Kuwaiti teams celebrate with their trophies.

LJUBLJANA, Aug 24: The Kuwaiti handball youth team (A) claimed a silver medal at the Slovenia International Friendly Championship, after a tightly contested final against the Slovenian team Krasnik. The match ended in a 23-23 draw, leading to a penalty shootout where Kuwait narrowly lost 3-5.

Meanwhile, Team (B) secured third place by defeating the Slovenian team Celje 34-28 in the third-place playoff. The participation of both the (A) and (B) teams in the Slovenian Friendly Championship is part of their broader preparation plan for upcoming events.

Team manager Shaker Arti highlighted that competing against European teams with high technical skills and strategic gameplay provides invaluable experience for Kuwaiti players, helping them develop the necessary skills to excel in the sport. Arti added that the technical, physical, and mental levels of the players have been steadily improving throughout the training camp. He noted the internal competition among the players to prove themselves, which is vital for representing Kuwaiti handball honorably.

In a related effort, the junior handball team continues its preparations in Cairo, Egypt, ahead of upcoming international competitions. The team has already played several friendly matches against teams like Zamalek, Al-Zohour, and Al-Ahly Bank of Egypt. It is scheduled to play three more experimental matches before returning to Kuwait.

Team manager Dr. Khaled Al-Gharib expressed satisfaction with the progress made under the federation's technical roadmap, which is designed in collaboration with the administrative and technical teams. He observed significant improvements in the players' physical, technical, and mental aspects—key goals of the current junior team gathering. Al-Gharib further explained that the preparation began before the training camp with a focus on strengthening team morale and camaraderie among the players. This phase is part of a well-planned strategy to develop future generations by concentrating on younger age groups.

Khaled Al-Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff