Friday 26 / April / 2024
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Muscat: Ahmad Al Harthy, Oman’s first circuit racer, recalled the story his father and family told him about travelling to Muscat when His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said ascended the throne in 1970.
“Having been born after His Majesty arrived in the Sultanate, I heard amazing stories from my father and family,” shared Al Harthy. “It is something my father will never forget and we, as his children, will always remember.
“My father and family heard the news of His Majesty becoming ruler in 1970 on the radio, and it took them two to three weeks to pack everything and come back to Oman,” he recounted.
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“My father was in Ras al-Khaimah when he heard the news on the radio; the joy and happiness they felt upon hearing that His Majesty was in Oman and had issued a call to all Omanis to come back and help build the country was immeasurable,” he added.
“My father told me that everyone had to play a role in the Sultanate’s development and it was something that was extremely patriotic but at the same time there was nothing better than the feeling of coming home.”
Al Harthy said his father told him that coming to Oman was exciting because they saw an opportunity to help the country develop, which was different from working abroad.
“There is nothing better than working in your own country and seeing it progress over time,” recalled Al Harthy from the story his father shared with him.
Talking about the development and growth he has seen in his field, Al Harthy said circuit racing in Oman came to the region in 2004, and progress has been phenomenal since then.
“In 2018, we celebrated our 11th year in the world of motor sports, as well as the fact that I was the first circuit racer from the country,” said Al Harthy. “It is something that I have always been extremely proud of, the ability to fly our flag at all these amazing motor sports events.”
“But having seen how things have progressed through the years, not just limited to the 11 years that I have been racing, I can say that the country has developed in breathtaking and amazing ways,” he added. “His Majesty has mentioned in nearly every one of his speeches that our country’s development over the years was due to team work.”
“The concept of circuit racing started to become popular in 2004 and progress has been phenomenal in terms of what we have been able to achieve from 2006 onwards,” he added. “Over the last three years, we have seen circuit racers from go-karting and other racing forms come up with strategies for steady development.”
“We have been developing it steadily and carefully in the same way Oman has taken care of its own development,” disclosed Al Harthy. “We try not to take any shortcuts, and we try to take things one step at a time to make sure we are up to the challenge and that we are able to compete in the appropriate events.”
Today, there are at least three young Omanis who are promoting motor sports correctly, compared to a few years ago when he was the only one doing so.
“Unfortunately, I held the spot for too long, but I am extremely proud that I am the first but not the only one who is performing at an exciting level,“ said Al Harthy. “We have seen huge potential from Omani drivers in the discipline of circuit racing.”
“We will always continue to promote the sport correctly so future generations can have someone to look up to and model themselves after,” he added.
