Players intensify training for the championship

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 7: The Kuwaiti handball teams of Kuwait Club, Qadsia, and Salmiya are intensifying their preparations for the 39th Arab Clubs Championship for League and Cup Champions, scheduled to take place from September 15-26 at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Complex Hall. Each team is currently engaged in external training camps to sharpen their skills ahead of the tournament.

Kuwait Club is training in Croatia, where it recently secured a victory against a local first-division team. Meanwhile, Qadsia's camp in Doha, Qatar, saw them narrowly defeat Al-Ahli of Qatar 30-29. Salmiya, also based in Doha, has played two friendly matches—drawing 29-29 with Al-Sadd and losing 27-30 to Al-Rayyan. It is scheduled to face Al-Duhail tomorrow and will conclude its friendly matches against Al-Arabi of Qatar on September 12. All three teams will return to Kuwait on September 13. The tournament’s first round on September 16 will feature five matches: Mudhar vs. Al-Karkh, Al-Hashd vs. Al-Bank Al-Ahly, Al-Salmiya vs. Al-Ahly of Qatar, Al-Qadisiya vs. Al-Gharafa, and Kuwait Club vs. Al-Qoton.

Before the draw, several teams, including Mouloudia Bordj Bou Arreridj and Olympique El Wadi from Algeria, Al-Huda from Saudi Arabia, and Al-Sha'la from Yemen, had withdrawn from the competition. Sameh Al-Hajri, Director of Handball at Kuwait Club, stated that the team’s Croatian camp is progressing as planned. He praised the players' adherence to the training regimen and expressed confidence in their readiness to defend their title and represent Kuwait in the Arab Championship.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassh/Arab Times Staff