Unfortunate End for Germany's Handball Squad
The German women's handball team had a tough pill to swallow following their finish at the World Cup. After a subpar showing in their last tournament appearance in Herning, they placed sixth, losing 26:30 (7:16) to the Netherlands.
National coach Markus Gaugisch and his team walked away from their Christmas break with frustration, despite boasting the World Championship's best result since clinching bronze 16 years ago. "It's tough on us right now. Everyone's empty. The defeat stings, and it hurts," Gaugisch admitted.
The best scorers for the game were Antje Döll, with seven goals, and co-captain Alina Grijseels, who mirrored her tally with six. Döll remarked, "The result will deceive us. It wasn't our original plan. Of course, we're disappointed and frustrated now, but ultimately, we don't have reason to be dissatisfied."
With the Olympic qualifiers approaching in the spring, the DHB team gears up for competition against Montenegro, Slovenia, and Paraguay. The top two in the tournament secure a spot at the Summer Games in Paris. "We are highly optimistic about the possibility of returning for the first time since 2008," shared DHB Sports Director Axel Kromer.
Although Gaugisch commended the DHB team's improved collective performance throughout the World Championship, the team's struggles were apparent in their last tournament appearance. This was not unlike their crushing 20:27 defeat against Sweden in the quarter-finals. The first goal against Sweden was not scored until the 14th minute, and against the Netherlands, it took twelve and a half minutes before Grijseels managed to score with a seven-meter penalty.
Backcourt player Viola Leuchter, who had been prominent, was forced out of the game due to an injury sustained without fault. With Leuchter's absence, the already unsettled team's deficit swelled to eight goals (4:12) after twenty-two minutes.
Although Germany never quit, the match remained largely one-sided, with Gaugisch frequently trying to motivate his players. The game was decided by halftime, with the Dutch leading by ten goals.
Despite the hopelessness task at hand, co-captain Emily Bölk admitted, "It didn't go as I had expected. I thought we'd rally and deliver a game at eye level."
As the German team looks to regroup, they turn their attention to international stars like Denmark's Alexander Aavik or Montenegro's Vesna Bajčović, seeking inspiration for their upcoming qualifiers.
Sources:
[1] Stern.de. (2023). Trotz enttäuschender WM-Endrunde bei den deutschen Handballdamen ist Aufbruch in das Olympia-Qualifikationsfinale (in German).
Enrichment Data:
The German women's handball team has the privilege of co-hosting the 2025 IHF Women's World Championship alongside the Netherlands. The preliminary round of the competition will take place in Stuttgart, with Germany featuring in Group C. Seeking inspiration from international stars can be vital in turning around their form and potentially returning to the top four nations in handball.
