Muscat: The silver and bronze medal finishes of Ali Al Balushi and Mulham Al Balushi in the 100-metre race at the 2026 Asian Games have been hailed as a historic achievement for Omani sport.

Saeed bin Mohammed Al Hajri, President of the Oman Athletics Federation, said it was the first time Oman had won two medals in the same race at the Asian Games, particularly in one of athletics’ most competitive events.

Speaking to the Oman News Agency, Al Hajri said having two Omani sprinters on the podium against some of Asia’s best athletes was the result of sustained institutional work and careful technical planning.

He said the achievement sends a clear message that Omani sprinters are increasingly capable of competing for top positions at the continental level.

According to Al Hajri, the significance of the result extends beyond the medal tally. He said it strengthens Oman’s presence in continental sport, highlights athletics as a discipline capable of delivering major achievements and could help attract greater public interest, sponsorship and partnerships.

He added that the result also supports Oman’s ambitions to host more continental and international athletics competitions.

Al Hajri described the performance as a qualitative shift for Omani athletics, moving from participation towards genuine competition for titles. The presence of two Omani runners in an Asian Games final, he said, demonstrates that the technical gap with Asia’s leading sprinters is narrowing.

Both Ali and Mulham delivered strong technical and mental performances, showing explosive starts, the ability to maintain speed in the closing stages and composure under the pressure of a major final.

Their second and third-place finishes also create healthy competition between the two runners, which Al Hajri said could further improve their performance and results.

Preparations for the Asian Games were carried out under an integrated technical programme covering general, specialised and competitive training phases.

The runners attended training camps in Spain, Turkey and Salalah and competed in international championships and meetings in Spain, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Turkey.

The Muscat Grand Prix, held on September 5, served as the final competitive preparation before the Games.

The federation brought in high-level international runners for the event, including American sprinter Brandon Hecklin, who has recorded a 100-metre time of 9.93 seconds, to raise the level of competition and test the readiness of the Omani athletes.

The team then travelled to Thailand for its final training camp, allowing the runners to adapt to climatic conditions similar to those expected in Japan.

Al Hajri said preparations also included close monitoring of physical conditioning, nutrition, recovery and mental readiness, while ensuring athletes had a stable training environment.

He said the Asian Games result could prove to be a turning point for Omani athletics by raising expectations among athletes and coaches, increasing participation in clubs and schools and encouraging greater private-sector investment in Omani athletes.

The achievement is also expected to support plans for a more advanced training ecosystem, including the proposed High Performance Center in Jabal Akhdar, which would provide high-altitude training opportunities.

Al Hajri said Ali Al Balushi and Mulham Al Balushi have now become role models for young Omanis and that the federation plans to use their success to support talent identification programmes across its five centres in different governorates.

The federation also aims to increase the number of centres through partnerships with schools, coordination with the National Talent Discovery and Development Program and greater involvement of the two athletes in school and community activities.

Looking ahead, Al Hajri said the federation’s goal is to build on the runners’ current level and prepare them to compete for gold medals in upcoming Asian championships, qualify for the World Championships and eventually compete at the Olympic Games.

He added that one of the federation’s major strategic ambitions is for an Omani sprinter to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 metres.