Muscat: Oman Sail's Olympic 49er squad narrowly missed out on automatic qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing competition. Despite finishing 6th at the Asian Sailing Championships in Chon Buri, Thailand, Musab Al Hadi and Waleed Al Kindi showed great potential. They secured a spot in the medal race after an impressive performance in the first 12 rounds, including three podium finishes.
However, their hopes of overtaking the leaders were dashed by the exceptional performance of the Chinese pair, Zaiding Wen and Tian Liu. The Chinese team dominated the 49er event throughout the tournament and clinched the gold medal in the medal race. Although the Omani team fell short, they will now shift their focus to the Last Chance Regatta in Hyères, France, in April. This event will determine the final remaining places for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Teammates Abdul Rahman Al Mashari and Ahmed Al Hassani decided to retire during the third race of the event due to difficulties in catching up with the other competitors. However, they saw this as an opportunity to gain experience and strengthen their teamwork. Despite the setback, the team managed to finish 12th overall and even won the second-to-last round of the race.
Hashim Al Rashdi, the Team Leader and Oman Sail's Head Coach Performance, expressed his disappointment with the final result. However, he commended the team's performance and attitude throughout the event. He emphasized his pride in the team and their dedication to continuous improvement through rigorous training.
Musab Al Hadi also shared his thoughts, acknowledging the team's full commitment to the event. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to secure a qualification spot due to tough competition, particularly from China. Nevertheless, they are determined to regroup and focus on the upcoming race in France in April. They remain optimistic and will strive to claim one of the remaining qualification spots.
China’s Ding Mingliang and Zhang Wenwei secured the second spot, earning the silver medal, while India’s Noble Prince and Francis Manu claimed the third position, winning the bronze medal.
A total of 18 nations participated in the Asian Sailing Championships, competing in various classes including ILCA 6, ILCA 7, 49er, 49erFX, 470, and Nacra 17. Additionally, sailors from four non-Asian nations also took part in the event.
The Yacht Racing Association of Thailand organized the Asian Sailing Championships and Asian Continental Qualifier, with the supervision of World Sailing, the Asian Sailing Federation, and the Sports Authority of Thailand.
