Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Bahrain’s national handball team will jump start the first-ever GCC Games which will be hosted in the kingdom this coming Monday.
The festival of sport’s opening fixture will feature Bahrain against Kuwait at the Shaikh Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town and fans have been urged to come along and enjoy the action for free at 3pm.
Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, head of the GCC Games’ executive committee but better known for his role as chief executive officer of the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), said: “Bahrain boasts a large sports fan base and I expect fans to come out in droves to enjoy the high level of competition which will be on display.
“Of all the sports, I expect handball, basketball, volleyball, athletics and, of course, football to be the most well-attended.
“The Bahrain 11 executive committee and its partners understand the importance that fans bring to any competition and will ensure that they have an enjoyable experience.
“Overall, we are really excited to be hosting the Games and believe that there will be some thrilling matches for sports-lovers to enjoy.
“We expect Bahrain 11 will attract major attention from people all around the globe, and as such we have a responsibility to present the best of what Bahrain has to offer and demonstrate our ability in hosting events of this size and calibre.”
Members of the Bahrain team are said to be in a ‘confident mood’ and want to build on the success achieved under captain Saeed Jawhar. Ranked 23rd in the world, Bahrain secured a berth in the 2011 Men’s Handball World Championship held in Sweden, securing a notable victory over Australia.
The squad has had to pull together after two of its members – Mohammad and Ali Mirza – were found guilty of arson, possessing weapons and stealing money with others during the recent unrest and are now starting 15-year jail stretches.
The handball team, now coached by German Wolfgang Lowak, have been preparing for the Games at a training camp in a small town near Frankfurt, Germany.
They have played five friendly matches against top local clubs, notching three victories. Among the teams they beat were former national champions TBV Lemgo, who compete in Handball Bundesliga, the country’s top professional league.
Twenty-one players are participating in the camp, but the squad will be reduced to 16 for the GCC Games.
Bahrain’s opener against Kuwait on Monday will be followed by Oman against Qatar at 5pm before Saudi Arabia face the UAE at 7pm.
The Games opening ceremony will be staged on the following day at the National Stadium and organisers are being tight-lipped about the show planned.
BOC secretary general and deputy president of Bahrain 11’s organising committee Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa said that the event would be choreographed by the same team responsible for the breathtaking opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will feature a number of ‘spectacular surprises’.
The Games run until October 22 and will boast more than 1,500 athletes from across the Gulf competing in 11 disciplines. The organisers say Bahrain 11 will be the largest showcase of GCC talent ever assembled.
Sports featured include athletics, ten-pin bowling, cycling, swimming, basketball, handball, volleyball, soccer and endurance horse riding. There will also be table tennis for women and goal ball for special needs athletes.
Volleyball, table tennis, basketball and goal ball for the disabled will be held at the Shaikh Isa Sports City in Riffa and football will take place at the National Stadium. The Shaikh Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town is set to hold swimming, handball and athletics. Cycling will commence at the Bahrain International Circuit and bowling will be held at Sitra Mall.
The GCC Games will be rotated between the GCC member states every four years. Saudi Arabia will hold its second edition in 2015. More sporting disciplines are expected to be added with each edition of the Games.
