Qatar emerged victorious once again at the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship, held from January 11–25, 2024, in Isa Town and Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. This remarkable achievement marks Qatar’s sixth consecutive gold medal win since their triumph at the 16th Asian Men’s Handball Championship in 2014.
In a spectacular display of dominance, Qatar secured the championship title by defeating Japan in the final match with a commanding score of 30-24. Leading 17-11 at halftime, Qatar left no room for doubt about their superiority on the court.
Out of the 16 participating teams, eight advanced to the main round, divided into two groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group secured their places in the semifinals and earned coveted tickets to the 29th IHF Men’s Handball World Championship, scheduled to take place in Croatia, Denmark, and Norway from January 14 to February 2, 2025.
Group 1 featured defending champion Qatar, alongside Japan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Group 2 comprised host Bahrain, the Republic of Korea, Kuwait, and Iraq.
Qatar’s journey to the top of Group 1 was marked by two clear victories against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab Emirates, along with a hard-fought draw against Japan, resulting in a goal difference of +8. Japan secured the second spot in the group with a goal difference of +5, while the Islamic Republic of Iran finished third and the United Arab Emirates finished in the fourth spot in the group.
In Group 2, host Bahrain emerged as the top team with two wins and a draw, followed closely by Kuwait, who secured their place in the semifinals with four points. The Republic of Korea finished third, and Iraq claimed the fourth position.
The semifinals saw defending champions Qatar overpower Kuwait with a convincing 33-26 victory, while Japan triumphed over host Bahrain with a 20-17 win, shattering Bahrain’s dream of clinching gold after five silver medal finishes in the last seven editions.
In the bronze medal match, Bahrain secured a consolation victory by defeating Kuwait with a score of 26-17.
With their resounding victory in the final, Qatar, along with Japan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, have cemented their places in the upcoming 29th IHF Men’s Handball World Championship.
For more information about the competition, including match reports, visit the competition mini-website by clicking here.
