Muscat – Omani freediver Omar Abdullah al Ghailani, from the wilayat of Sur in South Sharqiyah, has won gold and silver medals in the 4th Kas Baska Freediving World Cup Outdoor championship held in Turkey recently.

The competition saw participation of 50 divers from 22 countries, including the US, Italy, France, Spain, Croatia, Ukraine, Colombia, Slovakia, Kuwait, Iran, Lebanon and Czech Republic, besides Turkey.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Ghailani said, “I won gold in free immersion (FIM) 101m category and silver in constant weight (CWT) 101m category.”
According to Ghailani, besides the physical challenges, he faced the additional burden of securing financial support as the sport is very expensive.

“Reaching the finals required immense concentration and determination,” Ghailani said, adding that he prepared for the championship by training daily.

Elaborating on the sport and its technique, Ghailani said it is done without the use of any breathing apparatus.

He is keen to continue representing the sultanate at international meets and raising the Omani flag in different countries.

“I thank everyone who supported me in continuing my training in the past few days in these difficult times. And I hope to get financial support to continue participating in international events.”

Ghailani also did Oman proud by winning the AIDA Freediving World Cup 2021 held in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, in July when he claimed four gold medals, including overall winner, and a bronze.