(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Armstrong Vas / The Peninsula
Doha: The Qatari boys will open their campaign against Morocco in the 24th ISF World Schools Handball Championships which kicks off tomorrow at three different venues in Doha.
The hosts are placed in Group A, along with Denmark, Austria, Poland and Morocco. A total of 18 countries are taking part in the boy's section while 19 girls teams will be seen in action the tournament organized by Qatar School Sports Association (QSSA), in technical collaboration with Qatar Handball Federation.
The opening ceremony of the Championships will be held tomorrow evening at 6pm at Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Stadium in Al Sadd with matches in the nine-day tournament kicking off at three different venues on the same day at 10am.
A glittering opening ceremony has been lined up which will ‘combine the elements of Qatar's identity and heritage' organisers of the event had said.
The event, which will be held at three venues namely: Aspire Academy of Sports Excellence, Qatar Women's Sports Committee and Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Stadium in Al Sadd, is contested in both the boys and girls section, will end with the closing ceremony on February 28.
'We're proud to host the competition and look forward to an interesting championship. It's a prestigious event for the schools and we look forward to it, said QSSA Secretary General Ali Ahmed Al Hitmi at a press conference here on Monday.
International School Sports Federation (ISF) Deputy President Stelios Daskalakis, ISSF Technical Commission President Tom Christensen and tournament manager Abdulrahman Al Muftah were also present on the occasion.
'The QSSA's goal is to promote sports in the schools. I'm confident the competition will be a good adver for the sport, said Al Hitmi, who is also the President of Qatar Gymnastics Federation. The draw ceremony was held here in December, with defending champions Turkey clubbed with Brazil, Greece and Belgium in Group C.
France, the tournament's most successful sides with six titles and runners-up in the 2016 edition, are with Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria in Group C while Germany, Czech Republic, Romania and Georgia complete Group D.
'Qatar has the potential to host top international tournaments and had hosted the 2015 Handball World Championships. We always feel confident when Doha hosts a major competition. I hope the sport will get a major boost in the country, said Daskalakis.
In the girls' tournament, which will be its 23rd edition, defending champions Denmark, France, Croatia, Belgium and Georgia are in Group D.
Group A has Turkey, Germany, Romania and Bulgaria while Group B consists of Hungary, Austria, Serbia and Czech Republic. Slovenia, Brazil, Sweden and Greece complete Group C.
The Organizing Committee have been holding periodic meetings to facilitate its work and remove any technical and organizational glitches which may affect the tournament.
Meanwhile the Organizing Committee of the Championship have approached many schools through the Ministry of Education and Higher Education so that students can attend the competitions.
The Committee has also contacted students of the Shafallah Center and people with special needs, to make the event a success.
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