Oman’s Country Profile

Official country name: Sultanate of Oman
Area: 82,031 sq miles (212,460 sq km)
Population: 3.3 million, including more than half a million non-nationals, mostly South Asian (2008 est.)
Median age: 18.9
Ethnic Groups: Turks, 80 percent; Kurds, 20 percent
GDP and GDP per capita: $40 billion and $12,121

Read a complete country profile of Oman

Oman’s Olympic History

First time represented at Summer Olympics: 1984
Gold medals won: 0
Silver: 0
Bronze: 0
Athletes at the Beijing Olympics: 4
Number of Sports competing in at Beijing Olympics: 3
Medals at 2008 Beijing Olympics: 0

Oman’s Olympic Playbook

Early the morning of April 14, the Olympic torch reached Oman’s quiet capital, Muscat, on a flight from Tanzania, on a weekend lay-over before flying off to Pakistan. Unboxed from its black-and-silver case, the flame was carried on a 12-mile trek through the old capital, finishing in Al Qurm Natural Park in the center of the city. Security was tight, though against what, was not clear: Not only is Oman not known as a violent place; it’s been spared even the occasional bomb and attack on Western interests or the kind of tribal infighting that bedeviled the country for most of its history until about 40 years ago, when the current monarch, Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, overthrew his father and replaced capricious authoritarianism with a very mild form of enlightened despotism (the despotism being mild, the enlightenment being more daring).

Oman has been going to the Olympics since 1984, but always with small delegations. It’s never won a medal and seems unconcerned about not winning any for Olympiads to come.

It’s intentions are elsewhere. For example, the Olympic delegation intends to work the sidelines, according to the Oman Tribune , distributing “booklets, CD’s and films on the Sultanate to highlight its civilisation, historical, tourism and sports potentials and the achievements made during the Blessed Renaissance under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said.”

So where does that leave its four Olympic athletes, including 16-year-old sprinter and long-jumper Buthaina Al Ya’qoubi, the first woman to represent Oman at the Olympics? “It was just a case of finding and sending someone as a representative. She has no chance at all,” says Mansour al Tauqi , general secretary of the Oman Athletic Association (in other words, a supposed fan!). He goes on: “At just 16 years of age, she’ll find the competition very tough. She’s entered for the 100m and the triple jump but we are thinking to swap that to participation in the Long Jump because of a problem in her technique, which we are yet to iron out in training. What would be really great is for Buthaina to record a personal best at the games.”

Way to encourage your Olympians! Then again, maybe it’s that gritty Omani realism speaking.

Here’s the equally cold-showering Mashar al Kassar , a coach in the Oman Swimming Association, speaking about his boy Mohammed al Habsi, who’ll swim in the 100m breaststroke. His personal best in this event is 1.12.00, more than 12 seconds above the world record set by American Brendan Hansen in 2004: “He has no chance of getting a medal, he is only participating to get some international exposure and more competitive experience under his belt ahead of the GCC Competition in Abu Dhabi on August 21. This will just help him improve his timings if he’s put up against faster competitors. FINA approved Oman to have two entries in the 100m breaststroke and 800m freestyle but we only entered one swimmer for the breaststroke. Realistically speaking, no one from the Arab world can keep up with current Olympic timings. Maybe only Tunisian Oussama Mellouli stands a chance.”

And with that, off to what’s left of Oman’s cheering section.

Oman’s Athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Shooting
Dad Allah Al Balushi

Swimming
Mohammed bin Nassib Al-Habsi

Track & Field/Athletics
Abdullah Al Sooli
Buthaina Al Ya’qoubi