MUSCAT: The fifth edition of the Oman Schools Beach Sports Championship opened in Salalah, Dhofar, with intense competition in beach volleyball and beach handball. Organised by the Oman School Sports Federation, the event runs from August 29 to September 3 at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment, bringing together 102 students from education directorates across Oman.
The opening round featured 12 matches, six in each sport, as teams began their campaigns seeking strong results and places in the knockout stages.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Al Batinah North defeated Dhofar 2-0, while Al Batinah South beat Al Buraimi by the same score. Muscat also recorded a 2-0 win over Al Sharqiyah South, while Al Sharqiyah North overcame Al Wusta 2-0. Al Batinah North then beat Al Batinah South 2-0, with Al Dhahirah closing the round with a 2-0 victory over Al Buraimi.
Six more volleyball matches are scheduled for Monday, including Al Sharqiyah South against Al Sharqiyah North, Al Wusta against Al Dakhiliyah, and Al Batinah South against Al Dhahirah.
Beach Handball
Al Dakhiliyah edged Al Sharqiyah South 2-1 in a closely fought match. Al Batinah South defeated Al Sharqiyah North 2-0, while Muscat beat Al Batinah North 2-0. Musandam overcame Dhofar 2-1, Al Sharqiyah South defeated Al Sharqiyah North 2-0, and Al Batinah North beat Al Dhahirah 2-0.
The second round continues on Monday with six matches, including Al Dakhiliyah against Al Batinah South, Muscat against Dhofar and Al Batinah North against Musandam.
PREPARATIONS
Mohammed al Kindi, Secretary of the School Sports Committee in Al Dakhiliyah, said the governorate began preparations early by selecting outstanding school players for its beach volleyball and beach handball teams. Training started after July, with three sessions a week focused on technical skills, fitness, teamwork and tactics suited to beach sports.
He added that both teams played friendly matches before the championship to assess their levels and correct weaknesses, helping improve their readiness. The preparations, he said, aim to ensure a strong representation while giving players valuable experience and strengthening teamwork and competitive spirit.
Salim al Najashi said the Directorate General of Education in Al Sharqiyah South had completed intensive preparations for its two teams through training sessions and friendly matches designed to assess the technical and physical levels of students selected from school competitions.
He said the beach volleyball team is determined to retain the title it won in 2024 and 2025, with a new young line-up featuring three players. The beach handball team, runners-up in 2025, will seek a strong performance with a renewed squad selected according to the specified age categories.
The championship features nine beach handball teams and 10 beach volleyball teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semifinals. The semifinals will be held on Wednesday, followed by the finals and awards ceremony on Thursday.
The event is supported by OQ Group, the strategic sponsor of the Oman School Sports Association , in cooperation with Oman Development Bank and Badr Al Samaa Medical Centre, and in partnership with the Directorate General of Culture, Sports and Youth in Dhofar and the Oman Handball and Volleyball Association. The championship also serves as a platform for identifying and developing young talent and strengthening the pathway from school sport to national teams.
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