In partnership with bp Oman, Oman Sail and Oman Paralympic Committee officially announced the national para sailing team to represent the Sultanate of Oman in para sailing competitions locally and internationally in a formal celebration marking the International Day of Persons with Disability, held under the patronage of Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Al Shamsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development. The celebration was also attended by Dr. Khamis Salim Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, Eng. Mohammed Al Najwani, Vice President of Wells at bp Oman, Dr. Mansoor Sultan Al Tauqi, President of the Oman Paralympic Committee and various attendees from sport related associations. The celebration highlighted the national team’s journey towards success, and their future directions.

The national team will represent Oman in international competitions such as the Parasailing World Championship 2022 and Paralympic games. This outcome was as a result of the Sail Free programme which was first launched in December 2019 introducing persons with disabilities (specially with physical impairment) to the sport of sailing. Since the start of the programme, approximately 150 men and women with disabilities aged 16 to 30 years benefited from the programme.

The team members were selected based on their performance in various stages of the programme at both Oman Sail’s Sailing Schools in Al Mouj Muscat and Al Mussanah. The members were trained under the highest standards of security and safety with supervision by a group of highly qualified Omani trainers, using the multi-functional RS Venture Connect dinghy which can be quickly configured to suit the needs of each person with their own unique disability

Source: Oman News Agency