Suwon, South Korea: The Qatari national handball team will open their campaign against debutants New Zealand in Group D when the 2018 Asian Handball Championship kicks off today in Suwon, South Korea. Group D also includes China and Saudi Arabia.
The 18th edition of the championship will be held under the aegis of Asian Handball Federation over a period of 10 days. The tournament also acts as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2019 World Men’s Handball Championship. The top four teams will qualify for the world championship to be held in January next year. The Spanish Coach of Qatar handball team Valero Rivera has selected 18 players for the tour.
Korea are the record title holders of the competition (nine), but the force from the middle east, Qatar have taken the regional superiority crown, winning the last two editions (2014 and 2016) and they will be the side to beat again. Some of those firsts include Bangladesh making their debut in the competition, and the specially-invited Australia and New Zealand teams from Oceania, who will also break new ground.
The 14 teams will be split into four preliminary groups across two venues in the city, the Seo-Suwon Chilbo Stadium and Suwon Indoor Stadium. Group A features Japan, Iran and Uzbekistan, Group B features Bahrain, Oman and Australia, Group C is home to host side Korea, UAE, India and Bangladesh, while Group D sees Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China and New Zealand prepare to face each other. The top two teams in each group then progress through to the main round with all teams below them vying for the highest possible position in the tournament. First and second place positions in the main round will then go directly into the semi-finals and the winners of those matches will throw-off for the continental title on Sunday 28 January.
sport local
