VOLLEYBALL – BAHRAIN is set to host one of the continent’s top volleyball competitions later this year.
The Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) has awarded the kingdom the rights to organise the 2025 AVC Challenge Cup for Men.
It will be held between June 22 and 29 at Isa bin Rashid Arena in Isa Sports City in Riffa, marking the second straight year that the Bahrain Volleyball Association (BVA) will be staging the prestigious senior men’s competition.
Details of the tournament have yet to be announced by the AVC, but it is expected to feature at least 12 of the continent’s best squads.
The AVC Challenge Cup for Men is a part of the AVC’s packed calendar of events for 2025, which also features the Asian Youth Games, which will have volleyball as one of its 21 sports, taking place October 22 to 31 in Bahrain.
Bahrain’s senior men’s volleyball national team have had some success in the continental event’s past editions.
In the 2023 competition held in Chinese Taipei, the Bahrainis finished as silver-medallists after losing to Thailand in the final. It remains their first and only medal in the tournament, which is set to be held for the sixth time in 2025.
It was also the first-ever title-decider at the senior men’s level for the kingdom in any AVC event.
In the 15-nation competition, national team stars Mohammed Yaqoob, Ali Ebrahim, and Ayman Haroona each came away with an individual award for their fine performances. Yaqoob took home the Best Outside Hitter award, while Ebrahim was named the Best Opposite Spiker. Haroona was honoured as the tournament’s Best Libero.
Meanwhile, the host Bahrainis finished seventh overall last year amongst a dozen participating teams at home. They made it through to the quarter-finals but lost to South Korea in a nail-biting five-setter.
Qatar went on to take the gold ahead of Pakistan, with the South Koreans joining them on the podium as bronze-medallists.
The AVC Challenge Cup for Men will be the second major volleyball tournament to be held in Bahrain this year.
The kingdom is also gearing up to host the third West Asian Clubs Volleyball Championship for Men next month, with Al Ahli to fly the kingdom’s flag in the competition.
The tournament is being organised by the BVA in co-operation with the West Asia Volleyball Association.
It is set to feature seven teams from across the region and matches will be played at Isa bin Rashid Volleyball Arena at Isa Sports City in Riffa.
Ahli are joined in the event by Al Arabi and Al Rayyan of Qatar, Northern Refineries from Iraq, Al Qadsia and Kuwait SC of Kuwait, and Al Salam of Oman.
All matches will also be held at Isa bin Rashid Arena.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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