The Kingdom of Bahrain is set to showcase its strength with a formidable 14-player national team at the upcoming 22nd Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship. The championship will take place in Urmia, Iran, starting from next Saturday, where Bahrain will be competing against 17 other national teams from the region.
Led by coach Ruben Adrian Wolochin from Argentina, Bahrain’s squad remains largely consistent with the team that secured silver medals in the fourth AVC Men Challenger in Chinese Taipei last month. This achievement was particularly remarkable as they defeated strong teams like Australia and South Korea on their path to the gold medal game, where they narrowly lost to Thailand.
The majority of players who excelled in the previous tournament will be representing Bahrain in this prestigious continental competition. Key players such as Mohammed Yaqoob, Ali Ebrahim, Ayman Haroona, Mahmood Al Afia, Ali Habib, Nasser Anan, Mahmood Abdul hussain, Mahmoud Abdulwahed, Abbas Al Khabbaz, Mohammed Jassim, and Hani Ali will once again carry the Kingdom’s banner.
Adding to this formidable lineup, promising young talent Sayed Hashem Isa will join the squad, along with the experienced national team members Hussain Sultan and Mohammed Anan, who are returning from recent injuries.
Although some players like Ebrahim Mohammed, Abbas Sultan, Mohammed Omar, Hussain Ehsan, and Sayed Ahmed Murtadha were not included in the final list, their contribution and dedication were acknowledged.
During this year’s AVC Men Challenger, Mohammed Yaqoob, Ali Ebrahim, and Ayman Haroona stood out by winning individual awards. Yaqoob received the Best Outside Hitter award, Ebrahim was named the Best Opposite Spiker, and Haroona earned recognition as the tournament’s Best Libero.
In the upcoming Asian championship, the participating teams have been divided into six pools of three teams each for the preliminary round. Bahrain has been placed in Pool D alongside Chinese Taipei and Mongolia. The tournament’s format will see the top two teams from each group advancing to the playoff stage.
Bahrain’s journey in the championship starts with a match against Chinese Taipei on the opening day, followed by a clash with Mongolia. Their impressive performance in the recent AVC Men Challenger has set high expectations for Bahrain to continue their success and make a strong mark in the Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship.
With their history-making appearance in the gold medal game of the AVC Men Challenger, Bahrain’s national team demonstrated their growing prowess in the sport. This achievement marked their first-ever championship-decider at the senior men’s level in any Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) tournament, securing a historic silver medal in a continental competition for senior men.
As they enter their 11th appearance in the Asian men’s championship, Bahrain’s team is determined to build on their past achievements and compete at their best. Their highest finish so far was in 1987 when they secured the eighth position among 17 participating teams.
The upcoming Asian Senior Men’s Volleyball Championship provides Bahrain with an opportunity to showcase their talent, determination, and commitment to the sport on a regional stage, as they aim for a successful campaign against strong opponents from the Asian region.