DAKAR : Oman’s young swimmer Hamed bin Sulaiman al Hasani will now focus on the men’s 400m freestyle at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after the organisers cancelled both the men’s and women’s 800m freestyle events due to high water temperatures at the Olympic swimming pool. The decision, announced by the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee in coordination with World Aquatics, came after concerns over the water temperature at the Complexe Tour de l’Œuf swimming venue in the Senegalese capital. The cancellation meant that Al Hasani could not make his planned debut in the 800m freestyle, which was scheduled for Sunday, November 1, and had been set to mark the start of Oman’s participation in the Games.

The Omani swimmer will now turn his attention to the men’s 400m freestyle, with the heats scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, at the same venue. The event is due to begin at 10am local time (2pm Oman time), giving the young swimmer another opportunity to make his mark in his first appearance at a major Olympic event. The organisers also announced changes to the morning swimming training schedule, bringing all sessions forward from 11am to 10am in response to the pool temperature conditions.

A promising talent with Olympic ambitions

Born on January 24, 2010, Al Hasani is regarded as one of Oman’s promising young swimming talents, particularly in freestyle events. His specialities cover distances ranging from 100m to 1,500m freestyle, as well as open-water swimming. He holds personal bests of 4:27 in the 400m freestyle and 9:21 in the 800m freestyle. Although the cancellation has ruled out his appearance in the latter event, he remains focused on improving his personal best in the 400m and making the most of his Olympic opportunity. For Al Hasani, competing in Dakar represents a significant milestone in his sporting journey. He is keen to measure his progress against some of the world’s leading young swimmers and gain valuable experience at an international level.

“I am very happy to be here at the Youth Olympic Games. This is my first appearance at such a major event, and I am looking forward to giving my best and making every effort to achieve positive results and set new personal bests,” Al Hasani said.

“The preparations have gone well. I trained in the Olympic pool designated for warm-ups before the competition and worked on adapting to the conditions here. I am looking forward to competing and making this a positive experience,” he added.

The young swimmer has already gained experience at regional and continental level, having represented Oman at several major competitions. His previous appearances include the 11th Asian Aquatics Championships in India, held in September and October last year, the Arab Age Group Championships in Morocco and the Gulf Games in Qatar.

Bouguera: Olympic experience will be valuable for Hamed

Algerian coach Mohamed Bouguera, coach of Oman’s national aquatics team, believes the Youth Olympic Games will provide Al Hasani with an invaluable opportunity to develop as a young swimmer, particularly at this early stage of his career. Bouguera explained that the swimmer’s preparation programme included a closed training camp in Egypt from August 19 to September 1, followed by further training at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex swimming pool in Bausher, Muscat. The programme was designed to improve his physical and technical readiness ahead of the Olympic competition.

“Hamed’s participation in this global event is an extremely important milestone in his sporting career. It gives him the opportunity to compete alongside some of the most talented young swimmers from around the world. We hope he can deliver a good performance, achieve positive results and set new personal bests that reflect his technical progress and do justice to Oman’s participation in this Olympic event,” Bouguera said.

The coach acknowledged that the level of competition would be demanding, with several swimmers born in 2009 competing against Al Hasani, who is a year younger than many of his rivals. The age difference, combined with the high technical standard of the field, presents an additional challenge for the Omani swimmer in the 400m freestyle.

However, Bouguera stressed that the value of the experience should not be measured solely by the final result or the prospect of reaching the later stages. Exposure to international competition, learning about the demands of Olympic events and gaining confidence against high-level opponents are equally important aspects of the experience.

 He described Al Hasani as a promising and dedicated swimmer, adding that competing at the Youth Olympic Games should motivate him to work harder, improve his performance and prepare for future regional and international competitions.

Al Naabi: A platform to invest in Oman’s sporting future

Meanwhile, Engineer Khalfan bin Saleh Al Naabi, Board Member of the Oman Olympic Committee and Head of Oman’s delegation to Dakar 2026, highlighted the importance of maintaining the country’s presence at Olympic events across different levels. He said Oman’s participation in the Youth Olympic Games reflects the committee’s commitment to ensuring that Omani athletes continue to feature in major regional and international sporting events, while providing young talents with opportunities to gain experience and compete against athletes from different sporting schools around the world. Al Naabi described the Olympic Games as one of the world’s most prominent sporting gatherings, offering athletes an important opportunity to achieve technical and developmental gains through competition with some of the best young talents internationally. He expressed his hope that all Omani athletes would give their utmost, deliver strong performances and represent the Sultanate with distinction at this important Olympic event.

He also emphasised that participation in youth Olympic competitions carries particular significance for athletes at the formative stages of their sporting careers. Such experiences expose them to a higher level of competition, help them understand the demands of international sport and encourage them to continue developing their abilities, with the ultimate ambition of progressing to senior-level championships and Olympic competitions.

Al Naabi added that the benefits extend beyond technical performance and sporting results, pointing to the cultural and educational opportunities offered by the Olympic experience. He encouraged the young athletes to make the most of their time in the Olympic Village by interacting with fellow competitors, learning about different cultures and gaining insight into the experiences of athletes from around the world. He noted that the Olympic Village provides a unique environment in which athletes from individual and team sports, representing countries across the globe, come together in one place. This, he said, reinforces the Olympic values of friendship, respect, tolerance and cultural exchange.

Al Naabi concluded by thanking the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Senegal for its valuable cooperation and support to the Omani delegation, particularly in facilitating the arrangements and requirements for the team’s arrival and participation in the Games. He praised the embassy’s efforts and continued assistance throughout the delegation’s stay in Senegal.

Al Naabi visits national aquatics team

Upon his arrival in Dakar, Al Naabi visited the national aquatics team at the Complexe Tour de l’Œuf and followed the team’s training session, taking the opportunity to meet Al Hasani and discuss his preparations for the competition. During the visit, the delegation head encouraged the young swimmer to maintain his focus, redouble his efforts and make full use of his technical abilities in pursuit of a positive result, stressing the importance of making the most of this valuable Olympic experience. Saheem bin Khalaf al Subhi, Acting Chief De Mission of Oman’s delegation, and several other delegation members were also present during the visit.