Muscat: As many as 100 students, including boys and girls, participated in a two-day badminton festival that concluded recently.
The opening day was organised for girls at Al Amal Club, while the boys’ event was held at AMM
Arena. The festival was organised by the Oman Racket Sports Committee (ORSC) with the aim of identifying promising junior badminton players to nurture and develop national teams.
The ORSC’s board of directors has implemented a strategic approach, focusing on junior age category players and selecting talented individuals to establish a foundation for the future. Moreover, the ORSC has established clear selection criteria based on various physical and technical skill parameters to ensure the identification of players with the required qualifications for badminton.
The two-day festival featured various activities, with students competing passionately to showcase their unique skills and precision in this fast-paced sport. The committee appointed numerous coaches and trainers to oversee the participants’ performances. During the festivals, the players underwent training sessions to evaluate their skills. Additionally, a mini-tournament was organised in a structured manner to enhance the students’ experience and elevate the level of competition among them.
Ammar al Hammadi, an organising member at the Badminton Players Selection Festival, said that the event provided an ideal platform to unearth young and talented badminton players. He noted that the students exhibited their skills and sporting potential, emphasising how the festival promoted a healthy spirit of competition and interaction among them.
Al Hammadi said the event reinforced ORSC’s commitment to supporting young talents and encouraging them to pursue badminton, thereby contributing to the development of the sport in the country.
Al Hammadi expressed hope that the festival could be extended to multiple governorates in the Sultanate of Oman, with the goal of consistently identifying and nurturing young badminton players.
Ruqaya Nasser al Omairi, a board member of ORSC, said the committee is committed to the development of junior students and the enhancement of their technical skills and abilities.
Ruqaya said that they have initially focused on schools in Seeb and Bausher, where a group of promising students has already been selected. The ORSC intends to continue working with them to build a solid foundation of badminton players in Oman.