Bahrain’s senior men’s handball national team made a winning start last night to their medal bid at the fourth GCC Games in Doha, Qatar.
The kingdom’s title hopefuls outclassed their counterparts from Kuwait 30-21 at Duhail Handball Hall.
The Bahrainis controlled the contest from the start and led 14-10 at the half before extending their advantage over the concluding 30 minutes to come away with the fine result.
In the opening 30-minute period, Mohammed Rabia and Salman Alshowaikh scored on back-to-back possessions to put Bahrain up 13-9.
After the re-start, Ahmed Kadhem fired in for a 21-15 cushion, and the Bahrainis never looked back from there, going ahead by double digits late on before closing out the nine-goal victory.
The men’s handball tournament in the Qatari capital is being played in league format.
The Bahrainis will be looking to continue their fine form when they return to action on Monday against Saudi Arabia.
The nationals are then scheduled to face off with Qatar on Tuesday evening, before battling the UAE in their concluding assignment next Thursday.
Bahrain have a 19-player squad in Doha, coached by Swedish tactician Robert Hedin.
The Bahrainis are looking to maintain their status as perennial title contenders in men’s handball at the GCC Games.
They have appeared on the podium in each of the three previous editions, headlined by their title-winning run in the inaugural GCC Games hosted by the kingdom in 2011.
They then finished as silver-medallists in the two last events – including in 2015 in Dammam, Saudi, and in 2022 in Kuwait City, Kuwait.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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