Two women from Duisburg represent Germany at a ball event
In a recent inter-sport exchange, handball star Alina Grijseels and rising hockey sensation Sophia Schwabe met in Dortmund to discuss their shared experiences of competing at the highest level in team sports.
Alina Grijseels, a 108-time national player and legendary figure at Borussia Dortmund, has enjoyed a successful career. She has played two years in the Champions League, won bronze in the EHF European League in 2023, and led Borussia Dortmund to their first German championship in club history in 2020/21. Grijseels has also continued her success story abroad, winning the double with Metz Handball in France and with CSM Bucharest in Romania.
Grijseels is set to represent her handball team in Mönchengladbach at the upcoming home European Championship. She also plans to support the German hockey team during the women's hockey European Championship, which will take place in Mönchengladbach starting next Friday.
Sophia Schwabe, the rising star of German hockey, has won numerous titles, including six German championships, two youth championships with Club Raffelberg, and four with the women of Düsseldorf HC. Schwabe has also won the U18 and U21 European Championships. She plays for Düsseldorf HC and will make her first appearance in a major tournament with the "Danas" in the Mönchengladbach sports park.
During their meeting at the office of the German Handball Federation in Dortmund, both athletes emphasised the importance of teamwork, mental toughness, and preparation in their respective home tournaments. They shared their common goal of performing at their best to achieve success for their teams while managing the physical and psychological demands of top-level competition.
The women's handball World Cup, which takes place in Germany and the Netherlands from November 26 to December 14, will also be held in Dortmund, along with Trier, Stuttgart, 's-Hertogenbosch, and Rotterdam. The handball World Cup venues are a testament to the growing popularity of the sport in the region.
Grijseels found the cross-sport exchange in Dortmund inspiring and fascinating, and Schwabe plans a return visit to Grijseels at the end of the year. The meeting between these two talented athletes serves as a reminder of the power of teamwork and the importance of supporting one another in the pursuit of excellence.
- Alina Grijseels also has an interest in other team sports, such as football, basketball, hockey, and baseball, and might have exchanged insights about these sports during her meeting with Sophia Schwabe.
- Alina Grijseels, a handball icon, admired the resilience Sophia Schwabe displayed in hockey, expressing that it reminded her of the camaraderie and unwavering spirit needed in basketball, football, and other team sports.
- In the pursuit of greatness, Grijseels and Schwabe agreed that their experiences in German championships, EHF European League, and similar tournaments in sports like baseball, hockey, and basketball could offer mutual beneficial learnings for both athletes.
