Water for their continued support of school sports.
102 STUDENTS
The fifth edition will feature 102 male students representing various educational directorates across Oman, they will compete in two beach sports beach handball and beach volleyball in what is expected to be a competitive gathering of young athletes from different parts of the Sultanate of Oman.
The beach handball competition will feature nine teams, while 10 teams will take part in the beach volleyball competition, the two events are expected to provide a strong test for the participating students while giving them an opportunity to compete against teams from other educational directorates and gain experience in beach sports.
More than 50 supervisors and coaches will contribute to the organisation and technical preparation of the championship, the overall number of participants is expected to exceed 150, including students, organisers, referees, administrators, media representatives, supervisors and coaches.
The OSSA has been completing its technical, organisational and logistical preparations ahead of the opening of the championship, with the aim of providing an appropriate environment for the participating teams and ensuring smooth competition throughout the event.
Hosting the championship in Dhofar also highlights the governorate’s growing role in welcoming sporting and youth events, the competition will take place in Salalah during the Khareef Dhofar Season, adding a distinctive setting to an event that combines school sport with the dynamic atmosphere of beach competitions.
The championship is expected to produce several closely contested matches as teams battle for the top positions in both disciplines. Beyond the results, however, the event represents an important opportunity to identify promising young talent, develop students’ sporting abilities and strengthen the foundations of school sport in Oman.
The fifth School Beach Sports Championship is therefore set to be more than a sporting competition, serving as a platform to promote participation, discover emerging talent and inspire students to pursue sport as an important part of their development.
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