The Golden Teens of Oman
Muscat: Oman's U18 boys' team made history by clinching their first-ever gold medal at the GCC Golf Championship, a landmark achievement that underscores the nation's rapid progress in the sport.
After three consecutive years of finishing second, Oman's young golfers delivered a stellar performance at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, securing their place at the top of Gulf junior golf.
The trio of Adam Al Barwani (234), Mahir Sampat (253), and Pransh Jagwani (254) combined for a total score of 484, edging out Kuwait on countback after both teams finished level. The UAE secured third place with 493, followed by Bahrain (495), Qatar (516), and Saudi Arabia (523).
Adding to Oman's success, Adam capped off the team's dominant showing by winning the individual silver medal (234), finishing second in the U18 category behind Kuwait's Salem Al Abkal (223). The UAE's Mohammed Thabet (238) claimed bronze.
The victory represents a significant moment for Oman's young golfers, who have been steadily improving under the Oman Golf Association's (OGA) structured training and development programmes.
Dedication of the teenagers, competitive exposure, and investment in youth golf are now paying off, with this title marking a new era for the sport in the country.
Reflecting on the team's triumph, Mahir, a key player in Oman's gold-winning squad, expressed his pride.
He said: 'I am delighted to win the gold medal at the GCC Championships for my country. I'm very glad that the commitment and hard work paid off, which led to an excellent result in the team category. I look forward to winning more medals for Oman in the years to come.'
His teammate Adam, who not only contributed to the team gold but also secured individual silver, echoed similar sentiments. 'Winning gold as a team and adding an individual silver is an incredible feeling. This victory is the result of years of hard work and dedication, and I am proud to be part of this historic moment for Oman golf. I hope we can build on this and achieve even greater success in the future,' said Adam.
Completing the golden trio, Pransh acknowledged the significance of the moment and the team's collective effort. He said: 'To be part of Oman's first-ever gold-winning U18 team is an unforgettable experience. We've pushed each other to improve, and this win is proof of the progress we've made. I'm grateful for the support from our coaches and the Oman Golf Association, and I can't wait to compete again.'
A top OGA official said: 'The OGA's focus on structured coaching, international exposure, and providing young players with elite competition opportunities is now translating into tangible results.'
'This is a proud moment for Omani golf,' said Ahmed Al Jhdhamy, OGA secretary general. 'The boys have worked incredibly hard, and this gold is a testament to the vision we have in place to establish a strong future for the sport. This win will inspire even more young golfers to take up the game.'
The team was accompanied by coach Alex Day.
Adding further significance to the triumph, it was announced during the closing ceremony that Oman will host the next edition of the GCC Golf Championship.
The tournament flag was officially handed over to the Omani delegation, and was received by Salim Al Busaidi, Counsellor, Oman Embassy in Jeddah, marking the beginning of preparations for Oman's turn to welcome the region's best golfers.
Oman's men's team struggles
While the U18 team celebrated a historic victory, Oman's men's team, comprising Azzan Al Rumhi, Badar Al Amri, Ahmed Al Wahaibi, and Amjad Al Toky, endured a challenging outing, failing to reach the podium in both individual and team categories.
The UAE's Ahmed Skaik secured the men's individual gold, followed by Qatar's Daniel Sokolov in second place and the UAE's Jonathan Silveraj in third.
In the men's team category, the UAE dominated once again, taking gold ahead of Qatar and Bahrain.
Final men's team standings: Gold: UAE (210, 210, 212, 212 – total: 844), Silver: Qatar (215, 221, 219, 227 – total: 882), Bronze: Bahrain (226, 219, 221, 221 – total: 887), 4. Saudi Arabia: 908, 5. Oman: 965, 6. Kuwait: 1003.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
15 hours ago
- Observer
Omani fans shine in support of Red Warriors despite defeat
MUSCAT, MAY 6 Despite the defeat of the national team against Jordan on Thursday, the Omani fans once again proved that they are the key pillar in supporting the Red Warriors. As crowds flocked from various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman to support the team, the disappointment of the loss was palpable, though people were also looking forward to Eid Al Adha celebrations. The stadium witnessed a remarkable turnout, with the stands filled with fans waving flags and chanting slogans, reaffirming their unwavering support for the team on its journey towards World Cup. Despite the hot weather, the heat did not deter the crowds from arriving at the stadium early in the afternoon, with most of them breaking their fast in the stands after a long day of fasting on the Day of Arafah. The stadium management and the 'Kulna Ma'ak' (We Are All With You) campaign arranged water distribution points for the fans, along with an Iftar tent, which contributed to a positive atmosphere inside the stadium. Children were seen holding 'We Are All With You' banners and waving flags, adding to the festive atmosphere despite the disappointment of the result. This enthusiastic spirit from the fans came within the framework of the 'We Are All With You' campaign, launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth in cooperation with the Oman Football Association, aimed at supporting the national team in the final qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. To ignite the fans' enthusiasm, the campaign distributed more than 20,000 Omani flags in the stands to paint the stadium in red, white and green, adding a festive touch despite the loss. This was complemented by a large banner raised by the fans before the start of the match, featuring a photo of a player from the Oman team with the phrase 'We Are All With You,' reflecting a message of unity and support. Omani fan Mohsen Ambusaidi, who came from the Wilayat of Nizwa, said, "The team's performance did not meet expectations. The team played well in the first half with two clear chances to score, but noticeably declined in the second half." Ambusaidi added, "Some fans left the stands after the second goal, due to a lack of confidence in the team's ability to come back. Omani fans deserve praise and appreciation, as they have never stopped supporting the team whether at home or abroad, despite all circumstances." "The fans who endured the journey to the capital, Muscat, despite the eve of Eid and fasting on the Day of Arafah, considering that these fans deserved acknowledgment from the players after the match. Unfortunately, none of the players or the coaching staff approached them to thank them after the disappointing result," he ended. Fan, Labid al Amri, who came from the Wilayat of Al Awabi, said "The national team did not deliver the required performance and squandered the chance for direct qualification." Al Amri added "The Omani fans have never lost hope in supporting the team under the toughest circumstances and the chance to qualify is still alive through the playoffs. As long as there's hope, we must all continue to support the team." Al Amri concluded "The upcoming match against Palestine will be a true final, as the winner will earn the chance to play in the World Cup playoffs, calling on Omani fans to support the team until the very last minute."
