Oman's national beach handball team will begin their journey in the 11th edition of the Men's and Women's Beach Handball World Championship on Tuesday in Pingtan, China and the event will run until June 23. The team will meet Hungary in Group A opener before facing Australia on Wednesday and will conclude the group stage matches against Denmark.
This will be Oman's eighth appearance in the Beach Handball World Championship, having first participated in 2004 in Hurghada, Egypt. Since then, the team has continued to shine and has become a force to be reckoned with on the Asian and international levels, thanks to the efforts of the Oman Handball Association's boards of directors, who have been keen to support and develop the team.
The association board’s management has ensured that the team is well-prepared for the tournament, with the team starting its preparation phase in May with daily training sessions at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bousher. This was followed by a one-week internal camp in June, and then the team headed to an external camp in Thailand before arriving in Pingtan for a short preparatory camp, where they played friendly matches against the national teams of Qatar, Germany, China, and Argentina.
The team is led by national coach Hamood Al Hasani and his assistant Jaber Al Balushi. The list of players includes Huthaifa Al Siyabi, Bashar Al Hinai, Muhanad Al Zarafi, Abdulhakeem Al Siyabi, Mahmoud Al Wahhabi, Ali Al Jamui, Ahmed Al Ghaylani, Mahdi Al Sulaimani, Said Al Hasani, and Yasser Al Harthy.
The team is hoping for a strong start by overcoming Hungary and then Australia and Denmark, to qualify for the second round of the tournament. The tournament's rules state that the top three teams from each of the four groups will qualify. The draw placed Oman in Group A, which includes Hungary, Denmark, and Australia.
Dr. Saeed bin Ahmed Al Shahari, Chairman of the Oman Handball Association affirmed that the team is entering the tournament with determination and resolve to make a strong start in their first match against Hungary. Al Shahari pointed to the team's readiness after a series of friendly matches they played in Thailand and Pingtan, which contributed to developing suitable plans and formations.
Dr. Al Shahari said that the team was drawn into a tough group, but there is great hope of reaching the second round through teamwork. He affirmed that the team's heroes have always been present in such situations to achieve good results.
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