BAHRAIN officially begin their campaign today at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta when the men’s handball team take on Iraq.
The nationals claimed bronze at the previous Games in 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. It was their first and only medal in the history of men’s handball at the Asian Games, and this year they hope to improve on it and aim for gold.
Bahrain’s opening Group ‘D’ match kicks off at 10am Bahrain time.
A technical meeting was held yesterday at a local hotel which was attended by Bahrain officials Ahmed Saleh Alnajem and Ismaeel Baqer.
Bahrain are coached by former player and Iceland national team tactician Aron Kristjansson. The team left Bahrain for Indonesia last Friday and since then have been training extensively.
The other teams in Group ‘D’ are India and Chinese Taipei. Bahrain take on India on Wednesday and Chinese Taipei on Friday.
There are three other groups in the preliminary stage. Group ‘A’ features 2014 Asian Games gold-medallists Qatar, Iran and Malaysia. Group ‘B’ includes 2014 silver-medallists and 2010 gold-medallists South Korea, Japan and Pakistan while Group ‘C’ comprises hosts Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong.
The top two teams from each group move on to the main round at the end of a single round-robin while the rest will play for minor classifications.
The eight-nation main round will consist of two groups of four each. At the end of another single round-robin, the top two squads from each division move on to the knockout semi-finals scheduled for August 27. The final and bronze medal game will be held on August 31.
Handball is one of four team sports that begin before the opening ceremony on Saturday. The others are basketball, football and water polo.
Bahrain are taking part in 13 events at the Asian Games which includes athletics, cycling, equestrian, taekwondo, football, sailing, sambo, wrestling, shooting, tenpin bowling, triathlon and handball.
The delegation is to be headed by His Majesty the King’s Charity Works and Youth Affairs Representative, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
It includes Chef de Mission Bader Nasser, deputy director Sayed Ali Yaseen, officials Maryam Mardana and Hasan Juma, accountant Yaqoob Ali and doctor Francisco Bennett.