Qatar players celebrate after winning the 2023 IHF Beach Handball Global Tour final, in this file photo.
Doha, Qatar: A well-prepared Qatar side is looking to excel in the 2024 IHF Beach Handball World Championships which will take place from June 18 to 23 in Pingtan Island, China.
After missing the first three editions of the global competition, Qatar have featured in all the tournaments with bronze medals in 2014 and 2016 being their best results in the contest.
Al Annabi are hoping for their best-ever show in the upcoming event after undergoing strenuous training camp in Cadiz, Spain playing games against the hosts and Portugal. The team has shown good form winning the friendly tournament after beating Spain in the final recently.
As many as 16 teams are taking part in this year’s edition with Khaled Aly-coached Qatar placed in tough Group D in the preliminary round as they will face Germany, the United States and Uruguay in quest to reach the main round.
“Our group is the hardest one between all four of the preliminary groups,” Qatar’s Mohammed Zaky Hassan told ihf.info.
“Germany and the USA have always been trying to win the big games and they have earned their place in amongst the big teams. Uruguay is one of the oldest, most experienced teams in this sport, with a mix of youth too, so they have all the capabilities to reach a good place in China,” he said.
Qatar will play the United States in their first match on June 18 and will take on Uruguay and Germany the following day.
The top three teams from each group will advance to the main round where they will form two groups comprising six teams each. The top four teams from these groups will then reach the quarter-finals.
Qatar, who have been a dominant force in Asia for over a decade, also clinched the IHF Beach Handball Global Tour title after beating Brazil at home last November. Captain Mohsen Al Yafaei, who will be Al Annabi’s key player along with Mohammed Zaky, Hani Kakhi, Zarko Markovic in the World Championships, was hopeful of maintaining fine performance after winning the title.
“Based on this success (winning the IHF Beach Handball Global Tour) we are well-placed to fight to win the biggest title – the IHF World Championship,” he had said.
Oman, who are in Group A along with Hungary, Denmark, and Australia are only the other Asian side taking part in the tournament. The women’s event also to be competed among 16 sides will take place simultaneously with the men’s competition.
Qatar Squad
Defenders: Abdelhady Taha Elnamr;
Centre backs: Abdelrahman Tarek Abdalla;
Left Wings: Abdulrazzaq Ahmad Murad, Hamdi Ayed, Mutasem Abdelwahid Amohamed;
Goalkeepers: Ahmed Abdelhamed Elmeniawy, Mohamed Soussi, Mohsen Mohammed Alyafeai, Oussama Sabri Toumi;
Left backs: Ahmed Nader Saleh, Zarko Markovic; Pivots: Ali Ahmed Mohamed, Noomen Ahmadi;
Specialists: Amir Nowraddine Denguir, Mahmoud Hassaballa, Mohamed Ahmed Hassan, Sid Ali Kenaoui;
Right backs: Bilel Messoud Mrarha;
Right wings: Hani Marwan Kakhi, Marwan Sassi
