HANDBALL – BAHRAIN named yesterday the final 19-player squad that will be flying the kingdom’s flag in the 11th IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in Egypt.
The worlds are scheduled to take place from tomorrow until August 17 with the participation of 32 nations. Matches are to be held across four venues in Cairo and the New Administrative Capital.
The kingdom’s under-19 handball national team are coached by Bahraini tactician Raed Al Mrazouq. They have been gearing up for the competition over the past several weeks, and are scheduled to depart for the Egyptian capital this evening.
The Bahrain roster includes Haider Mohammed Salman, Ali Fayed, Ahmed Hussain Eid, Salman Hameed Al Showaikh, Abu Dhar Jaafar, Sayed Ahmed Al Falahi, Fadhel Abbas, Mohammed Jaafar Abdulla, Qasim Mohammed Sabt, Ahmed Abdulamir Shamloh, Abbas Hussain Ali, Mahmoud Jalil Youssef, Mohammed Haitham Adam, Mohammed Ahmed Tarada, Ali Sami, Mahdi Ali Fateel, Sayed Majeed Al Muhafaza, Mohammed Zuhair Abdul Hassan, and Ali Abdulla Khalifa.
The kingdom’s delegation is headed by Bahrain Handball Federation (BHF) board members Abdulrazzaq Khalil and Ali Al Jokam. The team’s administrator is Mohammed Al Showaikh, while the other delegation members are assistant coach Ahmed Tarada, goalkeeper coach Makram Al Misawi, technical analyst Qasim Mohammed, and physical therapist Karim Hassan.
BHF president Ali Issa Ishaqi visited the national team prior to tonight’s departure during training at the BHF Arena in Um Al Hassam. Ishaqi greeted the players and technical staff and gave them words of encouragement as they head for the worlds.The tournament is organised and run by the International Handball Federation (IHF), the sport’s worldwide governing body. The kingdom’s representatives secured their berth in the event after finishing fifth in the 10th Asian Men’s Youth Handball Championship, held last year in Amman, Jordan.
They are joining reigning continental champions Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia as the Asian teams set to hit the court.The 32-nation field has been divided into eight groups for the preliminary round. Bahrain are in a tough Group G, where they will be facing a pair of familiar foes in the Japanese and South Koreans. They are also joined by the host Egyptians, who are reigning African champions.
Group A features Sweden, Portugal, Kuwait, and Austria; Group B is composed of Hungary, Switzerland, Morocco, and Kosovo; Group C comprises Serbia, Spain, Croatia, and Algeria; Group D includes Iceland, Brazil, Guinea, and Saudi; Group E features Germany, Slovenia, Uruguay, and Faroe Islands; Group F is composed of Norway, France, Argentina, and Mexico; and Group H comprises Denmark, Tunisia, the Czech Republic, and the US.
The top two from each of the eight pools will make it through to the worlds’ main round, while the pair of lower ranked sides from each will compete in the lower-tier President’s Cup, which will determine 17th to 32nd on the tournament’s final rankings.Bahrain begin their tournament campaign against Japan tomorrow at 5.15pm. They then take on the hosts on Thursday at 7.30pm, before completing the preliminaries on Friday against South Korea at 5.15pm. All times are Bahrain.
Bahrain are competing for the sixth time in the history of the competition.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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