Fifth spot for Oman women ice hockey team in Bahrain international tournament

Muscat: Oman women finished fifth in a six-team international women’s ice hockey tournament, which was held in Manama, Bahrain for the first time.

The two-day event termed ‘Bahrain Ice Hockey Women’s Gathering’ saw Al Dhabi team from the UAE emerge champions, having won all the five round-robin games.

Kuwait Blue Waves finished runners-up and Bahrain Ice Hockey Club took the third spot.

Oman women side, which entered the competition as Muscat, last participated in an international event in Al Ain, UAE, in September 2023.

In Bahrain, Muscat, representing Oman Skating Sports Committee (OSSC), recorded a solitary win from two matches on the first day, and lost all three of their games on the concluding day to finish in fifth place with three points. Saudi Wings settled at the bottom of the final table after losing all five of their games.

Besides teams from hosts Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, there was an entry from Russia – Russian Pantera.

In the round-robin games, Oman lost narrowly to hosts and the Russian team by identical 2-1 score lines, but were outplayed by Al Dhabi 10-0 in another match.

The tournament was played in the three-on-three format on a small ice rink which is roughly half the size of an international standard rink.

Muscat squad: Al Firdaus Al Kindi (captain), Khulood Ambusaidi (vice-captain), Dalal Ambusaidi (goalkeeper), Sharifa Al Aufi, Fajar Al Amri, Sara Bakhiet, Khadija Al Riyami, Nahla Abdulaal, Aysal Waheed, Jacqueline LaBonte, Laila Langrish, Ira Yadav, Sabina Laderach, and Aya Al Mahrouqi. Head coach: Scott Labonte, Assistant coach: Ahmed Al Lawati, Team manager: Sharifa Al Aufi, Development manager Saud Al Aufi.