“Our ambition is first place”, says Nasser Anan

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

West Asian Volleyball Championship begins tomorrow night

On Saturday, Bahrain’s national volleyball team will open their campaign at the West Asia Championship on home soil, entering the tournament as clear frontrunners.

Fresh off their title-winning run at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup last month, the squad is back in action with sights set on a second consecutive triumph. According to team captain Nasser Anan, the momentum has carried straight into camp.

“The preparation is the same for each championship,” said Anan ahead of Bahrain’s opener against Lebanon. “There was a short time between the first Asian Championship and this one, but the guys are ready, inshAllah.”

Anan also confirmed that middle blocker Ibrahim, who missed the AVC final, has returned fully fit.

“Ibrahim was the winner of the last championship, and alhamdulillah he’s back — stronger than before.”

With Bahrain once again playing host, Anan didn’t shy away from the weight of expectation.

“Of course, our ambition is first place. This is a strong competition — the crowd, the association, and the people of Bahrain want it. InshAllah, we will win.”

Final tune-ups

The national team closed out its preparations with two friendly wins over Saudi Arabia, the most recent coming Tuesday night, winning 3-1 (27–29, 25–19, 25–19).

Both matches served as useful tune-ups for head coach Arnaud Gosserand, who will lead Bahrain into their second major event in as many months.

“When you win an Asian Cup, the only goal is to win the next competition,” Gosserand said after the match.

Delegations arrive  

Teams from around the region, like Qatar and Jordan, began arriving at Bahrain International Airport yesterday, with players and officials greeted by representatives of the Bahrain Volleyball Association and the West Asia Federation.

Speaking at the opening of the tournament, President of the West Asia Volleyball Federation, Ali Ghanem Al Kowari, emphasized the importance of the new championship.

“The Western Asia Games are very important for the International Federation, and not just for Asia,” he said. “There’s been a lot of interest at the global level in growing competitions in every region.”

“These games should fall under the International Federation’s umbrella and serve as qualifiers to the next level. The teams that qualify here move on to Asia, and eventually, the World Cup — and this is the most important thing.”

“All of the teams are officially registered through the VIS system, and participation affects international rankings. If you don’t compete, you lose points and even funding. That’s why we want everyone to benefit, and I’m confident the Bahrain edition will set the standard.”

Tournament outlook

This tournament is  the first senior men’s championship organized by the West Asia Volleyball Association (WAVA), which is aiming to establish a permanent presence on the international calendar.

The groups are as follows:

Group A: Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, UAE
Group B: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman

Bahrain will open against Lebanon tomorrow night, followed by Jordan on Sunday and UAE on Monday. All group matches will be played at Isa Bin Rashid Arena at 7PM.

The host nation comes in with a strong core that just last month delivered the AVC title — a run that saw standout performances from Abdulla Mohammed (MVP & Best Outside Hitter), AlAfyah Mahmood (Best Setter), Khamis Ali (Best Opposite), and Haroon Ayman (Best Libero).

With chemistry intact and a growing reputation across the region, Bahrain now look to defend their crown in front of home fans expecting nothing less.