Muscat – The Oman national women’s fencing team has claimed a historic bronze medal at the 2025 Cadets and Juniors Asian Fencing Championship, marking a major milestone for the sultanate’s women in sports. The victory is momentous as Oman beat the world champions Japan to win the bronze.

Held in Kuwait from February 19-28, the championship featured athletes from 28 countries.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, team coach Hisham Karshoud described the achievement as the “first of its kind in the history of women’s sports in Oman”, highlighting the progress made in supporting female athletes.

The team – comprising Israa bint Saif al Siyabi, Jana Mohammed al Sharji and Salma b Saeed al Dughaishi – faced top-ranked Asian teams. According to Karshoud, the event  was “like a mini world championship” due to participation of elite teams. He called Oman’s victory over Japan a “great achievement” for women’s fencing in the country.

The bronze medal is not only Oman’s first in the sport but also the first-ever Arab medal in this category at the Asian Fencing Championship.

Karshoud praised his team’s technical skills, saying the win would boost their confidence and motivation to compete in higher-level international tournaments, including the World Championships and potentially the Olympics.

He credited the fencers’ families for their support and acknowledged the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth’s provision of essential resources and international exposure. The team’s success followed a five-day training camp in Kuwait, which focused on physical and mental preparation.

In the women’s category, South Korea won gold, China silver and Hong Kong and Oman were declared joint winners for bronze.

Looking ahead, Karshoud expressed optimism about the future of women’s fencing in Oman. He believes this achievement will encourage more young girls to take up the sport and contribute to Oman’s growing presence on the global stage. The team is now preparing for the World Championships in China, scheduled for April 5-17.

“I encourage Omani girls to take up fencing, it’s a sport that builds strength and self-confidence,” Karshoud added.