TDT | Manama
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain’s senior men’s national handball team will face teams from Brazil and Tunisia in an international friendly tournament to be held in France early next year. The conditioning tournament in Nantes is scheduled to take place from January 4th to 6th, and the Bahrain national team will compete as part of their preparations for the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship.
The tournament is scheduled to be hosted by Saudi Arabia from January 11th to 25th next year. Held in cooperation with the Asian Handball Federation, it also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 IHF World Men’s Handball Championship.
Head coach Aaron Kristjansson arrived in Bahrain on Sunday and went straight to the national team’s training sessions. Prior to their trip to France, the Bahrain national team is scheduled to play two international friendlies at home against Iraq and Morocco.
A total of 16 countries will participate in the Asian Championships, and the top five will secure a spot in the World Championships. Bahrain are in Group D with UAE, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan in the qualifying round. Group A will include defending champions Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Chinese Taipei.
Group B includes Iran, South Korea, China and New Zealand. Group C consists of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, India and Japan. This will be the fourth time in history that Bahrain will host the continental tournament. The tournament was previously held in 2016, 2014 and 1993. Although the Bahraini has never won the Asian men’s title, he has won five silver medals and one bronze medal.