Bahrain eyes handball gold

Manama : Bahrain will look to add another gold medal to their tally when they take on favourites Qatar today in the handball final. This title decider will tip off at 2pm (Bahrain time) at Gor Popki Cibubur Sports Hall, where the Bahrainis hope to overcome the much experienced and talented Qatari team and capture competition’s title. Having won all their previous matches in the tournament, the nationals will head into this crunch game while banking on a group of Bahrain’s young and experienced handball players, led by skipper Hussain Al Sayyad, who is team’s top scorer.

Aron Kristjansson, the Icelandic coach of Bahrain, will also pin hopes on his goalkeeper, Mohammed Abdulhussain, who played a major role in the team’s past victories. Ali Mirza, Hasan Al Samahiji, Mahmood Abdulqader, Bilal Askani, Hasan Madan, Husain Mohamed, Jasim Al Salatna, Ali Salman and Mohamed Ahmed will be likely have a playing role today. Elsewhere, Samira Al Bitar will be in action in the women’s triathlon race early this morning. Coached by Ghanim Badawi, Samira will enter the competition well prepared. The race will commence with a swim in sea, to be followed by a cycling race and a running race.

In sailing, Abdulla Janahi had another fine sailing day yesterday (Wednesday) in the laser standard class. The 30-year-old Bahraini, who came sixth in both the eighth and ninth races on Tuesday, headed into yesterday’s ninth and 10th races with 15 other sailors in an attempt to improve on his overall ranking with one day remaining. Heading into these races in eighth place overall, Janahi battled hard and again showed some amazing skills to manage ninth in the 10th race, then was seventh in the 11th race.

Janahi is still holding on his eighth place with 83 points and 72 net points, with the 12th and last race scheduled for today (Friday), when the top three will be honored with their respective medals at the prize-giving ceremony. In cycling, Yahiaaldien Khalifa was 18th in the cycling track men’s omnium cycling track race at Jakarta International Velodrome. Khalifa’s last-position finish granted him 6 points, while Iran’s Mohammad Ganjkhanlou secured the gold medal with 40 points. In equestrian, Shaikh Hassan bin Rashid Al Khalifa came in 23rd place in the final round of the showjumping individual event at Jakarta International Equestrian Park. Riding Aw Vivika, the 42-year-old Bahraini scored 63.78 points. Compatriots Sayed Adnan Al Alawi (39.19 points) was 32nd, Khalid Al Khatri (47.85) was 57th, while Ahmed Maki was eliminated from the competition.