VOLLEYBALL – BAHRAIN face off with Hong Kong today as part of an exciting opening day programme in the 15th Asian Men’s U18 Volleyball Championship, which gets underway in the kingdom.
Sixteen youth national teams from across the continent are taking part in the event, being held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sport first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
The hosts play Hong Kong at 7pm this evening at Isa bin Rashid Arena, which is the tournament’s main match venue at Isa Sports City in Riffa. The other is the Bahrain Table Tennis Association hall, which has been transformed into a volleyball court.
The kingdom’s volleyball fans are being treated to free entry at both locations for all matches. Action is scheduled to begin at 11.30am at each venue.
The championship’s supreme organising committee, headed by Bahrain Volleyball Association (BVA) president Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, is keen for the public to watch the games and cheer for the participating squads.
Bahrain and Hong Kong are in Pool A alongside Thailand and Australia. Pool B features Japan, Chinese Taipei, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan. Pool C is composed of Iran, China, Lebanon and the Philippines; while Pool D includes India, South Korea, Kuwait and Pakistan.
The event’s control committee, headed by Yermek Syrlybayev from Kazakhstan, who is also the tournament director, conducted a rehearsal yesterday morning to simulate an official game. Syrlybayev confirmed that all the requirements and logistical arrangements have been met, and thus all systems are ready for the start of play.
Shaikh Ali also made a visit to the championship venue to follow up on all preparations.
The referees committee revised the protocol that will be followed in the competition during a general meeting held at Swiss-Belhotel in Seef. The gathering was headed by Qatari Ibrahim Al Naama.
Sixteen internationally accredited referees will be participating in the tournament for the daily management of matches. One of them is Bahraini international referee Ahmed Abdulaal, who has been nominated by the BVA.
Abdulaal is considered one of the top volleyball referees in the kingdom and he has been entrusted to officiate many competitions in the past. He is one of the pillars of the BVA’s implementation of the Challenge System using video replay technology in Bahrain.
All teams and officials participating in the tournament have arrived. The last to reach the kingdom early yesterday were the delegations of Kuwait, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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