Israa's Second Gold and a Men's Épée Bronze: Oman Fencing's Day 2 in Doha
ذهبية إسراء الثانية وبرونزية سيف الإيبيه للرجال، يوم المنتخب الثاني في الدوحة
Doha, 14 May 2026 — Oman's national fencing team carried forward the momentum of Wednesday's opening medals at the 4th GCC Games in Doha with a sharper Thursday haul: a second gold for Israa Bint Al Saif Al Siyabi in the women's individual foil event, and a bronze in men's individual épée shared by Ahmed Anwar Keskes and Al Harith Al Harthi. The day's results lifted the Sultanate's medal tally at the championship to five, two gold and three bronze.
The day before, Wednesday 13 May 2026, the same delegation had opened its account with Israa's first gold of the Games (women's individual épée) and a bronze for Ali Al Busaidi in men's individual foil, a result we covered in our Day 1 dispatch from Doha.
A second gold for Israa, this time in foil
Returning to the strip 24 hours after topping the women's épée podium, Israa Al Siyabi worked through the women's individual foil draw with the same composure she had shown on Wednesday, navigating the pool round and the elimination bracket to take the gold medal in a second weapon at the same championship. Back-to-back gold medals in two different weapons at a Gulf Games is a rare technical signal: it reflects depth of preparation across distance management, blade work, and the tempo shifts that foil rewards and épée punishes. The result places Israa among the most decorated Omani fencers of the 2026 season.
Bronze for Keskes and Al Harthi in men's épée
In the men's individual épée event, Ahmed Anwar Keskes and Al Harith Al Harthi each closed their day on the bronze step of the podium, after working through their pools and elimination bouts in a deep field of Gulf opponents. Two bronzes in the same weapon, on the same day, from the same national programme, is the kind of structural result that signals genuine bench strength in the men's senior squad rather than a single standout performance.
The running tally
After two competition days in Doha, the Sultanate's medal count at the 4th GCC Games fencing competition stands at:
- 2 gold — Israa Bint Al Saif Al Siyabi (women's individual épée, women's individual foil)
- 3 bronze — Ali Al Busaidi (men's individual foil), Ahmed Anwar Keskes and Al Harith Al Harthi (men's individual épée)
Closing reflections
The Oman Fencing Committee extended its warmest congratulations to Israa, to Ahmed and Al Harith, and to every member of the delegation and the technical staff, for sustaining the Sultanate's presence on the Doha podium across two consecutive competition days. The committee also reiterated its appreciation to the Oman Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and to Sohar International, the federation's strategic partner. Attention now turns to the remaining events of the 4th GCC Games and the rest of the 2026 international season.