Observer
4 days ago
- Observer
Al Zubair takes Al Manar to Gold Cup victory
MONZA, Italy: Al Manar Racing by Team WRT's Al Faisal al Zubair, Jens Klingmann and Ben Tuck delivered another driving and strategic masterclass to finish fourth overall and first in the Gold Cup class at the second round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup powered by AWS at Monza late on Sunday afternoon. Despite qualifying in seventh, the trio carried out their pit stop strategy perfectly and were able to move through the field during a yellow flag-interrupted three-hour race to finish fourth overall ahead of nine other rivals in the Gold Cup category in their BMW M4 GT3 EVO. It was another proud day for Al Zubair and the Sultanate of Oman in endurance racing. The Racing Aston Martin was a distant second overall and the Tresor Attempto Racing Audi rounded off the Gold Cup podium. A delighted Al Zubair said: 'I'm happy to clinch the win in the Gold Cup Category. Honestly, this is a dream come true. Especially because we started the race from seventh on the grid. But the strategy from Team WRT was excellent. We had the speed throughout the weekend, but in qualifying we faced some issues, particularly in Q3. 'Fourth position in the overall classification and winning the Gold Cup category, this was fantastic. I'm very proud to raise the Omani flag high. We are aiming to achieve even more.' From a start position of seventh in the Gold Cup category, Al Zubair held eighth until a full course yellow brought proceedings to a stop after around 20 minutes. The Garage 59 McLaren had the lead from the CSA Racing McLaren. Action resumed around the half-hour mark and Al Zubair made up a place to take seventh shortly afterwards. The Omani maintained his composure and was soon up to sixth with the Garage 59 McLaren continuing to lead from the Racing Aston Martin. Herberth Motorsport's Porsche was sidelined after 13 laps. Al Zubair retained sixth to another full course yellow with around 1hr 50min of the race remaining. The handover to Tuck was a good one and, when action resumed, Tuck held the lead from the Garage 59 McLaren and the Verstappen Aston. The leading six Gold Cup cars were tightly bunched but Tuck retained the lead through 48 laps with 68 minutes of the race remaining. The CSA Racing McLaren had fallen by the wayside after 36 laps. With less than an hour to run there was yet another full course yellow with Tuck still leading. Racing resumed under a green flag with 54 minutes to go and the final changeover to Klingmann was a successful one with the team retaining an advantage over the Aston Martin and the Optimum Motorsport McLaren. A seventh interruption to the race happened with 31 minutes to run and Klingmann holding the lead and a superb fourth overall. But it was a brief stoppage and the German retained his position, only for a yellow to halt the race for the eighth time with just three minutes left of the 84-lap race. Al Manar Racing by Team WRT carried out a short unofficial test session on Friday with Al Zubair posting a best lap of 1min 46.840sec. Free practice took place on Saturday morning for the 10-car field and the fastest lap of the session went to the Nordique Racing Mercedes in the hands of Japan's Kotaka Kazuko. Tuck's best run for the Al Manar Racing by Team WRT operation was 1min 46.345sec and that put the BMW M4 in the middle of the group in fifth. Pre-qualifying saw the Al Manar Racing BMW down in a subdued eighth with a best lap of 1min 46.694sec in a session won by the Racing Aston Martin. Klingmann carded a best run of 1min 46.101sec in the first of the two qualifying sessions to put the BMW in sixth of the Gold Cup runners. Tuck ran a 1min 45.826sec lap in Q2 and Al Zubair finished his Q3 stint with a best lap of 1min 46.848sec. With the times collated from the three qualifying stints, the Al Manar Racing by Team WRT BMW lined up on the grid in seventh with pole position falling to the Garage 59 McLaren from the CSA Racing McLaren and the Racing Aston Martin. Action in the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup powered by AWS resumes with the prestigious Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa on June 25th-29th.
Muscat Daily
5 days ago
- Muscat Daily
Al Zubair leads Al-Manar to Gold Cup victory at Monza
Monza– Al Faisal al Zubair and his Al Manar Racing by Team WRT teammates Jens Klingmann and Ben Tuck secured a Gold Cup class win and finished fourth overall in the second round of the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup powered by AWS at Monza on Sunday. In their BMW M4 GT3 EVO, the team executed a well-timed pit stop strategy to climb from seventh on the grid to take top honours in the Gold Cup. The race, interrupted several times by yellow flags, tested the drivers' consistency and composure across three hours of endurance racing. Al Zubair, who took the opening stint, navigated a competitive field and maintained pressure during the early phases of the race. 'I'm happy to clinch the win in the Gold Cup Category,' said Al Zubair. 'Honestly, this is a dream come true. Especially because we started the race from seventh on the grid. But the strategy from Team WRT was excellent.' He added, 'We had the speed throughout the weekend, but in qualifying we faced some issues, particularly in Q3. Fourth position in the overall classification and winning the Gold Cup category, this was fantastic. I'm very proud to raise the Omani flag high. We are aiming to achieve even more.' The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup will resume with the prestigious Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa from June 25 to 29.
