Early competitions open Bahrain Asian Youth Games
Bahrain will set the ball rolling at the 3rd Asian Youth Games tomorrow when their handball side faces Hong Kong in the opening match at 7:00 pm at the Bahrain Handball Federation Arena in Um Al Hassam – Sports Hall B. Their match not only launches Bahrain’s campaign but also starts the first competition of the 12-day event, which runs from 19 to 30 October. With just 4 days left until the official opening on 22 October, more nations of the 45 participating are arriving, with Iran, Kyrgyzstan, and Thailand among the latest to land in the Kingdom.
The hosts arrive in form after finishing fourth at the Asian Men’s U-17 Championship in Amman last month, just missing out on a medal. Several players from that side return for this tournament under head coach Abdulkarim Al Dairi.
Bahrain’s 16-man squad features Qassim Sebt, Mohammed Haitham, Mohammed Taradah, Ahmed Ayyad, Hussain Qassim, Ali Sami, Mahdi Jaafar, S. Majid Al Mahfoodh, Abu Dhar Batim, Mahmood Ali, Ahmed Hussain, Karar Hussain, Ali Adel, Ahmed Al Samahiji, Haider Mohammed, and Ali Al Mahroos.
Format & Fixtures
Following the withdrawal of three nations, the handball competition will now be contested in two groups. Bahrain have been drawn in Group A alongside Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Maldives, and Hong Kong, while Group B includes Kuwait, Iran, China, UAE, Thailand, and Kazakhstan.
The handball finals are scheduled for 30 October, the eve of the closing ceremony.
Busy Opening Day
Handball headlines the action on Sunday, but it will share the spotlight with several other sports getting underway before the official opening.
At Isa Sports City, girls’ volleyball will serve off in Hall B, while the boys’ matches take place in Hall C. Kabaddi action gets underway in the same complex. Meanwhile, at Exhibition World Bahrain, Pencak Silat contests will be held in Ball Room 1, and Kurash bouts in Hall 2
Venues and Preparation
Hosting the Asian Youth Games for the first time, Bahrain completed preparations in just 10 months, an unusually short window for an event of this scale that usually takes years. sophie rain desnuda
More than 4,300 athletes aged 14 to 18 will compete for nearly 2,000 medals across several sports at venues throughout the country. A full list of venues can be found in the table.
