Doha, May 15 — The Sultanate of Oman's national fencing team crowned its participation in the fencing competition of the 4th GCC Games in Doha with two medals, after Israa Al Siyabi clinched the gold medal in the women's individual épée event and Ali Al Busaidi claimed bronze in the men's individual foil event, in a championship that brought together the national teams of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries from 13 to 15 May 2026.

A historic gold for Omani women's fencing

Israa Al Siyabi delivered a commanding performance on the Doha piste, working through the pool round and direct-elimination bracket of the women's épée individual event with composure and tactical maturity to top the podium. The gold medal extends a breakthrough run for the young fencer, who had previously collected two gold medals and a silver at the 2025 West Asia Championship in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and represents one of the most significant individual results in the modern history of Omani women's fencing on a Gulf stage.

Bronze for Ali Al Busaidi in foil

In the men's individual foil event, Ali Al Busaidi added a bronze medal to the Sultanate's tally with a confident showing across his pool round and elimination bouts, a result that confirms his standing as one of the most consistent senior fencers in the country across the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Al Busaidi was joined on the strip by national-team colleagues Said Al Shuaibi, Ahmed Keskes, and Al Harith Al Harthi, who all carried the Omani flag through their respective events.

A continuation of the 2025 momentum

Captain Hisham Karshood, head coach of the national team and chairman of the technical committee at the Oman Fencing Committee, said that the two medals are the natural continuation of the work the national programme has been doing since the federation's establishment in 2019, and that the squad's performance in Doha reflects the technical and physical preparation carried out in recent months at the Rustaq Athletics Preparation Centres. He pointed out that Israa Al Siyabi's gold in particular sends a strong signal about the depth being built in the women's programme, and extended the team's appreciation to the Oman Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and to Sohar International, the committee's strategic partner, whose sustained support has enabled the national programme to reach this stage.

Closing reflections

The Oman Fencing Committee extended its warmest congratulations to Israa Al Siyabi and to Ali Al Busaidi on the medals, and to every member of the delegation, the technical and administrative staff, and the international officiating panel, for representing the Sultanate with distinction throughout the championship. The committee affirmed that the two medals from Doha mark another step in the continuing rise of Omani fencing on the regional and continental stage, and that the federation's focus now turns to building on this result through the remainder of the 2026 season.