A Kuwait player goes for a shot during the semifinal match between Kuwait and Qatar.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 27: Kuwait narrowly fell 27–26 to Qatar on Monday in the semifinals of the 22nd Asian Handball Championship, ending Al-Azraq’s bid for the title. Defending champions Qatar, known as Al-Annabi, advanced to the final where they will face Bahrain, who defeated Japan 35–25 in the other semifinal.

Kuwait will now play Japan in the third-place playoff. Despite the loss, Al-Azraq had already secured qualification for the 2027 Handball World Championship in Germany by reaching the semifinals.

In the classification matches, South Korea finished fifth, followed by Saudi Arabia in sixth, Iraq in seventh, and the UAE in eighth.

After the match, Sheikh Fahd Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad, President of the Kuwait Olympic Committee and Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia for West Asia, praised the championship’s organization, describing it as exceptional and a clear reflection of Kuwait’s organizational capabilities.

He noted that Kuwait has accumulated extensive experience in hosting major international sporting events, emphasizing that the Kuwaiti Handball Federation has demonstrated its ability to successfully manage not only domestic competitions but continental tournaments as well – an achievement widely recognized.

Sheikh Fahd added that handball is Kuwait’s second most popular sport after football and enjoys strong public support, pointing to the impressive fan turnout that provided vital encouragement to the players.

He concluded by highlighting the national team’s significant potential, combining promising young talents with experienced players, and expressed optimism for continued development while wishing the organizers success in sustaining this approach to further enhance Kuwait’s standing on the international sports stage.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff