Twenty-five-year-old daughter of Kretzschmar obsessed with competing in beach handball
In the heart of the World Games in Chengdu, China, the German beach handball team made a triumphant start, defeating European champions Spain with a resounding 2:0 victory. Leading the charge was Lucie-Marie Kretzschmar, the defensive powerhouse and emotional heart of the team.
Kretzschmar's birthday, a special day, was made even more memorable with this win. As she approaches her 32nd birthday, her dream is to celebrate it at the Olympics, and she is determined to make beach handball a part of the Brisbane 2032 Summer Olympics.
However, the road to Olympic recognition for beach handball is fraught with uncertainty. While it was officially presented as part of the fringe program at the Paris Olympics, it is not yet part of the official Olympic sports program. The sport's inclusion in Brisbane 2032 will depend on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) assessment and the organizing committee’s proposals closer to 2026.
Despite this uncertainty, Kretzschmar remains undeterred. She is fighting for recognition in beach handball, aiming to put it back in the spotlight and drum up support for an Olympic future. She views beach handball as her safe space and balance, a passion that drives her to give 20 minutes of full throttle in every game, trying to convey her conviction to her team.
Kretzschmar's successes in beach handball are numerous. She won EM bronze in Turkey last month and celebrated a significant victory against Spain on her birthday at the World Games. Her goal is to repeat her 2022 World Games triumph in China and be part of the beach handball team in Brisbane 2032.
The disappointment of not being part of the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games program is no longer a focus for Kretzschmar. Instead, she is looking forward, focusing on the potential for beach handball to generate positive attention and increase its chances of being included in Brisbane 2032. She wants to make beach handball even bigger, to ensure its place in the Olympic spotlight.
In the coming years, the fate of beach handball's Olympic future will be decided during the IOC’s formal sport program selection process. Until then, Kretzschmar and her team will continue to fight for recognition, striving for success in every game, and keeping their Olympic dreams alive.
Kretzschmar's triumphant victory against Spain in the World Games added an exciting twist to her birthday celebrations, reinforcing her ambition to play beach handball at the Olympics. Determined to put beach handball back in the spotlight and increase its chances of being recognized as an Olympic sport, she envisions a place for it in Brisbane 2032.
