MUSCAT, FEB 11
The 41st Gulf Club Handball Championship will begin in Muscat on February 15 as the opening ceremony will take place under the auspices of HH Sayyid Mohammed bin Salim al Said, in the presence of distinguished guests, Moosa al Balushi, Oman Handball Association (OHA) Chairman and Organising Committee Chairman Jihad al Shaikh, besides other officials. Oman’s representatives, including Oman Club and Seeb, are under a comprehensive preparatory programme. Oman Club players are currently concluding their external training camp in Bahrain, where they played two friendly matches. Oman Club secured victories in both encounters, defeating Bahrain’s Al Ahli club by 32-25 and Bahrain’s Al Dair club by 33-30. Both matches provided a valuable opportunity for head coach Ibrahim Bouderbali to assess his squad’s performance, test different combinations and refine tactics ahead of the competition.
"We aim to represent Oman in the best possible way and will give our utmost effort in every match. Despite some injuries, we have a squad with talented players who can step up when needed. Our focus is on maintaining high morale and achieving positive results," Bouderbali said.
Oman Club squad featured three professional players, including Ali bin Abdullah (Bahrain), Qam bin Mohammed (Bahrain) and Mohamed Ihab Brouis (Algeria).
On the other hand, Seeb Club raised their preparatory and training sessions ahead of the tournament. The team has a rigorous two-session daily programme under the supervision of national coach Nabil al Balushi. The team aims to deliver a strong performance in the championship, building on their impressive domestic league campaign, where they currently hold second place. Seeb have also strengthened their squad by signing Bahrain's Ahmed Redha and acquiring Muhannad al Zarafi from Ahli Sidab.
The championship will feature eight teams from across the Gulf, including Oman Club and Seeb Club representing the Sultanate of Oman. The teams have been drawn into two groups. Group A features Al Rayyan (Qatar), Al Najma (Bahrain), Al Noor (Saudi Arabia) and Seeb (Oman), while Group B comprises Oman Club (Oman), Kuwait SC (Kuwait), Dibba Al Huson (UAE) and Al Arabi (Qatar).
The official technical meeting will be held on Friday at 7 pm at the Radisson Hotel Muscat – Panorama Hall. The meeting will be chaired by OHA Chairman Moosa al Balushi and attended by technical committee members and club representatives. The meeting will finalise key details, including teams' squads, jersey colours and other competition regulations.
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