DOHA: President of the Qatar Handball Association (QHA), Ahmed Mohammed Al Shaabi yesterday dedicated the gold medal won by the Qatari handball team in the 18th Asian Games to Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Holders Qatar defended their title by defeating Bahrain with a dominant late display — scoring seven goals in 10 minutes of extra-time to register a 32-27 win to clinch the country’s sixth gold medal at the 2018 Asiad.
Al Shaabi also dedicated the gold medal to President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and to all Qatari people including handball fans.
In a press statement released after the Al Annabi victory in Jakarta, Indonesia, Al Shaabi said that the achievements of the team in various continental and international tournaments is the result of the unlimited support of the wise leadership to sport in general and handball in particular.
The QHA President also expressed his great happiness after the Qatari men clinched their second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games, overcoming a high level of competition.
In the previous edition of the 2014 Asian Games, Qatar defeated hosts South Korea to win the gold medal, one of the 14 medals they won in Incheon.
Al Shaabi praised the performance of all the players who exerted enormous efforts to win the medal, highlighting that all of them were heroes and played with a combat spirit in all matches played in the tournament, especially the final.
Al Shaabi also said he had great confidence in winning against Bahrain in the final, pointing out that the team managed to make a great comeback to level the scores at 25 after the regular period of play and then excel in extra time.
He also expressed tanks to all members of the team and the technical and administrative officials, pointing out that everyone will now shift focus 2019 World Handball Championship which will be held in Denmark.
Yesterday’s gold medal took Qatar’s medal tally at the Games to 13, which includes six gold, four silver and three bronze medals.
Seven of Qatar’s medals came in athletics while Qatari equestrian riders won a silver and a bronze. The rest of the medals came in beach volleyball, shooting and weightlifting.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar
