Sanya [China], April 22: In the presence of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Qatar's national beach handball team began their campaign at the 6th Asian Beach Games - Sanya 2026 with two well-deserved victories over Pakistan and Oman in the opening matches of the men's competition on Tuesday.
The first day of beach handball competitions was also attended by HE Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; HE Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee; and Ahmed Al Shaabi, President of the Qatar Handball Association.
Qatar secured a 2-0 win (17-14, 19-16) over Pakistan in their opening match before continuing their strong performance with another 2-0 victory over Oman, winning 20-14 and 18-14.
Qatar delivered a dominant performance in both matches, controlling the tempo from the start and capitalizing on clear technical superiority.
With this strong start, Qatar move early to the top of the group with four points, level with Thailand, boosting their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals and continuing their title defence.
The defending champions were drawn in Group B alongside Oman, Jordan, Pakistan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Mongolia. Qatar will continue its campaign on Thursday against Bangladesh and Mongolia, before facing Jordan on April 24, Thailand on April 26, and concluding the group stage against Maldives on April 27.
Salem Al Dosari, Manager of Qatar's beach handball team, expressed his satisfaction with the two opening wins, describing them as an important step in the team's campaign, especially as they came against two of the strongest teams in the group.
He noted that the journey is still long, with strong matches ahead against teams such as Thailand and Jordan, emphasizing that the team aims to win every match with the best possible result.
Qatar team captain Mutasim Abdulwahed described the two wins as an ideal start.
"We entered both matches with high focus and strong determination to deliver our best performance, and thankfully we achieved two wins and a solid display," he said.
He added that the upcoming phase will be more challenging, stressing that the team has the ability to improve from one match to another, and that all players are determined to continue working with the same spirit to achieve their goal.
"We aim to retain the title, and we will do our utmost to continue winning and deliver the best possible performance," he concluded.
Qatar 3x3 basketball teams learn path
The 3x3 basketball draw placed Qatar's men's team in Group C alongside Bahrain, India, and Kazakhstan, while the women's team was drawn in Group A with China and Kazakhstan.
The men's competition features 16 teams divided into four groups, while 15 teams are competing in the women's event across four uneven groups. The competition will follow a round-robin format to determine qualification for the knockout stages.
Qatar's men will open their campaign on April 25 against Bahrain, before facing Kazakhstan and concluding the group stage against India. The women's team will begin against China, followed by Kazakhstan. The knockout stage matches will take place on April 28, with the semi-finals and finals scheduled for April 29.
Qatar's sailing team continues preparations
Qatar's national sailing team continues its preparations for the Asian Beach Games - Sanya 2026, with the technical staff focusing on enhancing the players' physical and technical readiness, as well as adapting to the marine conditions at the competition venue. The team will begin its participation on Thursday, with Tameem Shams competing in the Optimist event for boys, while Thani Shams will take part in the ILCA 4 class.
Source: Qatar Tribune
