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Observer
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman meet Maldives in Asian beach handball opener
MUSCAT, May 5 Oman beach handball team will begin their campaign at the 10th AHF Asian Men's and Women's Beach Handball Championships with an opening match against debutants Maldives in Group A. The match will kick off at 8 pm at the sands court in Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. India will take on Iran in Group B at 19:00 at the same venue while Pakistan face the Philippines in the other match of the group at 18:00. Oman team, coached by experienced domestic coach Hamood al Hasani, will enter this event with high morale after they claimed the gold in the GCC Beach Games in Muscat last month. This event acted as an opportunity for the team to gear up for the Asian event, which will act as qualifier for the 2026 IHF Beach Handball World Championship. With the fans support, Oman will be one of top teams which will vie to clinch the title and secure a place in the global event. Oman head coach Hamood al Hasani said the opening match is considered as an essential game to go ahead in the tournament. 'Registering a comfortable victory in the beginning of any tournament will motivate and encourage the players to deliver their outmost in the rest of the games. The team is fully prepared and my advise to the players always is to stay focused and leave no room for surprises,' he said. 'We played two successful friendly matches against Jordan. The matches were important to evaluate the physical and technical readiness of the players. Ten players were selected from the initial 13-man squad for the championship. Despite the physical differences at the Asian level compared to the last GCC Games, I am confident in the team's ability to compete fiercely for the title,' he added. Oman line-up will be selected from Said al Hasani, Yasser al Harthi, Abdulhakim al Siyabi, Bashar al Hinai, Hudhaifa al Siyabi, Asaad al Hasani, Ali al Jaami, Muhannad al Zarafi, Mahdi al Suleimani and Said Issa al Hasani. OPENING CEREMONY The opening ceremony will take place on Tuesday at 8 pm at the sand court of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher under the auspices of Khalid Mohammed al Zubair, Chairman of International Development and Investment Company (Ominvest) in the presence of Moosa Khamis al Balushi, Chairman of Oman Handball Association (OHA) and Chairman of the Organising Committee, besidea attendance of members of the associations board, Asian Handball Federation (AHF) officials, chairmen of participating sports associations and heads of the national delegations. The ceremony will feature a speech by the chief of the organising committee, a speech from the AHF, a welcoming visual presentation titled 'On the Beach Sand, We Write the Story of Champions', followed by a traditional Omani artistic performance titled 'Our Heritage, Our Pride' and 'On the Sand Lies Our Glory'. The tournament will then be officially inaugurated. Oman finished second in the previous edition of the Asian Championship in Bali. Since 2004, the team has earned several accomplishments including: first place in the inaugural Asian Championship in Muscat in 2004, fourth in the World Championship in Chinese Taipei in 2009, fourth in the second Asian Beach Games (Muscat) in 2010, second in the Asian Championship and qualified for the 2012 and 2014 World Championships in 2011 and 2013. Oman were silver medallists in the Asian Beach Games (Phuket) in 2014, second in Asian Championship and qualified for 2016 World Championship in Hungary and finished seventh in 2015, silver in Vietnam and qualified for Thailand World Championship in 2016 and 2017, attended the ninth World Championship in Russia in 2018, second in Asian Games in Bali and qualified for the 2024 World Championship in Pingtan, China in 2023.
Muscat Daily
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Muscat Daily
Oman marks official opening of 3rd GCC Beach Games
By OUR CORRESPONDENT Muscat – Oman officially inaugurated the 3rd GCC Beach Games 2025 on Saturday night, marking the start of a week-long sporting event that brings together athletes from across the Gulf. The games, hosted by the sultanate from April 5 to 11, aim to strengthen regional ties through sport and promote youth engagement in competitive and collaborative settings. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Khalid bin Mohammed al Zubair, Chairman of the Oman Olympic Committee, said, 'The GCC Games are a prominent sporting event and a platform that brings together Gulf youth in a stimulating, competitive environment. This gives them the opportunity to develop their skills, assert their capabilities, and foster a spirit of brotherhood and cooperation, enabling them to build a brighter future.' The event features a range of beach sports and is expected to draw significant local and regional interest.
