KUWAIT CITY, Jan 13: Qaed Al-Adwani, Secretary-General of the Kuwait Handball Federation and Director of the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship – which also serves as the 2027 IHF World Championship qualifiers in Germany – expressed his deep appreciation to Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee, for his continuous support of Kuwaiti sports and handball in particular.

Al-Adwani highlighted the Minister’s efforts in overcoming all obstacles and providing all necessary resources to ensure the success of the championship, which will be held at Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex from January 15 to 29.

He also praised Undersecretary Turki Al-Aradi for his work in broadcasting the tournament professionally, allowing fans to follow the action live and stay connected to the event.

Welcoming the participating teams to the “land of friendship and peace,” Al-Adwani emphasized that Kuwait is a hub for sports, with the facilities and national expertise to host major tournaments. He affirmed that the Kuwait Handball Federation, through all its working committees, is fully prepared for Asia’s premier handball championship, with the ultimate goal of raising Kuwait’s flag and name at the continental level.

Icelandic coach Aron Kristjansson noted that the 22nd Asian Championship will be highly competitive, given the participation of Asia’s strongest teams. He said:

“We are very excited for the championship. The team has trained hard over the past months, and we have great confidence in the players, their ambition, and determination to achieve our main goal: securing one of the four qualifying spots for the 2027 World Championship in Germany.”

Kristjansson outlined the team’s preparation, which began in mid-October with a long-term training plan. The team held three overseas training camps in Tunisia, Egypt, Croatia, and Slovenia, playing several strong friendly matches. They also participated in the Islamic Solidarity Games, boosting both their physical conditioning and technical skills, and leaving the players ready to defend Kuwait’s chance for World Championship qualification.

“Despite some injuries, the Blue team is ready. We will approach the championship step by step and prepare injured players for later stages. We have full confidence in our squad and hope to secure a spot in the World Championship.”

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff