Monday 06 / April / 2026
Muscat: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth honoured 20 sailors from Oman Sail during the recent annual Youth Excellence Awards Ceremony held at Sheraton Oman Hotel on Wednesday, 1st April. In a year when Omani sailors won a total of 47 medals, the awards celebrated their outstanding achievements with the national sailing team across Gulf, regional, and international championships throughout 2025.
This recognition reflects the progress made by Oman Sail’s sailors and their dedication while representing the nation, and highlights the organisation’s continued role in developing national talent capable of competing and excelling on the global stage. It also underscores the sustained support for the sports sector in the Sultanate of Oman, in line with Oman Vision 2040, which prioritises empowering national capabilities and strengthening their presence internationally.
The honour comes at the culmination of a successful season that further elevated Oman’s profile in sailing at both regional and international levels. Oman Sail sailors delivered strong performances across several key events, including the 2nd Arab Women’s Sailing Championship, held in Kuwait from 2-5 December 2025, where the national women’s team secured multiple medals, including a silver in the Optimist class and two bronze medals in the ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 classes, reflecting the continued progress and competitiveness of Omani female sailors on the Arab stage.
On the international front, the Oman Sail High Performance Team maintained its strong presence through participation in the Star Sailors League (SSL), one of the world’s leading sailing competitions which features elite international sailors from around the world.
The team topped its group at the Asian Continental Qualifiers in Thailand, securing qualification for the SSL Grand Final, scheduled to take place in November in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Reaching the final and qualifying with a perfect record highlighted the team’s high technical readiness and strong team spirit.
At the Gulf level, the national team also delivered an impressive performance at the 3rd GCC Beach Games 2025, held in Oman from 5-11 April. The team secured a total of eight medals, including three gold, three silver, and two bronze, further demonstrating the effectiveness of Oman Sail’s development programmes and the athletes’ competitive readiness.
Commenting on the achievement, Abdulaziz Al Shidi, Acting Director of Sailing at Oman Sail, said: “These achievements are a testament to the continuous efforts made by Oman Sail in developing the sailing ecosystem - from identifying and nurturing talent to enabling athletes to compete at the highest levels. This recognition reinforces the value of that work and serves as a strong motivation to continue delivering further success while strengthening Oman’s presence on the international stage.”
Sailor Nasser Al Mashari, skipper of SSL Team Oman, also expressed his pride in receiving the honour, stating: “This recognition is a great source of motivation for us to continue striving for greater success. It acknowledges the collective efforts of all athletes who worked as one team to represent Oman with pride, and we look forward to achieving even greater milestones in the future.”
Oman Sail continues to advance the development of sailing in the Sultanate through integrated programmes focused on talent identification and development. These efforts aim to nurture a new generation of Omani sailors capable of competing at the highest levels and achieving outstanding results, further strengthening Oman’s position in regional and international sporting arenas.
