The 19th Asian Games 2022 showcased thrilling handball competitions that culminated in Qatar and Japan securing the gold medals. Qatar clinched their third consecutive gold medal in the men’s handball competition, while Japan achieved a historic victory in the women’s handball competition. The handball competitions took place from September 24 to October 5, 2023, at the Zhejiang Normal University Xiaoshan Gymnasium and the Zhejiang Gongshang University Sports Centre.
Men’s Handball: Qatar’s Third Consecutive Gold
In the men’s handball competition, Qatar asserted their dominance by clinching their third consecutive gold medal. They achieved this feat by defeating Bahrain in a fierce final battle with a scoreline of 32–25. Despite Bahrain leading at halftime by 14–12, Qatar’s determination and skill prevailed, earning them another coveted gold medal. Notably, Qatar also claimed gold in handball at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games. Kuwait secured the bronze medal by narrowly beating Japan with a score of 31–30. The top goal scorer of the men’s competition was Husain Ali Hasan Ebrahim Al-Sayyad of Bahrain, who showcased his prowess by netting an impressive 43 goals.
The medal presentation ceremony was graced by the following esteemed officials:
Gold medal
- Treasurer of the Asian Handball Federation (AHF), Bader Mohammed Al-Theyab (Kuwait)
- Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Dr. Thani Abdulrahman Al-Kuwari (Qatar)
Silver medal
- AHF Vice President and President of the Qatar Handball Association, Ahmed Mohammed Abdulrab Al-Shaabi
- AHF Council Member, Saleh Bin Ashour (United Arab Emirates)
Bronze medal
- AHF Vice President and President of the Bahrain Handball Federation, Ali Mohamed Isa Eshaqi
- AHF Executive Director, Dr. Ahmad Abu Al-Lail (Kuwait)
Women’s Handball: Japan’s Maiden Gold
In the women’s handball competition, Japan achieved a historic milestone by securing their maiden gold medal. In an exciting upset, Japan overcame the seven-time Asian Games gold medalist Republic of Korea with a convincing score of 29–19. Japan had a strong first-half lead of 14–8. Meanwhile, P.R. China displayed their prowess by defeating Kazakhstan with a score of 39–26, earning them the bronze medal. Liu Chan of P.R. China was the top goal scorer in the women’s competition, tallying an impressive 35 goals.
The medal presentation ceremony was graced by the following esteemed officials:
Gold medal
- Vice-President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa
- AHF Assistant Technical Manager, Abdullah Jasem Al-Theyab
Silver medal
- AHF Secretary General and President of the Pakistan Handball Federation, Muhammad Shafiq
- AHF Council Member and President of the Kazakhstan Handball Federation, Gulnara Turlykhanova
Bronze medal
- AHF Vice President and President of the Chinese Handball Association, Wang Tao
- AHF Council Member, Mitra Noorigollehjareh (I. R. Iran)
Qatar’s remarkable third consecutive gold medal win in the men’s competition and Japan’s historic victory in the women’s competition highlighted the dedication and talent of athletes from across the continent. These achievements will be remembered as inspiring milestones in the history of Asian handball.
