25 players participate in Woodball Championship

Observer

25-06-2025

The second activation tournament for Woodball, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) represented by the Amateur Sports Division within the Sports Activities Department concluded with the participation of 25 players representing five teams from six different governorates across the Sultanate of Oman. The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Younis al Battashi, Director of the Human Resources Department at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
The tournament spanned three days and took place across 12 courts at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, prepared according to the standards of the International Woodball Federation. The championship included four main events: the individual stroke play, team stroke play, doubles knockout and individual knockout competitions.
The event witnessed a high level of competition and notable performances. In the team stroke play event, the team of Mohammed al Nyadi, Yaqoub al Abrawi, Yousef al Hasani and Said al Roushdi clinched first place with impressive teamwork. The team of Abdullah al Saadi, Juma al Hinai, Salim al Hamadani and Naham al Yahyai secured second place.
In the individual stroke play event, Abdullah al Saadi claimed first place with a total of 195 strokes, narrowly surpassing Mohammed al Nyadi, who placed second with 196 strokes. Yousef al Hasani finished third, followed by Hamad al Shaqsi in fourth and Adel al yadi in fifth place.
In the doubles knockout event, the duo of Salim al Hamadani and Juma al Hinai won the title with a strong and cohesive performance, while Fawzi al Sinani and Samir al Saadi secured second place. In the individual knockout category, Salim al Hamadani shone once again, securing first place, while Abdullah al Yahyai finished second.
The event witnessed a high level of competition and notable performances
Following the tournament's conclusion, Mohammed al Niyadi, Head of the Amateur Sports Division at the MoCSY, stated that organising such championships aligns with the Ministry's efforts to promote the presence of Woodball in Oman and create an encouraging competitive environment for players from various categories. He noted that the sport has been practiced in Oman since 2007, but it still requires more support and wider recognition.
Al Niyadi emphasised that this year's edition showed a noticeable improvement in players' technical performance, as well as increased awareness of the game's rules and playing methods an encouraging sign of the Ministry's successful promotional efforts. He added that since the first edition, the MoCSY has been working to enhance the championship's technical and organisational aspects, including player classification, competition quality and participant diversity. With the growing interest in the game especially in Asia and Europe there is potential to establish an official committee dedicated to Woodball in Oman to ensure its sustainable development.
Meanwhile, Yaqoub al Abrawi expressed his delight at winning first place in the team event, noting that the team had previously competed internationally in Taiwan in 2019, where they ranked fourth globally. He highlighted the challenges facing the sport in Oman, such as limited institutional support, lack of regular training opportunities, and insufficient infrastructure, stressing the importance of holding regular local tournaments to nurture talent and motivate players.
Salim al Hamadani, the individual knockout champion, spoke about the intense competition during the tournament, praising the players' performance and the event's organisation. He remarked that hosting such events contributes to increasing the sport's visibility in the Sultanate of Oman and noted that Woodball is easy to play in open environments like beaches, making it ideal for wider outreach. He called on relevant authorities to support and regularly organise such tournaments to enhance the sport's success.
Said al Roushdi, a member of the winning team in the team stroke play event, said the competition was fierce and exciting, especially since most participants were experienced and well-versed in the game's rules and strategies. He emphasised that the real challenge lies not only in competition but also in the limited number of such tournaments. He stressed the need for these events to be held more frequently throughout the year due to the increasing interest in Woodball from various governorates across the Sultanate of Oman. He concluded by affirming that regular tournaments will improve player performance and expand the sport's fan base.