MUSCAT: Oman’s Jana al Sharji claimed a historic silver medal in the Cadet Women’s Individual Épée event at the San Jose Fencing World Cup 2026 in Costa Rica, marking a landmark achievement for Omani fencing.
The tournament, being staged at the National Gymnasium in La Sabana from October 22 to 25, has brought together 137 fencers representing 24 countries across the cadet and junior categories.
Al Sharji delivered an impressive performance throughout the competition to reach the final, where she finished runner-up to Canada’s Chloe Liu. Her silver medal underlined her growing presence on the international stage and represented a significant result for Oman in the cadet women’s category.
Oman’s delegation to the tournament comprises Jana al Sharji, Israa al Siyabi and Salma al Dighaishi. Al Dighaishi also produced a commendable performance in the Cadet Women’s Individual Épée event, finishing 11th overall.
The competition began with the pool stage before progressing to the direct elimination rounds, offering the Omani fencers valuable exposure against opponents from different countries and fencing backgrounds.
The tournament represents an important step in the players’ development, allowing them to gain further international experience, adapt to a variety of technical and tactical approaches and become more familiar with the demands of high-level competition.
Al Sharji’s achievement followed a sustained period of preparation focused on developing the players’ technical, physical and tactical abilities. Her progress to the final demonstrated her composure and consistency against a competitive international field.
The silver medal is regarded as a historic milestone for Omani fencing, particularly at cadet level, and reflects the potential of the Sultanate of Oman’s emerging female fencers to challenge for podium places at major international events.
ACHIEVEMENT FOR OMAN
Al Sharji expressed her pride and delight at earning the silver medal and representing Oman on the international stage, describing the result as the reward for continuous training, determination and the support she had received throughout her journey.
“My dream was to achieve something for my country, and this result was made possible by the support of my coach and family,” she said. “I thank everyone who stood by me, and I hope this medal will be the beginning of even greater achievements for Omani fencing in the future.”
She added that the result would provide further motivation to continue developing her level and working towards greater success in upcoming competitions.
The medal also highlights the importance of providing young Omani fencers with regular opportunities to compete abroad. International participation enables athletes to gain experience, adapt to the intensity of top-level competition and face opponents with different styles and approaches.
Al Sharji’s silver strengthens Oman’s presence on the international fencing stage and underlines the value of continued investment in promising young athletes. The achievement is expected to inspire other junior fencers and support efforts to build a stronger foundation for the sport, while preparing a new generation capable of competing at regional, continental and global levels.
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