Bahrain amongst 17 teams. out of title contention in Asian volleyball

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s senior men’s national volleyball team bowed out of title contention yesterday from the 22nd Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship, being held in Urmia, Iran.

The nationals lost to world number five Japan 0-3 (14-25, 14-25, 17-25) in a one-sided Final 12 contest.

With the result, the Bahrainis will now play for their best classification in the competition.

In yesterday’s defeat, the Japanese were dominant from the start and Bahrain committed a number of uncharacteristic errors that aided their rivals.

Opposite spiker Ali Ebrahim was the nationals’ only player in double figures with 11 points.

Outside hitters Nasser Anan, Mohammed Yaqoob and Sayed Hashem Issa each finished with four points, mostly in attack.

Outside hitter Ran Takahashi top scored for the Japanese with 12 markers, while adding nine points was skipper Yuki Ishikawa, who last month was named a Best Outside Hitter on the 2023 Volleyball Nations League’s Dream Team Bahrain are coached by Ruben Adrian Wolochin from Argentina.

Their other players in Urmia are Ayman Haroona, Mahmood Al Afia, Ali Habib, Mahmood Abdulhussain, Mahmoud Abdulwahed, Abbas Al Khabbaz, Mohammed Jassim, Hani Ali, Mohammed Anan and Hussain Sultan. Bahrain have never won a medal in the Asian men’s championship.

This year’s tournament marks their 11th appearance, with their best finish coming in 1987 when they were eighth amongst 17 teams.