Asian Handball Stage Awaits Bahrain’s Warriors

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s national handball team is set to begin its campaign in the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship in Kuwait City this weekend, with head coach Robert Hedin and assistant coach Amin Al Qallaf confirming the team’s readiness both technically and physically. The continental tournament also serves as the Asian qualifier for the 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship in Germany, adding extra significance to every match.

Reflecting on the team’s preparations, Al Qallaf highlighted the challenges faced in the lead-up to the tournament: “The biggest challenges were managing player rotation, keeping everyone injury-free, and reaching the championship in peak physical condition. Thankfully, we believe we’ve succeeded in this regard.” He added that the squad blends experienced players with promising young talent, even if some of the younger players have limited exposure at the Asian level.

Earlier this week, as part of their preparations, the team played two tough friendly matches against Portugal, ranked fourth in the world. They then competed in the 52nd Yellow Cup in Switzerland, finishing fourth overall and gaining valuable international experience ahead of the Asian Championship.

Drawing on years of Asian success, the "Warriors" enter the tournament with a proud history in Asian handball. The Kingdom’s team has finished as runners-up five times (2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022) and recently claimed gold at the sixth Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh last November. Al Qallaf emphasized the team’s cautious optimism heading into the championship: “We enter the championship with cautious optimism, focusing on taking each step carefully, relying on solid preparation, and trusting in God to achieve positive results.”

Bahrain will face a challenging group stage in Group B, competing against Jordan, China, and Iraq. Their campaign opens against Jordan on Friday, January 16, followed by a match with China on Sunday, January 18, and concludes the preliminary round against Iraq on Tuesday, January 20. Every match will be crucial as the team aims to secure a strong position for the next stage.

The squad is led by captain Hussain Al Sayyad and also includes the likes of: Hassan Al Samaheeji, Mohammed Abdulhussain, Mohammed Habib Ahmed, Mohammed Habib Nasser, Hussain Mahfoodh, Jaffar Abdulshaheed, Mohammed Hameed, Hesham Ahmed, Salman Al Showaikh, Qassim Qamber, Ahmed Redha, Sayed Ali Bassem, Hassan Madan, Ahmed Almaqabi, Ali Mahmood, Jassim Khamis, Ali Redha, and Ali Alasheeri.  

These players will be looking to carry Bahrain’s proud Asian pedigree into the tournament as they depart for Kuwait today, ready to take on the continent’s best.