Bahrain Finish Round Robin Strong with Win Over Qatar

At the sixth Islamic Solidarity Games yesterday, Bahrain’s men’s volleyball team closed the round-robin stage with a 3-1 victory over Qatar in Riyadh. While the win didn’t affect the standings — Bahrain had already secured their place in the bronze medal match — it was a confident way to finish the preliminaries and build momentum ahead of today’s medal-deciding game.

Bahrain took the first two sets 25-21 and 25-20. Qatar fought back in the third, snatching it 26-24, but Bahrain regrouped to close the fourth 25-22, showing the poise and focus that can win medals, even in a dead-rubber match.

Ali Ebrahim led the attack with 12 points, including two kills and four crucial blocks. Mahmood Abuldwahed added 11, while Sayed Hashem Isa contributed 12 points and five blocks. Abbas AlKhabbaz and Naser Anan also made key plays to maintain control.

Reflecting on the bronze medal match and the team’s packed schedule, Naser Anan said, “Now we go for the bronze, but this wasn’t our aspiration, so it doesn’t mean much to us. InshAllah we come away with the medal anyway. We’ve played several tournaments, so we’re putting in a lot of effort, but we forget these things by the time a match comes.” Bahrain will also have to prepare for the Arab Challenge Cup in Jordan from November 28 to December 5, another test of their stamina and readiness.

The team’s tournament has been a rollercoaster: a 3-2 loss to Iran, a 3-1 win over hosts Saudi Arabia, a 3-0 defeat to Türkiye, a straight-sets win over Chad, and now a strong showing against Qatar. Across all matches, Bahrain has shown resilience and adaptability, which are traits they will need this afternoon.

The bronze medal match kicks off today at 12pm Bahrain time at Boulevard Arena, where Bahrain will face Qatar once again. After yesterday’s performance, the team will aim to turn that momentum into a podium finish at the sixth Islamic Solidarity Games.