Bahrain yesterday started their campaign on a high note at the Asian Beach Games at Da Nang, Vietnam yesterday.
A tough 2-1 victory over Thailand gave Bahrain a flying start in the handball championship at My Khe Beach.
Sayed Shehab Ahmed led Bahrain to this well-deserved win, scoring eight goals from eight successful attempts.
The first quarter ended 17-14 for Bahrain, but Thailand came back in the second, which they eventually won 20-12 and extending the game into a third and deciding period.
Bahrain, coached by Raed Al Marzooq, made several tactical improvements in the vital stage as his boys put on a superb show to emerge winners 7-4.
Fahad Jassim, Jaffer Abbas, Mahmood Ali, Mohammed Jawad, Adam Al Nasheet, Belal Bahsam, Tamim Al Mawlani, Abdulla Al Zaymoor and Hussain Al Qaydoom also spearheaded the Bahrain team in yesterday’s match.
The handball championship put Bahrain in a relatively tough Group ‘A’ along with Qatar, Pakistan, India and Thailand. Group ‘B’ features Vietnam, Qatar, Japan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Bahrain’s next match will be against the highly-favored Pakistan at 12pm noon (Bahrain time). The Kingdom is also competing in three other sports – jiu jitsu, wrestling and bodybuilding.
Meanwhile, the fifth edition of the Asian Beach Games commenced to a colorful opening ceremony and was declared open by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, in the presence of International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and other high-ranking officials.
An array of artistic and musical performances was then held to introduce the “famous chanties, unique customs and people’s rituals” of Vietnam. This included Hue royal court music and the space of Gong culture in the nearby Tay Nguyen region.
It aimed to reflect the “beauty of Vietnam’s sea with imposing natural wonders, charming and harmonious landscapes and friendly people”.