A Kuwaiti handball player fires a shot at goal.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 6: Kuwait is concluding the preliminary phase of its preparations for the Asian Handball Championship, which will be hosted in Kuwait in mid-January and also serves as a qualifier for the World Cup.

The team will hold its final training session today at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex under Icelandic coach Aron Kristjansson. This follows a rigorous physical conditioning phase at Spark Health Club in Shuwaikh, where the focus was on improving fitness, building muscle mass, and enhancing endurance.

With physical preparation complete, the coaching staff will now shift attention to tactical planning and finalizing the team’s formation for the tournament matches.

Al-Azraq will depart for Cairo, Egypt, to begin the penultimate stage of preparations, which includes two friendly matches against the Egyptian national team. The team will return on December 20 to continue preparations with a final overseas training camp in Croatia, where offensive and defensive strategies and the final lineup will be refined.

Coach Kristjansson acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that Asian handball features some of the continent’s top teams, but expressed confidence in the players’ talent, dedication, and commitment to following technical instructions.

Meanwhile, the medical team, led by physiotherapist Mehdi Al-Bakoush, continues to monitor the players’ health and fitness closely. A structured diet and training program, coordinated with the coaching and administrative staff, is helping to minimise the risk of injuries as the team gears up for the championship.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff