KUWAIT CITY, Nov 30: The inaugural week of the handball refresher tournament is set to kick off tomorrow, featuring the participation of 10 clubs: Al-Arabi, Al-Qadsia, Burgan, Al-Qurain, Al-Tadamon, Kazma, Al-Sulaibkhat, Al-Nasr, Al-Sahel, and Al-Salmiya. Notably, the teams of Kuwait, Yarmouk, Khaitan, Fahaheel, and Al-Shabab will not be partaking in the tournament. Additionally, Al-Jahra has withdrawn from public tournaments across handball, volleyball, and basketball for this season.

During the first week, four matches are scheduled, starting with Ghadan Al-Salmiya facing Khaitan at five in the evening. Following this, at seven in the evening, Al-Nasr will compete against Sulaibikhat. On Sunday, Kazma will take on Al-Tadamon, and Al-Qurain will clash with Burgan. All matches will unfold in the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex.

Meanwhile, the national handball team intensifies its daily training at the Martyr Fahd Al-Ahmad Center in preparation for the 21st Asian Championship for men's teams, also serving as the 2025 World Cup Qualifiers. The championship is scheduled to take place in the Kingdom of Bahrain from January 11-25.

The tournament draw places Kuwait in the first group alongside Qatar, Oman, and Chinese Taipei. The competition comprises four groups, with the top team from each group advancing to the semi-finals, and the top four teams securing a spot in the 2025 World Cup finals.

The subsequent stage of preparation involves a European camp in Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary, featuring test matches for the team.

In local training, under the guidance of Algerian coach Saeed Hegazy, the focus is on enhancing the physical factor, elevating physical fitness levels, and building muscle mass and endurance.

Assistant coach Muhammad Masoudan emphasizes the pride-worthy players and talents within the Kuwaiti team, advocating for patience and proper development of young players without undue pressure. Acknowledging the challenging nature of the Asian task, Masoudan expresses confidence in the players' abilities.

Team director Abdulaziz Al Zaabi commends the collective efforts of players and the technical-administrative staff, highlighting the overarching goal of advancing to the World Cup and bringing joy to Kuwaiti handball fans.

Khaled El Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff