DOHA, 7 December 2006 — Saudi Arabia’s water polo team made a rousing debut yesterday in the 15th Asian Games with a 19-9 thrashing of Hong Kong at the Al-Sadd Aquatic Center here.
Bracketed in Group B in the preliminary round stage, the Saudis played with vigor and dominated the match. Except in the third period when Hong Kong drew level at 3-3 it was all Saudi the rest of the way. They led 4-1 in the first period, 8-2 in the second, and 4-3 in the fourth.
The Saudi players are Khaled Al-Harbi, 24, of Al-Ahli club, Ahmed Al-Shammari,21, of Al-Qadisiya, and Adel Al-Malki,23, of Al-Ittihad.
Al-Harbi told Arab News the team has had four months training in the country and abroad.
“We spent around 4 weeks in Montenegro which was very intensive and demanding but we enjoyed it for sure because this is why we chose to play this game in the first place,” he said. Then they went back to the Kingdom for further training. Though the players came from different clubs, the team spirit was there and the motivation to play as a team was apparent and visible. “It doesn’t matter which team we come from, we are at the end representing our country and we are like brothers over here or even if we played against each other,” said Al-Harbi.
The next preliminary games for the team will be against Uzbekistan tomorrow and against Japan on Saturday.
The athletes said Uzbekistan is a strong team. However, they said “We might be equal in our performance yet we have to respect them and prepare very well for the match,” they said.
“It won’t be an easy match at all,” said Al-Malki.
The China game looks a tall order but the Saudi team will be working hard to try to beat them. The Saudis took the bronze medal in the 2005 Islamic Solidarity Games which the Kingdom hosted.
“We are looking forward to win gold medal this time,” Al-Malki said.
