Monday 24 / August / 2026
MUSCAT: Oman will break new ground in athletics on September 5 when Muscat stage the country’s first World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting, bringing around 300 athletes from 40 countries to the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher.
The inaugural Oman Athletics Grand Prix marks a historic step in the Sultanate’s athletics journey, placing Muscat on the international competition circuit and offering athletes valuable ranking points as part of the approved World Athletics tour system.
Oman Athletics Association (OAA) chairman Saeed bin Mohammed Al Hajri described the event as a “qualitative leap” for Omani sport, saying the federation’s ambition is to turn the Grand Prix into an annual fixture and establish Muscat as a permanent stop on the global athletics calendar.
The meeting will bring together athletes from Asia, Africa and Europe across a wide track-and-field programme.
The men’s events are the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 110m hurdles, 4x100m relay, high jump, long jump, shot put and hammer throw.
The women’s programme features the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 4x100m relay, long jump, triple jump and hammer throw.
At a press meet on Monday, Al Hajri said the event’s international status underlines confidence in Oman’s organisational capabilities and provides a foundation for attracting bigger competitions and stronger fields in the future.
For Omani athletes, the Grand Prix will provide a rare opportunity to compete directly against international opposition while chasing ranking points that could improve their prospects of reaching higher-level continental and international championships.
The meeting is also positioned as a development platform for coaches, referees, administrators, and organisers, while helping the federation identify and nurture promising national talent.
OAA vice-chairman and Grand Prix director Dr Ali Al Marzouqi said the event’s significance extends beyond competition, with the hosting aimed at developing national talent, promoting sports tourism and strengthening international relations.
With around 300 athletes from nearly 40 countries, he said the meeting will expose Omani athletes to different levels and styles of competition while giving the country valuable technical and organisational experience.
Al Marzouqi said the Continental Tour classification gives the meeting added technical and institutional value, allowing athletes to regard Muscat as part of their competitive schedules rather than simply a local or friendly meeting. The ranking points, he added, could help attract stronger fields in future editions.
The OAA’s wider goal is to ensure the impact lasts beyond the September 5 competition.
The event is intended to build expertise across the sport and strengthen Oman’s ability to host major international athletics meetings.
For Al Hajri, the long-term target is clear: the inaugural Grand Prix should be the beginning of a sustainable path, with Muscat ultimately becoming a fixed annual stop on the international athletics calendar.
September 5, therefore, will represent more than the launch of a new meeting. It will mark Oman’s first step into the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze circuit — and a bid to make Muscat a lasting name on the international athletics map.
