Oman clinch silver medal at Arab volleyball tourney

MUSCAT, OCT 15

Oman concluded an impressive campaign at the 24th Arab Men’s Volleyball Championship by claiming the silver medal following a straight-set defeat to Bahrain in the title-deciding encounter at the Arena Hall in Amman.

Bahrain prevailed 25-16, 26-24 and 25-14 to complete the championship with a perfect record of five victories and 15 points. Oman finished second with 11 points after recording four wins and one defeat.

Oman entered the final match seeking a fifth successive victory and the Arab crown, but Bahrain established control early and took the opening set 25-16.

Oman produced a spirited response in the second set and remained level with their opponents deep into the closing stages. The closely contested set went beyond the regulation 25 points before Bahrain secured it 26-24, giving them a commanding two-set advantage.

Bahrain regained control in the third set, using their attacking strength and defensive organisation to build a decisive lead. They eventually sealed the set 25-14 and completed a 3-0 victory to lift the title without dropping a match during the tournament.

Despite the final defeat, Oman’s campaign demonstrated the team’s steady progress under Tunisian coach Nizar Chekili. The national side opened its challenge with a 3-1 victory over Algeria before overcoming Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a five-set contest. Oman then defeated Kuwait 3-1 and hosts Jordan 3-0 to enter the decisive match unbeaten.

Omani players also collected three individual awards in recognition of their performances.

OMAN RANKED 65TH

Oman are ranked 65th in the latest FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Ranking, released on October 15. They dropped four places from 61st following their defeat to Bahrain and now have 71.09 ranking points.

Omani players also collected three individual awards in recognition of their performances in Amman. Falah al Jaradi was named the tournament’s best player in position four, while Majid al Shibli received the award for the best player in position two. Hamad al Maamari completed Oman’s individual honours by winning the best player award in position three.

Saudi Arabia finished third with seven points, followed by Algeria with six. Kuwait and hosts Jordan ended the tournament with three points each, occupying fifth and sixth places respectively.