Muscat – There are just 100 days to go for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22. To ensure preparations are in place, the organising committee recently hosted a delegation from the World Athletics to finalise all technical and logistical elements.

To mark the milestone in the countdown, the Local Organising Committee – involving the Oman Athletics Association, Oman Sail and Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre – has unveiled an exclusive brand identity for the event featuring Muscat’s iconic landmarks.

According to a press statement, the iconic landmarks included in the brand creation are Al Alam Palace, the Riyam Park monument and Al Sahwa Clock Tower above a traditional Omani tile pattern motif.

All these landmarks were set within the frame of the World Athletics symbol used for all World Athletics Series events, the organising committee said.

“Plans for the event are progressing rapidly,” said Salim al Amri, president of the Oman Athletics Association.

“We have held work sessions together to narrow down the details and deliver a highly-professional, well-coordinated event for athletes, coaches and international media.”

Acknowledging it as “a unique opportunity for Oman to enhance athletics within the country and establish ourselves as a viable host nation for future events”, Amri said, “We are determined to make sure the 2022 Race Walking Team Championships live long in the memory.”

Racing will centre around the pristine landscaped gardens of the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre in the heart of Muscat from March 1 to March 6 next year.

The venue offers a variety of elevations to challenge the racers and a viewing platform will be set up within the Spectators Village to offer a perfect vantage point for the live audience.

Eng Said al Shanfari, CEO of Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC), said, “We are incredibly proud to host the 2022 Race Walking Team Championships.”

The OCEC, he said, “has designed a challenging and inspiring course which will test the competitors while showcasing the beauty of our location to the live audience”.

To take such a leading role in Oman’s sporting evolution, “is a responsibility we are delighted to have, and hopefully this will be the first of many World Athletics events to visit our nation”, he added.

The week of racing in Muscat will be a celebration of athletics with a 1km and 2km Kids’ Run and Park Run Festival events on the either sides of the main competition with a health and fitness exhibition on site to inspire local athletes and visitors to become more active.

Participating squads for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22 will be chosen by national athletics federations. The championships will feature a men and women 20km race, U20 men and women 10km races and Masters categories, scheduled for March 4, 2022 (Friday). There will be a 35km combined race the following day.