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Al-Ahram Weekly
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Handball: Egypt U-19 outclass South Korea 47-27 in World Championship opener - Omni sports
Egypt's U-19 handball team started their IHF World Championship campaign in style after defeating South Korea 47-27 in the competition's opener in Cairo on Wednesday. The hosts dominated from the outset, taking a 20-12 lead into halftime before extending their advantage with a one-sided second half to seal a 20-goal win. Egypt are drawn in Group G alongside Bahrain and Japan. They will face Bahrain on Thursday as they look to secure early qualification for the main round. The U-19 World Championship is being held in Egypt from August 6 to 17. A vibrant opening ceremony was held before the match, celebrating Egypt's cultural heritage with artistic and musical performances that delighted the attending delegations. The event was attended by Egypt's Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi, IHF President Hassan Moustafa, senior officials from the International Handball Federation, and members of the Egyptian Handball Federation board. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Observer
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Al Balushi named as Indoor handball team coach
MUSCAT, JULY 13 MUSCAT:The Oman Handball Association (OHA) announced during a board meeting took place on Sunday and chaired by Chairman Moosa bin Khamis al Balushi, appointment of Nabil bin Hassan al Balushi as national head coach of the senior men's indoor handball team. The decision came as part of the Association's preparations for the Asian Men's Handball Championship which is set to be held in Kuwait in January 2026 and will also serve as the qualifier for the 2026 IHF World Championship in Germany. Nabil al Balushi previously served as assistant coach under Algerian Coach Mourad Bouzbet during the 2022 edition of the Asian Championship in Saudi Arabia. His promotion to head coach reflects OHA's strategy to elevate local technical talent and entrust national teams to experienced Omani professionals. The board has also granted Al Balushi the authority to appoint his own assistant coaching staff, providing him with the flexibility to form a strong technical staff capable of leading Oman to success in upcoming regional and international challenges. In addition to the coaching appointment, the OHF announced the following key support roles for the senior team. Anwar bin Mohammed al Balushi named as Director of National Indoor Handball Teams while Ahmed al Jassasi assigned as Team Manager. These appointments aim to ensure a fully integrated and well-structured technical and administrative setup for the national team's upcoming campaigns. The board also confirmed the continuity of the current technical staff for the Oman U-19 Indoor Handball Team, led by head coach Yahya al Maashari and assistant coach Hassan al Maamari. Ahmed al Jassasi will also continue as team manager in this category. This move inline to maintain technical and administrative stability within the youth setup and continue nurturing a competitive generation of players. The team's major upcoming assignment is participation in the third Asian Youth Games, scheduled to take place in Bahrain from October 22 to 31.
Observer
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman set up Iran final in Asian beach handball
MUSCAT: Oman will take on Iran in a tight final clash of the 10th edition of AHF Asian Beach Handball Championship which will conclude on Thursday after intense competitions in the last few days at the sands court of Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. The national team players are targeting for their second Asian title after the first one in 2004. The summit clash will kick off at 8 pm while the third and fourth playoff between Jordan and Pakistan will start at 7 pm at the same venue. Oman team, coached by Hamood al Hasani, are all set with confidence to regain the title since the first title which was won in 2004 during the inaugural edition hosted in Muscat. Oman team had arrived to the final in six times but could not win the title except in the opening edition. Oman team secured a slot in the final after a thrilling 2-0 win over Jordan in the semifinal while Iran beat Pakistan with the same result to seal their berth in the concluding match of the Asian event. Both Oman and Iran confirmed their presence in the forthcoming edition of the 2026 IHF Beach Handball World Championships. Coach Hamood al Hassani and his assistant Jaber al Balushi worked out on a strong tactics to deliver top match against Iran and clinch a new Asian title. The coaching staff prepared the team players for today's assignment against heavyweights Iran team which managed to lift the title in 2022. Oman player makes a goal attempt against Jordan. ONE STEP AWAY Speaking ahead of the final encounter, coach Hamood said:' We are just one step away from the title in our home country. The final against Iran will depend on small areas and the team with less mistakes will get the title. I am fully confident that my players will deliver their outmost efforts towards earning a victory and clinching the title,' he said. 'Our tactics was to focus in each game as final in this tournament and we managed to win all the games until reaching the final. In the semifinal against Jordan, I did some tactical shifts and positional changes which kept the opposition off balance, proving decisive in securing the win,' he added. Moosa bin Khamis al Balushi, Chairman of Oman Handball Association (OHA), appreciated team's fighting spirit in their semifinal triumph. 'Their performance was a true reflection of Omani grit and sportsmanship,' he said. 'We are proud of their qualification to the IHF World Championship next year and I hope they will now take the Asian title.' Al Balushi urged fans to show up in full force for the final: 'I am looking forward to see more fans who are acting as the heartbeat of this team and their energy will be vital as we chase our second continental title,' he concluded. FINAL CEREMONY The final match of the Asian event and concluding ceremony will be held under patronage of His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al Said, Chairman of Oman Olympic Committee in presence of Dr Hassan Moustafa, International Handball Federation (IHF) President, and other top officials. In the women's division, two matches are scheduled on Thursday. India will face Hong Kong and the match will kick at 5 pm while the title-deciding showdown between Vietnam and Philippines will start at 7 pm. Vietnam currently lead the standings with 10 points, followed by the Philippines with eight and both have punched their tickets to the 2026 IHF World Championship.
