Asian champions Bahrain reset for GCC Games Hussain Almaskati

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain Handball Federation has named a 25-player squad for upcoming competitions, with attention now turning to the 4th GCC Games in Doha from May 11 to 22. The tournament is the team’s immediate target as it steps into a new cycle defined by higher standards and heavier expectations.

That context follows the defining moment in Bahraini handball history, when the national team claimed its first Asian title at the Asian Handball Championship in January. Bahrain defeated Qatar 29-26 after extra time in a dramatic final in Kuwait City, a result that reshaped the regional hierarchy and confirmed its rise among Asia’s leading sides.

The achievement came under Swedish head coach Robert Hedin, who now guides the transition from breakthrough success to sustained performance. A training camp beginning this week marks the start of that cycle, with preparation centered on maintaining intensity while absorbing increased external pressure.

The roster includes: Hussain Al Sayyad, Mohammed Abdulhussain, Mohammed Habib Ahmed, Hassan Madan, Mohammed Habib Al Nasser, Mohammed Hameed, Jassim Khamis, Ahmed Redha, Ahmed Jalal, Ali Al Asheeri, Salman Al Showaikh, Ali Mahmood, Ali Redha, Jaafar Farsan, Sayed Ali Basem, Hussein Mahfoodh, Hisham Ahmed, Qassim Qambar, Abdullah Abdulkarim, Ahmed Talib, Abudhir Jaafar, Mohammed Shamlooh, Mahmood Jalil, Ahmed Eid, and Mahdi Jaafar.

Once a squad defined by chasing history, Bahrain now carries the burden of defending it. The team enters the GCC Games not as an underdog, but as a benchmark in regional handball, measured less by breakthrough moments and more by consistency at the top level.