The Oman National Sailing team concluded its campaign at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya with two highly-impressive performances. Competing against Asia’s elite sailing talent under the umbrella of the Oman Olympic Committee, both teams from Oman Sail narrowly missed out on podium positions against the very best sailors from across Asia but demonstrated their skill and progression across both youth and high-performance skiff teams.
Making their Asian Games debut, the 29er Youth Team of Feras Haitham Al Nabhani and Tamim Sulieman Al Balushi secured an impressive fourth place finish. As a crew relatively new to the demanding 29er class, this milestone result marks a significant achievement in their ongoing development and underscores their strong potential to compete for medals on the international stage in the future.
In the high-performance 49er class, established duo Ahmed Ghareeb Al Hasani and Waleed Issa Al Kindi finished in fifth place. Facing a high-level international fleet, the team consistently showcased grit and tactical skill, reinforcing their position among the region’s top skiff sailors.
The team’s preparations and campaign at the Games were made possible through the valued support of Gold Partner ELB&T Ltd company with their local strategic partner Al Ramooz National, whose ongoing collaboration plays a vital role in enabling Omani sailors to train, compete, and excel at major continental and global regattas.
Abdul Aziz Salim Al Shidi, Member of the Oman Maritime Sports Committee, expressed immense pride in the teams’ achievements and outlook.
He said, “The performances of both teams at the 2026 Asian Games represent another significant step forward for Omani sailing. For Feras and Tamim to earn fourth place in their first Asian Games appearance in the 29er class is an outstanding milestone that validates the work being done across our youth development programmes. Likewise, Ahmed and Waleed demonstrated true high-performance capability against a formidable 49er field. The top-tier competition experience gained here provides vital momentum as we continue refining our pathway toward future regional and international milestones, including our longer-term Olympic ambitions. We are also deeply grateful to ELB&T Ltd for their steadfast partnership, which continues to empower our athletes to realise their potential."
Dr. John (Young Ill) Kim, Group Chairman of ELB&T Ltd, and Mr. Ali Saheb, Chairman of AL Ramooz National LLC, said praised the athletes' dedication and progress, adding: " ELB&T Ltd and AL Ramooz National LLC are thrilled to celebrate the strong performances and inspiring determination of the Omani sailors at the 2026 Asian Games. Seeing both the 29er youth crew and the 49er team achieve such competitive finishes reflects the exceptional discipline, effort, and vision behind Oman Sail’s development strategy. Supporting these talented athletes as they gain world-class experience aligns perfectly with our commitment to encouraging excellence and youth empowerment. We congratulate the entire delegation on a successful campaign and look forward to standing alongside them in their future endeavours."
Mr. Ali Saheb, Chairman of AL Ramooz National LLC, said: “We are proud of the determination and competitive performance shown by the Omani sailors at the Asian Games. Their results reflect their continued progress and the value of competing at the highest level.
Our partnership reflects our commitment to supporting talented Omani youth and helping them gain the experience needed to achieve further success on the international stage.”
With invaluable high-pressure experience gained in Japan, Oman Sail remains focused on utilising these results to propel the next generation of sailors forward, honouring the nation’s rich maritime legacy while continuing to build a world-class sailing pathway for teams to perform at the highest level.
