Asian volleyball thrills set for Kingdom’s fans

TDT | Manama                                                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain

The Bahrain Volleyball Association (BVA) is calling on the Kingdom’s sports fans to come and cheer for their favourite teams in the upcoming 2023 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, set to be hosted by the Kingdom from Sunday.

The event is set to feature 16 leading teams from across the continent with many top international players in the fray.

Entrance is completely free for all the matches.

There will be eight games per day from 11.30am between two arenas at Isa Sports City in Riffa.

The competition is to be held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority president and Bahrain Olympic Committee chief His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

It is being organised by the Bahrain Volleyball Association (BVA) in cooperation with the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), and is scheduled to continue until May 21.

The champions will qualify for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship.

Bahrain volleyball giants Al Ahli are flying the Kingdom’s flag in the event.

They are in Pool A for the competition’s preliminary round along with Korean Air Jumbos Pro-Volleyball Club from South Korea, Canberra Heat from Australia and Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi from Indonesia.

Pool B is set to feature Shahdab Yazd from Iran, South Gas Sports Club from Iraq, Taichung Bank from Chinese-Taipei and Kam Air VC from Afghanistan.

Pool C comprises Suntory Sunbirds from Japan, Diamond Food Fine Chef-Air Force from Thailand, Bayankhongor Crownd Geo VC from Mongolia and Khaypil Sports Club from Yemen.

Pool D features Atyrau VC from Kazakhstan, Police Sports Team from Qatar, Aspiring Volleyball Team from Hong Kong and Kuwait Sporting Club from Kuwait.

Coached by Tunisian tactician Nezar Al Shakili, Ahli have signed three international professionals for the tournament, namely Gabriel Jose da Silva Candido from Brazil, Yosvany Hernandez from Cuba and Davide Saitta from Italy.

They arrived in Bahrain Tuesday evening and have been welcomed to the Kingdom by Ahli officials.

Ahli have stepped up their preparations for the event with daily training at the competition venue.

Among Ahli’s top Bahraini stars set to feature on the team are Naser Anan, Mohammed Anan, Abbas Al Khabbaz, Ali Alsairafi, Sayed Mohammed Alabbar and Mahmood Abdulhussain, along with Mohammed Yaqoob and Hussain Sultan, who have been signed from Dar Kulaib for the tournament.

Ahli recently captured the silver medals in the 2023 Crown Prince’s Cup Volleyball Tournament along with the bronze medals in the 2022/2023 Isa bin Rashid Bahrain Volleyball League.

This year’s event will be the second time the Kingdom has staged the competition.

It previously held the 2007 edition, which was won by Paykan Tehran of Iran. A Bahrain club has yet to step onto the podium in the tournament.

Last year’s competition was also won by Paykan, where they defeated Japan’s Suntory Sunbirds in the final.