Tuesday 03 / November / 2026
MUSCAT: Omani swimmer Hamed al Hasani concluded his debut at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Tuesday, finishing second in his heat of the men’s 400m freestyle at the Olympic swimming pool in the Complexe de l’Œuf.
Competing in lane four, Al Hasani clocked 4 minutes 29 seconds to finish behind Uganda’s Mark Arthur Mwase, who won the heat in 4:28, while Tanzania’s Zack Okumu placed third in 4:42. However, the Omani swimmer’s time was not enough to secure a place in the final, as he finished 31st overall among 33 competitors.
Al Hasani had entered the event with a personal best of 4:27 and was aiming to improve on that mark against a strong international field.
Meanwhile, Oman’s taekwondo and fencing teams are entering the final phase of preparations ahead of their arrival in Dakar over the coming days. Their participation will complete Oman’s representation at the Games, which run until November 13 and feature around 2,700 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees competing in 25 sports and 151 events.
Oman’s taekwondo delegation comprises coach Adil al Wahaibi and athlete Ziyad Ali al Balushi, who are scheduled to arrive on Friday. Al Balushi will compete in the men’s under-48kg category on November 8 at Iba Mar Diop.
The taekwondo competition will follow a single-elimination format, with winners progressing through the knockout rounds. Both losing semi-finalists will receive bronze medals. The programme also features a mixed-team event alongside the individual men's and women's categories.
Oman’s fencing team, meanwhile, is expected to arrive early next week, with Jana al Sharji accompanied by national coach Hisham Kershoud. Jana will compete in the women’s individual épée event on November 10 at Dakar Expo in Diamniadio, becoming the last Omani athlete to take part in the Games.
The fencing programme features six individual events across épée, foil and sabre for both men and women. Each event begins with a pool stage, where athletes compete within their respective groups to establish rankings and determine seeding for the direct-elimination rounds.
Pool bouts consist of a single three-minute period, with the first fencer to score five valid hits declared the winner. The competition then progresses through the knockout rounds to the semi-finals and finals, with the two semi-final winners contesting gold and the defeated athletes receiving bronze medals.
