Handball Tricky tasks for DHB teams at the Olympics
The German handball players got their ticket to Paris last weekend. photo
© Tom Weller/dpa
At the Olympic handball tournament, the German women in particular will face difficult preliminary round opponents. The men have more luck.
Tricky tasks for the men, hammerless for the women: The German handball teams face different challenges in the preliminary round at the Olympic Games.
The men’s team of national coach Alfred Gislason will meet third-placed European Championships Sweden, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia and Japan in preliminary group A. That was the result of the draw in Paris. “An interesting lot,” said Gislason.
National coach Markus Gaugisch’s women’s team, which is taking part in the summer games for the first time in 16 years, will face record European champions Norway, World Cup third-placed Denmark, World Cup fourth-placed Sweden, Slovenia and Asian champions South Korea in Group A .
“This is a tough group with tough opponents. Three of the four heavyweights ended up with us,” said Gaugisch. DHB President Andreas Michelmann commented on the draw in a similar way: “With the women, we got an absolute fantastic group.”
The best four teams from both groups in the quarterfinals
In both tournaments, the best four teams from both groups qualify for the quarter-finals, which, like the medal games, will be held in Lille. “It was clear to us that both groups would be challenging. With the men we perhaps have a better chance of making it to the quarter-finals,” said DHB sports director Axel Kromer.
The men’s preliminary round games will take place on July 27th, 29th and 31st and August 2nd and 4th. The women’s competition starts on July 25th, one day before the opening of the Olympics. The other preliminary round dates are July 28th and 30th and August 1st and 3rd.
dpa
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