Bahrain off to winning start at Asian Beach Games

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s beach handball national team made a strong start to their medal campaign with a straight-sets victory over hosts China in their opening match of the sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya.

The contest, played yesterday at the Tianya Haijiao Venue Cluster ahead of today’s official opening ceremony, saw Bahrain secure a 2–0 win in their Group A preliminary round clash.

The Bahrainis took control early, claiming the first period 14–8 before edging a closely fought second period 15–14 to seal the match without the need for a shootout.

 Bilal Aska niled the scoring effort with 11 points, while Mahdi Ali added nine . Ali Alhayki contributed five points, and Adam Isa Alnasheet chipped in with four during a well-balanced attacking display.

Reflecting on the result, Alnasheet acknowledged the challenge of facing the hosts but praised his teammates’ resilience. “Alhamdulillah for the win. The opening match is always difficult, especially against the host team with their home support,” he said.

“They came back stronger in the second period, but we have warriors in this squad and we found a way to get the job done.” 

Coached by Hussain Al Qaidoom, Bahrain delivered a disciplined performance as they took an early step toward a top-two finish in Group A and semi-final qualification.

The nationals were initially scheduled to face India later on the same day, but the fixture was cancelled following India’s withdrawal from the competition. 

Bahrain will now turn their attention to their next preliminary round match against the Philippines on Thursday, followed by Sri Lanka on Friday, Iran on Sunday, and Hong Kong on Monday to complete their group stage campaign. 

The beach handball team is one of four Bahraini squads competing at the Games, alongside entries in 3x3 basketball, beach wrestling, and open water swimming. 

The Asian Beach Games mark the return of the multi-sport event after a decade-long absence; the previous edition was held in 2016 in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Bahrain will be aiming to add to their historical tally of 11 medals at the Games, including seven gold, as they continue their campaign in Sanya.