DOHA, Oct 24: Kuwait national handball team clinched their first triumph in the ongoing Asian qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Qatari Al-Ittihad Hall, marking the culmination of the preliminary round for the second group.

This momentous win came as they outperformed the Kazakhstan 39-31. This significant victory not only gave the Kuwait their first win in the Paris qualifiers but also earned them two crucial points after enduring three consecutive losses against Iran, Japan, and Bahrain.

Kuwait coach, Saeed Hegazy, made strategic decisions by resting some key players in the match against Kazakhstan, including Abdullah Al-Khamis, Abdulaziz Al-Shammari and Hassan Safar. He introduced new talents who had not seen action in previous games, aiming to provide them with an opportunity to play, gain experience, and adapt to the competition.

Kuwait team’s participation in the Asian Olympic qualifiers was affected by the absence of key players in the back line due to injuries, notably Abdullah Al-Gharabally, Saif Al-Adwani, Muhammad Amer and Fawaz Al-Mishari.

This absence created a challenge for the team particularly in their offensive strategies.

The Handball Federation’s goal in participating in the Paris 2024 qualifiers is to prepare the team and develop its players, especially those new to the Asian stage, fostering interaction and experience. This preparation took place within a highly competitive group featuring top-tier Asian teams, leading up to the Asian Championship, a gateway to the 2025 Handball World Cup scheduled for January in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

In this tournament, the top four teams will secure their spot in the 2025 World Cup, while the Olympic qualifiers champion gains direct qualification to Paris, and the second-placed team enters a European playoff. The medical staff of the Handball Federation is actively working to rehabilitate the injured players before the World Cup qualifiers.

Additionally, it is anticipated that there will be alterations to the team’s roster, with players coming in and going out before their journey to Bahrain.

Khaled El Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff