Ambassador Osama Shaltout enjoying the proceedings.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 24: Osama Shaltout, the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Kuwait, commended the high technical level displayed by teams in the 39th edition of the Arab Handball Clubs Championship, currently taking place at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex Hall, with the final set to conclude tomorrow.

In a statement to Al-Seyassah, Shaltout expressed his delight in attending this significant sporting event, highlighting the presence of Arab teams with a rich history in handball, competing in a spirit of camaraderie and friendship. He remarked, "I have witnessed the excellent organization of the tournament by the Kuwait Club and the management of matches by the Arab Handball Federation. The strength of the participating teams and the intense competition among them indicate that we will see the emergence of top talents in future international tournaments, representing Arab handball honorably."

Shaltout also extended his gratitude to the Kuwait Handball Federation and the organizing Kuwait Club for their warm welcome to the Arab teams and their efforts in organizing a distinguished tournament. He noted the exceptional sportsmanship displayed among the teams and the collaborative spirit between the Supreme Organizing Committee and all participants, creating an ideal environment for matches and fair competition. He wished success for Kuwaiti sports in general, and handball in particular, in upcoming events.

In the quarter-finals held recently, Kuwait triumphed over Al-Ahli Bank of Egypt 28-22, while Al-Qadsiya narrowly defeated Al-Ahly of Qatar 26-25 with a last-second goal by Vladan. Al-Salmiya overcame Al-Hashd of Iraq 35-31, and Al-Gharafa of Qatar defeated Al-Karkh of Iraq 28-22. The tournament will conclude tomorrow with the final for the Arab title, alongside a match for third and fourth place.

Sheikh Turki Al-Yousef, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Salmiya Club, expressed his satisfaction with the "Sky Blue" handball team's performance throughout the championship. He noted that the team, which began preparations a month ago, has represented Al-Salmiya well on the Arab stage. "We aim to build a strong team with a mix of foreign and local professionals, along with youth players, under the guidance of our national coach Yaqoub Al-Moussawi. His leadership has proven successful, as we have reached the semi-finals, highlighting his promising future in coaching."

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff