MUSCAT: The second edition of Active Oman Challenge concluded after days of sporting and recreational competitions that attracted 2,649 participants across different age groups, with winners from the various championships honoured during the closing ceremony.
The ceremony was held under the auspices of Sayyid Harib bin Numair al Said, bringing the curtain down on an edition that featured strong participation across a wide range of activities hosted at Active Oman.
The men’s go-karting championship attracted 484 participants, while more than 473 took part in the shooting challenge. The Active Oman International Open Chess Championship drew more than 400 players, while 400 competed in the Fifa tournament. More than 350 participants featured in the Jackaroo competition, over 320 contested the card games championship, more than 150 entered the Survival Challenge and 36 competed in billiards.
Ahmed bin Said al Harrasi, Operations Manager at Active Oman, said the event had gone beyond being a collection of tournaments, creating a platform that brought together a passion for sport, the spirit of competition and the enjoyment of participation.
He said the turnout reflected the growing interest in sporting and recreational initiatives in Oman, while also giving first-time participants and emerging talents an opportunity to test themselves and showcase their abilities.
Al Harrasi added that the success of the challenge should not be measured only by participation figures, but also by its contribution towards creating a more active community, encouraging young people to pursue their interests and providing wider opportunities for talent to emerge.
He also highlighted the strong participation of families and women, while stressing the importance of maintaining partnerships with sponsors, supporters and institutions to ensure the continued growth of such initiatives. Bank Muscat was the Gold Sponsor of the second edition.
The closing ceremony also saw winners crowned across the different competitions.
In the Card Games Championship, Yaqoub al Zadjali’s team claimed first place, followed by Muhanna al Habsi’s team and Hamoud al Hadhrami’s team.
In the Active Oman International Open Chess Championship, Abdullah al Qudaimi topped the overall standings, ahead of Medhat Magdy and Basheer al Qudaimi. Satheeskumar Vardan Hari finished fourth and Abdul Rahman al Zadjali fifth.
The men’s Jackaroo Championship was won by Sulaiman al Salmi’s team, ahead of Saif al Jardani’s team and Abdulrahman al Asmi’s team, while the women’s title went to Amal al Balushi’s team, followed by Tuqa al Hasani’s team and Asala Bait Mahout’s team.
In the men’s go-karting championship, Salman al Azri claimed first place, with Ammar al Falahi second and Mohammed al Khalidi third.
The women’s karting competition was won by Widad al Harthi, ahead of Dunia al Buraiki and Hajar al Jufaili.
Hasan al Musawi secured the billiards title, followed by Hamza al Owaidi and Fahad al Maqbali.
In the women’s shooting competition, Hadeel al Harbi finished first, ahead of Aisha Ahmed and Aseel al Salmi, while Al Khattab al Hinai won the men’s title, with Ahmed al Maskari second and Sanad al Salmi third.
The children’s shooting competition saw Ahmed al Rashidi win the 6-10 years category, while Mohammed al Hinai claimed the 11-15 years title.
In the Fifa tournament on PS5, Firas al Aghbari took first place, followed by Fahr al Kindi and Hudhaifa al Amri.
The Survival Challenge was won by Malik al Hinai, with Aya al Alawi second and Ayham al Balushi third.
Billiards champion Hasan al Musawi said the title carried special significance after a two-year absence from the game, adding that the victory had given him renewed motivation to return to competition at a stronger level.
He praised the standard of organisation and said tournaments of this nature help players maintain and develop their level, particularly those aiming to represent Oman internationally.
Karting runner-up Ammar al Falahi also praised the organisation by Active Oman and the Oman Automobile Association, saying the continuation of such competitions would encourage drivers to improve and set higher targets.
Men’s champion Salman al Azri said consistent training and regular participation were key factors in achieving results, while calling for more go-karting events to support young motorsport enthusiasts and provide them with further opportunities to develop their skills.
Active Oman now aims to build on the participation and engagement generated by the second edition, with further sporting, recreational and competitive activities expected to continue supporting talent development and wider community participation.
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