Kuwait heads to Cairo for Arab U-17 Volleyball Championship preparations

Kuwaiti players intensify training for the championship.

KUWAIT CITY, July 27: Kuwait travels to Cairo today for a training camp as part of its preparations for the second Arab U-17 Men’s Volleyball Championship, scheduled to take place in Bahrain from Aug. 7-17 at the Isa bin Rashid Hall.

The tournament will feature six teams — Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria and Jordan — competing in a single round-robin format. The Blue Team is targeting a strong showing and aiming to challenge for an advanced position in the standings.

Kuwait’s delegation will be led by Kuwait Volleyball Association board member Nayef Al-Failakawi and includes team administrator Abdullah Al-Rais, head coach Mohamed Ali Ben Sheikh, assistant coach Mohamed Al-Maimouni, physiotherapist Mohamed Al-Imam, along with 14 players: Fahad Ghaith, Yousef Al-Doukhi, Khaled Al-Masoud, Ahmed Al-Sanad, Mohammed Khaled, Mohammed Al-Zoubi, Saud Al-Duwaisan, Ahmed Dashti, Saleh Al-Enezi, Hamad Abdulrahman, Salman Al-Mutairi, Mohammed Al-Kandari, Khaled Al-Hajras and Abdulatif Khaled Al-Bahouh.

Kuwait will begin its tournament campaign against Saudi Arabia on Aug. 9 before facing Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan and Algeria in the following rounds.

Al-Failakawi praised the team’s preparations, confirming that the training program has been progressing according to the planned schedule.

He highlighted the players’ commitment and discipline during daily training sessions, as well as their willingness to follow the coaching staff’s instructions, saying these factors reflect their determination to represent Kuwaiti volleyball strongly at the Arab Championship.

He added that the team will enter the competition with a strong competitive mindset and expressed confidence in the players’ ability to achieve positive results. He also thanked the Volleyball Association’s board for its support throughout the preparation period.

Head coach Mohamed Ali Ben Sheikh said the team began preparations in mid-June through a gradual and intensive training program aimed at improving the players’ readiness.

He explained that the selection process started with 20 players before the squad was narrowed down to the final 14 who will take part in the training camp and championship.

Ben Sheikh praised the quality of the players available, noting noticeable improvement in the team’s technical level despite the limited preparation time. He stressed that the main goal is to develop a strong squad capable of serving Kuwaiti volleyball in the years ahead.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff