Monday 16 / December / 2024
Muscat: Salalah Club asserted their dominance in Oman’s sports landscape by lifting the prestigious His Majesty’s Cup for Youth for the fourth consecutive time during the 2022/2023 season.
They were crowned winners at the awards ceremony held at Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth on Monday, under the patronage of Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion.
The Dhofar-based club’s victory marked another significant milestone in their history as they lifted the trophy and a cash prize of OMR30,000.
Seeb Club finished as the runner-up for the second consecutive year, receiving the silver shield along with a cash prize of OMR27,000.
Saham Club, was up one spot from last season, earned the bronze shield and a cash prize of OMR25,000.
Oman Club made a notable improvement, rising from fifth to fourth place, while Masirah Club dropped from last edition’s third to fifth.
Nizwa Club made a strong return to the top six after a one-year absence, finishing sixth.
Ahli-Sidab moved up one position from the previous season to secure seventh place, while Quriyat finished ninth. Al Bashayer Club dropped to tenth place, having finished sixth in the previous edition.
Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth for Sports and Youth, emphasised the importance of the HM’s Cup for Youth in recognising the outstanding efforts of clubs to empower youth.
He said, “His Majesty’s Cup for Youth is an annual event that celebrates clubs’ efforts in engaging youth across various sports, cultural, and youth activities. The competition also underscores the vital role clubs play in fostering community development.”
Al Rawas further noted the competition’s alignment with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s ongoing commitment to the youth sector, highlighting its role in motivating clubs to continually enhance their activities. “One of the competition’s key objectives is to encourage clubs to serve as hubs for youth, effectively responding to their aspirations and ambitions,” he added.
A total of 44 clubs participated in the 2022-2023 edition.
The HM’s Cup for Youth is not just a sporting competition; it holds significant importance for the sports and youth sector in Oman. The Cup serves as a vital platform for nurturing talent, encouraging healthy competition, and providing youth with opportunities to engage in activities that benefit both their personal growth and society. Through this competition, the ministry continues to support clubs in achieving their goals and ensuring sustained growth in Oman’s sports sector.
Since the launch of the competition in 1998, the Ministry has developed criteria of assessment to keep pace with the needs of each stage.
The approach included aligning the objectives of the competition with the ministry’s future plans and the Omani sports strategy to keep pace with the goals of Oman Vision 2040.
