HANDBALL – BAHRAIN’S Al Najma will open their campaign in the 28th Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship on Sunday against Kuwait Sports Club, as part of a revised schedule issued yesterday by the Asian Handball Federation (AHF).
The AHF needed to conduct a new draw for the competition, which gets underway tomorrow in Kuwait, following the last-minute withdrawal of Chinese outfit CHA.
Only seven squads remain in the event, and they will play a single round-robin in the tournament’s preliminary round.
Najma’s game against Kuwait is scheduled for a 6pm start. They then take on Al Duhail from Qatar on Monday at 4pm. Following a rest day on Tuesday, they continue their schedule against Sharjah SC from the UAE on Wednesday at 8pm, and then face Al Arabi of Qatar on Thursday at 4pm. Their penultimate fixture will be against Burgan SC of Kuwait next Friday at 4pm, and then they complete this stage against Khaleej Club from Saudi Arabia on June 14 at 8pm.
All times are Bahrain and the games will be held at Kuwait’s Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Salim Al Sabah Covered Halls Complex.
Najma’s team competing in the Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship departed last night for Kuwait City.
The event also serves as a qualifier for the 19th IHF Men’s Handball Club World Championship, with the winner securing direct qualification for the International Handball Federation (IHF) event, scheduled to be held in Egypt in October later this year.
Meanwhile, prior to their departure, Najma were visited during their training session at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town by General Sports Authority (GSA) CEO Dr Abdulrahman Askar.
Dr Askar’s visit was in implementation of the instructions of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, GSA chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa to support national clubs in overseas participations.
Dr Askar was accompanied by BOC board member and Bahrain Handball Federation president Ali Isa Ishaqi, Najma president Ahmed Yousef, and a number of GSA officials.
Dr Askar confirmed that the GSA, under the directives of Shaikh Khalid, continuously follows up on Bahraini teams as they gear up to represent the kingdom.
He added that the GSA is ready to provide the necessary to help them achieve the best results and raise the name of Bahrain in the various competitions they participate in.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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