Observer
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman edge Philippines to move into semis
MUSCAT: International Handball Federation (IHF) President Dr Hassan Moustafa was all praise for the hosts Sultanate of Oman for its excellent organisation of the underway AHF Asian Beach Handball Championship – Muscat 2025 which acts as qualifiers to the IHF World Championship. 'The Sultanate of Oman had improved and shaped up very well in their organising capabilities specially when it comes to the big events including the continental and global championships. Oman has once again demonstrated its exceptional capability in hosting continental and international tournaments with high efficiency and professionalism. Oman is no stranger to hosting global events. The Sultanate of Oman previously organised the IHF Beach Handball World Championship in 2012 successfully and it reaffirms these days its readiness and capability to host the world's largest handball events. The country offers an integrated infrastructure, qualified human resources, strong logistical and organisational capacities, and institutional support from the government and relevant stakeholders,' the IHF chief said. Oman Muhannad al Zarafi was named as best player of the match. 'What truly distinguishes Oman is the presence of strong sports leadership, a passionate and loyal fanbase, and highly skilled players who bring both talent and spirit to the game. These factors strongly support the growth and future of handball in the country,' the Egyptian official said. Speaking on the ongoing Asian Championship in Muscat, Dr Moustafa responded: 'The Asian tournament has showcased a high technical level with exciting competition and the emergence of new talents across participating teams. The presence of an elite group of referees and coaches has positively contributed to the quality and credibility of the tournament,' he said. Dr Moustafa affirmed that the IHF's eagerness to further enhance cooperation with the Oman Handball Association in the near future, praising Oman's strategic vision and global commitment to the development and promotion of handball. 'I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Government of the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Oman Handball Association, and all public and private entities that contributed to the success of this important Asian championship, which also serves as a qualifier for the IHF Beach Handball World Championship. Oman has truly set a benchmark in excellence.' International Handball Federation President Dr Hassan Moustafa attends a match in Muscat. OMAN INTO SEMIS Oman advanced to the semifinals of the AHF Asian Handball Beach Championship following their thrilling 2-1 over Philippines in penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw. Oman Muhannad al Zarafi was named as best player of the match. This is the second time in the tournament that Muhannad was named as best player as he had previously earned the honour in the match against Hong Kong. Earlier in the group stage, Oman's goalkeeper Hudhaifa al Siyabi received the Best Player award in the match against the Maldives. Furthermore, Oman's Asaad al Hasani took the Best Player award in Oman's match against Saudi Arabia in the concluding group fixture. In earlier quarterfinal matches, Pakistan overcame Saudi Arabia with a 2-1 win while Jordan beat Hong Kong 2-0. In the last quarterfinal clash, Iran secured a 2-0 victory over the Maldives. In the women's competition, Philippines defeated Hong Kong 2-0, and Vietnam continued their dominant form with a 2-0 win over India. Vietnam maintained the top position in the standings, followed by the Philippines in second, India in third and Hong Kong in fourth. Meanwhile, the IHF has announced an expansion of the 2026 Beach Handball World Championship as the number of participating teams were increased to 32 including 16 men's teams and 16 women's teams. From the Asian continent, the top two teams in each category from the Muscat 2025 championship will secure the qualification.
Observer
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Competition heats up at Asian Beach Handball championship
MUSCAT: The quarters phase of the 10th Asian Men's and Women's Beach Handball Championship 2025 — qualifiers for the 2026 Beach Handball World Championship — will kick off on Monday at the sands court at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. A total of six matches will be played including two matches for the women's category. In today's matches, all the eight qualified teams will eye to secure slots in the semis which will take place on Tuesday while the final is scheduled on Thursday with one day rest in between. The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) decided to give the opportunity for all the teams to get the chance for moving into the second round of the tournament with this playing format. The first-placed team in Group A will play the fourth-positioned team in Group B. Similarly, for the other groups, the different teams will play against different ranking teams in the group order. In the women's competition, Philippines will meet Hong Kong, and the match will kick off at 6:00 pm and it will be followed by Vietnam and India match which will begin at 7:00 pm. Qualifiers for the 2026 Beach Handball World Championship — will kick off today at the sands court at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex THRILLING COMPETITION Salim al Saadi, Event Director, said that the group matches of the tournament featured strong competition. ' I believe the competitions will heats up as the event will move into the next round. I am expecting a thrilling games especially some of the teams will eye to go further in the event and secure slot to the IHF World Championship,' he added ' I would like to thank all the participating teams and delegations for their commitment and cooperation with the organizing committee to register the required success in this tournament. All the organizing committee members and volunteers are working very hard for an exceptional closing ceremony that will be remembered by all participating teams. The event will include various segments and honor government and private entities that contributed to the success of the tournament, along with awarding the top three teams in both the men's and women's categories,' he ended FOURTH PARTICIPATION FOR MAHER Oman's national team former player, Maher bin Saif al Dugheishi, a member of the Asian Beach Handball Committee, was selected by the technical committee to be as a match supervisor in this tournament. This is the his fourth participation for him in Asian beach handball tournaments as he had previously served as a supervisor in qualifiers held in Iran (2022), Bali, Indonesia (2023), and Bangkok, Thailand (2024). He is the only Omani nominated by the Asian Handball Federation for this supervisory role, a testament to their confidence in his capabilities. On the other hand, Oman's national team players including Asaad al Hasani and his teammate Said al Hasani are the most experienced players from the national team. Both players had represented Oman in several editions of the IHF World Championship and delivered strong performances in this tournament. Asaad typically plays as a utility player (joker) while Said is a core member of the starting lineup. Both players are among the key players for the national team head coach Hamood al Hasani who will rely on them in the forthcoming matches.
