Boost to varsity sports.

Byline: Ashok Purohit

Teaching chemical engineering at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and heading the Oman University Sports Committee requires a heady mix of skills Au as Dr Salim al Araimi knows.

He seems to enjoy the chemistry between sports and studies, which he has experienced firsthand since 2007, when the Ministry of Sports Affairs gave him the responsibility of heading up the first committee on varsity sports.

The committeeAAEs primary aim is to promote sports in universities and colleges across the sultanate. Among the successful initiatives so far have been the organisation of the first national-level, multi-disciplinary championships in 2008. It also won rave reviews after hosting the first Arab universitiesAAE beach volleyball tournament in Muscat this year.

These steps apart, it is the participation of an all-Oman delegation at the 25th Universiade in Belgrade, from July 1 to 12, that is set to change varsity sports history in this country. It is the first time that athletes have been selected from across Oman after thorough trials involving competitors from 20 colleges and universities.

Another first is the participation of Oman in two fields Au athletics and swimming. Oman is a late entrant at the World University Games, popularly known as Universiade, which has a long history and is one of the biggest sporting events around the globe, held every two years.

Until now, only SQU athletes have represented Oman at the Univers-iades. In 1991, Mansoor al Tauqi, current vice-chairman of the Oman Athletics Association (OAA), made his debut at the Sheffield University Games as the only participant. Mansoor was the torchbearer and also competed as a long jumper.

A decade later, in 2001, Oman competed again, this time in Beijing. SQU continued to be OmanAAEs sole representative in South Korea (Daegu 2003) and in Thailand (Bangkok, 2007), though it did skip the games in Turkey (Izmir 2005).

The formation of a varsity committee in 2007 has led to emphasis on gradually spreading sports across all the colleges and universities in the sultanate. Around 9,000 athletes, including students from 140 countries, will compete in athletics, judo, football, basketball, fencing, volleyball, swimming, artistic gymnastics, diving, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis, archery, tennis, taekwondo and water polo.

The games are organised by FISU, the Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (or the International University Sports Federation). Founded in 1949, the body holds Summer and Winter Universiades as well as the World University Championships.

Oman took part in the Fourth World University Beach Volleyball Champ-ionship in Hamburg last year for the first time and has set its plans for the 2009Au2010 domestic season.

AoWe plan to hold national-level competitions in both the semesters (AugustAuDecember and JanuaryAuJune). Football including five-a-side, swimming, athletics, handball and cross-country are proposed in one semester while the next semester will include tournaments for football, volleyball, basketball, beach volleyball and beach football,Ao said Dr Salim. The committee also plans to hold the first all-women multi-disciplinary games on the campus of Nizwa University in April 2010. Dr Salim added that the committee plans to give a boost to varsity sports by suggesting scholarships for athletes in private colleges. AoWe may even suggest that the Ministry of Higher Education introduces an admission quota for talented sportsmen and women in future.Ao

Dr Salim thanked the ministries of Sports Affairs, Manpower and Higher Education, as well as SQU, for their support and guidance. He said that the committee has registered 30 colleges and universities as part of its efforts to promote sports. He added that an 11-member team (seven athletes and four swimmers) has been picked and the boys have been training regularly for the last six months under the guidance of Issaq al Balushi (swimming coach) and Mansoor al Anbari (athletics coach). Issaq is a sports teacher at Al Sahwa School in Muscat, and Mansoor teaches at the Nizwa government school; and both are former national athletes.

Salim al Fouri will spearhead the sultanateAAEs swimming challenge. The Caledonian College student has been part of the national swimming team in the 100m butterfly and backstroke events. The other members in the squad, which will also compete in the 4x100m relay, include Mohammed al Siyabi, a student of the College of Banking and Financial Studies (50m breaststroke); Issaq al Hassani (SQU, 50m freestyle); and Issa al Owaisi (SQU, 50m backstroke).

Hammam al Farsi, a talented national sprinter, is OmanAAEs best bet in athletics. The 23-year-old electronics engineering student from Caledonian College has the best time of 47:20 in the 400m and will also be part of the 4x100m relay quartet.

Another national team athlete is Ali al Rashdi. The long jumper is one of two athletes who have earlier participated in a Universiade. Ali, 23, from SQU, and 21-year-old Jabir al Shabibi (800m/1,500m), also from SQU, competed at the last meet in Thailand.

The other four participants are also from SQU: 21-year-old Rashid al Mushaifri, (100m, relay); Ismail al Kindy (200m), aged 20; Said al Katheri (400m), 21; and Tariq al Maashani. At 19, Tariq is the youngest and will run in the 800m and 1,500m categories. Tariq is an arts student; these other students are all pursuing degree courses in physical education.

All the selected players expressed their confidence of putting on a good show and hoped they could achieve their personal bests. Dr Salim, too, is upbeat on the challenges, and said the maiden attempt by an all-Oman varsity team is only the start. AoThe journey is long but one needs to start and we hope to do it in Belgrade,Ao he said.

Official delegation besides players: Dr Salim al Araimi, Ahmed al Yahmadi, Ibrahim al Mugaini, Issaq al Balushi, Mansoor al Anbari, Hilal al Salmi and Amor al Hashmi.

Apex Press and Publishing

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