Preparations are in full swing for World Race Walking Team Championships 2022 in Oman

Muscat: There are just 100 days to go until the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22, and to ensure preparation are in place. The local organizing committee (Oman Athletics Association, Oman sail and Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre) recently hosted a delegation from World Athletics to finalize all technical and logistical elements.

To mark the milestone in the countdown, the Organizing Committee has unveiled the exclusive brand identity for the event, which feature iconic Muscat landmarks the Al Alam Palace, the Riyam Park monument and Al Sahwa Clock Tower able a traditional Omani tile pattern motif. All set within the frame of the World Athletics symbol used for all World Athletics Series Events.

Sheikh Salim Al Amiri, President of Oman Athletics Assocaition, said, “Plans for the event are progressing rapidly. We have held work sessions together to narrow down the details and deliver a highly-professional, well-coordinated event for athletes, coaches and international media. This is a unique opportunity for Oman to enhance athletics within the country and establish ourselves as a viable host nation for future events and we are determined to make sure the 2022 Race Walking Team Championships live long in the memory.”

Racing will centre around the pristine landscaped gardens of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in the heart of Muscat from 1 March to 6 March 2022. The venue offers a variety of elevations to challenge the racers and a viewing platform will be set up within the Spectators Village to offer a perfect vantage point for the live audience.

Eng. Siad Al Shanfari, CEO of Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC), said, “This is a great achievement for Oman and we are incredibly proud to host the 2022 Race Walking Team Championships, OCEC has designed a challenging and inspiring course which will test the competitors while showcasing the beauty of our location to the live audience. To take such a leading role in Oman’s sporting evolution is a responsibility we are delighted to have, and hopefully this will be the first of many World Athletics events to visit our nations”.

The week of racing in Muscat will be a celebration of athletics with a 1KM and 2KM Kids’ Run and Park Run Festival event either side of the main competition with a health and fitness exhibition on site to inspire local athletes and visitors to become more active.

Participating squads for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22 will be chosen by national athletics federations. The championships will feature a male and female 20km race. U20 male and Female 10 km races and Masters categories, scheduled for Friday, 3 march 2022. The following day there will also be a 35 km combine race.

CEO of Oman Sail, Dr, Khais Al Jabri, said, “We have has success hosting a wide variety of high-profile sporting events over recent years and this is the next step forward for our development as an attractive venue for major events.

The World Athletics race walking team championship muscat 22 are expected to attract over 1000 inbound visitors,  including athletes , coached, delegates ,friends and family, which will provide a significant-economic boost for local businesses and suppliers.

Alongside the influx of visitors arrving on charted flights through muscat International airport training campas will be established at various resorts in nizwa to allow the competitors to acclimatize before embarking on the race, adding the accupancy rates of each destination.

This will be the first time the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championship have been held in the Middle East and the first time outside of China that an Asian nation has hosted the event. The Championships were originally due to be held in Minsk, Belarus, but the ongoing travel restrictions caused by Covid-19 forced the event to be rescheduled. Oman now has the opportunity to make history and usher in a new era for athletics in the Sultanate.