SANYA, China, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Competition at the 6th Asian Beach Games officially began on Tuesday in Sanya, a coastal city in Hainan Province as host China posted one win and one loss on the opening day of the men's beach handball tournament.
China faced a tough challenge in its Group A opener against Bahrain. After losing the first set 14-8, the Chinese squad mounted a comeback in the second and held a clear lead for much of the set. However, Bahrain rallied in the closing moments to force a shootout and eventually claimed the set 15-14 for the victory.
"We didn't play to our potential," Chinese player Ma Huifeng told reporters after the match. "We need to make adjustments and focus on the upcoming games."
China bounced back in the evening session with a 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka in its second group match.
The group stage continues on Thursday, when the Chinese women's team is scheduled to make its debut.
The Asian Beach Games will officially open on Wednesday and run through April 30, featuring nearly 1,800 athletes from 45 members of the Olympic Council of Asia competing for 62 gold medals across 14 sports. ■
