Muscat – The national Paralympic athletics team secured seven medals at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Rabat, Morocco competing against nearly 500 athletes from 58 countries.

The team won one gold, three silver and three bronze medals, reflecting steady progress in the sultanate’s para-sports programme.

Saif Al Muqbali won gold in the 200m and silver in 100m races. Iman Tayseer Al Shamsi claimed two silver medals – in shot put and javelin.

Bronze medals were secured by Mohammed Al Qasmi and Sharifa Al Hatmi in shot put and  Othman Al Habsi in the 400m.

Dr Mansour bin Sultan Al Touqi, Chairman of the Oman Paralympic Committee, said the results demonstrate the rising standard of para-athletics in Oman.

“The combination of a gold medal and six additional podium finishes reflects growing depth and competitiveness at the international level,” he said.

Al Touqi noted that the event was important for athlete classification, including for Al Muqbali, Al Habsi and Sharifa, strengthening their prospects for future international participation. He added that the performances of the athletes competing at the Grand Prix level for the first time indicate emerging talent that require continued technical support and international exposure.

He described Al Qasmi’s bronze in shot put as an early step towards qualification for the upcoming Asian Paralympic Games, stressing the importance of regular participation in international competitions to meet qualifying standards.

Oman competed with nine athletes. The others were Qusay Al Rawahi (100m, long jump), Maktoum Al Muqbali (shot put, javelin), Taha Al Harasi (100m, long jump) and Fawzi Al Habsi (shot put, javelin).

The technical team was led by international coach Sami Al Ruzili as technical director. Abdullah Al Anbari oversaw sprint events for visually impaired athletes, Awf Al Maamari supervised throwing events, and physiotherapist Hani Al Shamkhi supported the squad.

The Rabat meet was part of Oman’s preparations for the Asian Paralympic Games in Japan in October, providing an opportunity to improve world rankings and assess readiness.