Wednesday 20 / May / 2026
MUSCAT: Oman boosted their medal tally at the ongoing fourth GCC Games in Doha, Qatar, after shooters, cueists and spikers secured five more bronze medals, raising the Sultanate’s overall count to 29 as the Games head towards their conclusion on Friday.
Oman’s shooters once again led the charge, claiming three bronze medals in the 10m pistol events on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Salem Al Hinai secured third place in the individual competition after a composed display under pressure, while the men’s team of Sulaiman Al Rahbi, Salem Al Hinai and Salem Al Shidi added another bronze in the team event on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Al Hinai teamed up with Nouf Al Saadi to get the third bronze in the 10m rifle mixed doubles event.
Al Hinai expressed satisfaction after standing on the podium thrice, crediting teamwork and preparation for the achievement.
“The competition was very strong and challenging, but it gave us greater motivation to improve our level and produce our best performances. This participation is an important step in preparing for future tournaments,” said Al Hinai.
Oman also enjoyed success on the snooker table as the national team clinched bronze in the team event. The trio of Ahmed Al Khusaibi, Sami Al Hamrashdi and Qasim Al Balushi finished third after a competitive campaign featuring all six GCC nations.
The tournament concluded with the UAE defeating hosts Qatar 3-0 in the final to take gold, while Qatar settled for silver.
The volleyball team completed Oman’s medal surge by securing bronze after a spirited 3-1 victory over the UAE in the third-place playoff.
Oman dominated the opening set 25-17 before the UAE levelled the contest by taking the second set 25-22. The Omanis, however, regained momentum to claim the next two sets 25-20 and 25-17 and seal a deserved podium finish.
The result marked Oman’s first win of the tournament after earlier defeats to Bahrain and Qatar, allowing the team to finish its campaign on a positive note. Bahrain captured the gold medal after defeating Qatar in the final.
Oman have so far won a total of 10 gold, four silver and 15 bronze medals, with the athletics squad claiming a rich haul of seven gold, two silver and two bronze.
Sporting relations strengthened: Top OOC official
Abdullah Bamkhalef, Secretary-General of the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC), praised the performances of the Omani teams and highlighted the wider importance of the Games in strengthening Gulf sporting ties.
“We extend our thanks to the State of Qatar for hosting and organising the fourth GCC Games,” Bamkhalef said. “The tournament came at an opportune time and contributed to strengthening sporting relations among GCC countries. The results of our national teams are satisfactory considering the level of competition and the participation of all Gulf nations.”
The top OOC official added that Oman competed in 11 sports and stressed that the Oman Olympic Committee would continue focusing on developing individual sports, which have consistently delivered medals at Gulf and continental events.
Bamkhalef also confirmed that a full evaluation of the participating teams would be carried out as preparations begin for future regional and Asian competitions, including the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
