Bahrain handball team take on Syria in second round opener

Bahrain’s under-17 handball team today (AUGUST 17) look to extend their remarkable show at the Second Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, in China.

The nationals will kick-start their campaign in the quarter-final stage, where they take on Syria in Pool 'A' opener this afternoon.

Coached by Adel Al Sabba, Bahrain made it to the quarter-finals round robin stage after coming on top in Group 'C' with an all-win record.

They will now play in Pool A in the quarter-finals along with Group 'A' winners Qatar, Group 'B' runners-up Iraq and Group 'B' runners-up Syria.

Saudi Arabia, who came second in Group 'A', were drawn in the other Pool 'B' besides Group 'B' runners-up Iran, Group 'C' runners-up Kuwait and Group 'D' winners Korea.

The second technical meeting for the handball championship took place yesterday, and was attended by representatives of all the eight qualified teams, to determine the jersey colors of the teams competing in the quarter-finals and revising a number of rules and regulations.

In this edition Games, Bahrain are also taking part in three more disciplines – athletics, table tennis and fencing.

The table tennis event begins today as the draw was held yesterday when the players were divided into 12 groups of four, with each group winners securing direct berths in the last-16 round. Each group runners-up will battle in a single round robin to determine the remaining four seats in the competition's final 16.

Bahrain's Elyas Elyasi, who is seeded 21st in the Games, will play in Group 'D' which includes UAE's Abdulla Al Mohseni, Chun Wang of Macau and Japan's Tonin Ryozaki. Bahrain's other representative Rashid Khalid, who is seeded 23rd, was placed in Group 12 along with Korea's Gangheyon Park, Dunley Foo of Malaysia and Laos' Kongphet Phinit.

In athletics, of which the competition has been scheduled to start tomorrow, Bahrain team administrators Salem Nasser and Khalid Juma attended the technical meeting, which highlighted the rules and regulations of the Games as well as the eligibility of the athletes taking part and their ages.

Meanwhile, the Games got underway with a colorful opening ceremony at Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium last night. The 90-minute Opening Ceremonies consisted of two parts – artistic performance and protocol ceremony.

The artistic performance "Let Our Dream Fly" lasted 40 minutes and shared the growth story of two teenagers during the four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter, which binds Nanjing with the international community, the history with the future, the reality with the dream, and youth with hope.

Performances were presented in a creative cartoon atmosphere, so as to bring out the stage effect that is youthful, inspiring and full of life, representing the solidarity, courage, wisdom and passion of the Asian youth.

Among the performers of the ceremony, 80 per cent were students aged 17 to 18. The production team goals were to pass on the Olympic spirit, demonstrate Chinese characteristics and integrate the local culture of Nanjing in the Opening Ceremonies, to interpret the slogan "Celebrating Youth, Passionate Asia" and to fully reflect the feature of "staging the Games as a gala of youth, culture and sports" in every aspect.

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