Two years ago at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, Germany right back Viola Leuchter had a bittersweet experience. At only 19 years old, Leuchter was named the Best Young Player Presented by Lidl, making it into the All-Star team, but also suffered a knee injury in the last day of the competition.

That meant a fantastic performance from the right back, who scored 25 goals in the competition and was between the players with the largest number of steals – nine in nine matches – also meant that Leuchter needed to learn to bounce back after the toughest setback in her fledgling career.

“It was a great time. I mean, of course, also very exciting because it was my first ever international competition with the senior team. So it was just many, many new things. But, yeah, looking back, I'm just very grateful that I could play there and that's also a little impact which I provided on the game. So, yeah, when I look back, it’s a bag of mixed feelings, because I also got injured,” says the right back.

But after some months in which Leuchter worked harder than ever, she is back. She made the cut for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she was part of Germany’s team at the EHF EURO 2024 and has already featured 37 times for the senior national team, scoring 89 goals.

Yet how did Leuchter come back so fast?

“Fortunately, there were many things that helped me bounce back. First, and probably most important, handball is my passion. It was never a thought in my mind to make me say that I'm not giving my all. And it was always that I knew that I, of course, want to come back. But it's been a hard time,” says the right back.

With the Olympic Games in sight, and Germany returning after decades in the competition, Leuchter knew she needed to be close to 100% to be in the squad, especially as there were only 14 players selected for each participating team.

“That also helped me, to know that I have this goal in front of me to be ready for this competition. And yeah, I think, of course, during an injury, it's always ups and downs. But having goals in your head, it's always helping, like being ready for the Olympics. And, surely, I wanted to be part of the national team again, because I really love it,” says the right back.

Sure enough, Leuchter came back and got even more experience, setting up an exciting year at German champions HB Ludwigsburg, where she scored 66 goals in the EHF Champions League Women.

That year of experience provided Leuchter with even more confidence for herself, as she now made the switch to Danish champions Odense Håndbold, continuing to play in the European premium competition after Ludwigsburg retired due to financial issues.

Did Leuchter ever think that she would reach this level at only 20 years of age?

“That's a good question. Actually, no, I would say. Many things happened within little time. It’s been two years now since the World Championship, where maybe it was the time where things started to get rolling. After that, I changed to Ludwigsburg. And sometimes it's still like I am still pinching myself, what happened in so little time, good things and bad things,” says Leuchter.

But the time for pinching oneself is done. Now another challenge awaits, at Leuchter’s second edition of the IHF Women’s World Championship, which is going to be a special one.

Germany will co-host this edition, alongside the Netherlands, as they will first play in Stuttgart and then move to Dortmund for the main round and quarter-finals, provided they make it that far in the competition.

Over the last three editions of the world handball flagship competition, Germany have grown, finishing eighth at Japan 2019, seventh at Spain 2021 and sixth at Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023. But in the last two editions, the quarter-finals saw them concede a loss and rendering them unable to fight for a medal.

“Of course, it's always hard to say on which place we're going to end up.But I think we're looking so much forward to this tournament. And I see a very, very good development during the last months and years for our team. Therefore, I'm very, very positive that if we manage to play our level and to play our game, what we are capable of, then I'm very positive that it's going to be a very good outcome for our team,” adds Leuchter.

Indeed, Germany have always been close to a podium, but each time ended up outside of the top-5 in the last major international competitions, finishing seventh at the last three edition of the EHF EURO and eighth at the Olympic Games.​​​​​​

But now, with sold-out arenas, a team which has reached its prime and is ready to deliver a good performance, they are aiming for the top. Just like in 2007, when they secured their last medal, the bronze at the IHF Women’s World Championship in France, beating Romania in a dramatic comeback in the bronze-medal match.

“Seeing sold out arenas in Stuttgart and Dortmund clearly makes us very happy. I think every handball player knows that it's just amazing to play with fans in the back,” concludes Leuchter.