KUNA photos Kuwaiti players celebrate on the podium.

KUWAIT CITY, May 12, (KUNA): Qatar’s handball team emerged as champions of the 10th Arab Handball Cup after defeating Bahrain 25-22 in a thrilling final. The match, held at Kuwait’s Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Indoor Sports Complex, was marked by a high-paced, tactical contest between the two teams, with Qatar leading 12-11 at halftime.

In the second half, Bahrain made a determined push to take the lead, but Qatar maintained their momentum and secured the 25-22 victory.

After the championship, which took place in Kuwait from May 5-11, Fadhel Al-Nimr, head of the Arab Handball Federation (AHF), praised Kuwait for its excellent organization of the tournament, recognizing the country as a leader in hosting such Arab sporting events. Al-Nimr also credited Kuwait’s political leadership for its strong support of sports, thanking Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Sports Bashar Abdullah, and all officials involved in making the championship a success.

Talal Al-Otaibi, a member of the AHF’s Executive Bureau and the Kuwait Handball Association, also commended the organizers and the enthusiastic support from the audience. He highlighted the technical quality of the teams and expressed gratitude to Minister Al-Mutairi and other sports officials for their contributions.

In the third-place match, Kuwait edged Egypt 29-25. The first half ended in a draw, but Kuwait delivered an impressive second-half performance to seal the win. Saif Al-Adwani of Kuwait was named Best Player of the Match.

Earlier in the tournament, Tunisia defeated the UAE in the placement matches for positions five to nine, while Iraq claimed victory over Morocco.