Norway come to China 2024 keen to put behind them their worst-ever ranking in their last world championship appearance on the Greek sand of Heraklion in 2022, when they finished 11th.

That final ranking was the result of a shock main round loss against Argentina, which saw the South American side defeat their European rivals 8:4 via shoot-out. Norway had also lost 0-2 to the Netherlands in their opening main round game before beating Uruguay 2-0 and these two results set-up a winner-takes-all game against the Argentineans. But Norway could not overcome their opponents and had to settle for the 9-16 placement round and watch Argentina move into the quarter-finals.

A 2-0 win over Australia opened up their challenge for a top 10 spot, but Hungary put paid to that with a 2-1 win, sending Norway into unrecognisable waters and a 11/12 placement match against Uruguay, which they won 2-1.

Norway had beaten Hungary (2-1) in the preliminary group stage but this was enough to finish third and qualify through to the main round despite losses to Brazil (1-2) and eventual winners Germany (0-2). Marielle Martinsen ended up as Norway’s top-scorer in Greece, in second place overall, with 152 points scored across nine games (16.89 average per game).

Their 11th place in Greece was five places worse than their previous lowest rank, when they finished sixth on their debut in 2008. The medals soon followed though as Norway established themselves, along with Brazil, as one of the global forces in the women’s game. 

World championship gold was won in 2010, before a run of three, consecutive bronze medals (2012, 2014, 2016) and then silver at Russia (Kazan) 2018, when they lost the final to Greece.

Historically-speaking, Norway are second in the amount of medals won in the event behind Brazil, but breathing down their necks, sitting on a total of five (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze) behind Brazil’s seven.

Seeing them through the entire medal-winning period is coach Eskil Berg Andreassen, who took over the reins in 2007 and guided them through to that global breakthrough.

Such has been the impact of the Norwegian beach handball women that their side have started providing players for the all-conquering Norway women’s indoor team, most notably with 2018 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship, All-star Team player Maren Aardahl https://www.ihf.info/node/3559 who was called up back in 2021 and has not looked back since.

After last medalling at a continental level in 2017, with gold at the European Championships, their fourth place at the 2021 European Championships in Bulgaria was a welcome return to competing for medals and it was followed up by fifth sport at the 2023 event in Portugal last year.

On their way to a top five spot in Nazare, Norway beat Greece, Hungary and Slovakia in the preliminary round, and then defeated Croatia and Portugal, but lost to Germany in the main round.

This set up a quarter-final against Netherlands, where they lost again (0-2). But despite the disappointment of missing out on a medal chance, they defeated Denmark (2-1) and then Greece (2-0) to claim fifth.

A few weeks later, at the debut of Beach Handball at the European Games in Tarnow, Poland, the Norwegians missed out on a medal again, finishing fourth, with Elisabeth Hammerstad being named as best defender in the All-star Team.

Their loss to the almost-unbeatable Germans (0-2, 18:26, 26:27) in the bronze medal match was evidence of what Norway need to do to claim another spot on a competition podium, but it is also evidence of what Hammerstad called the “small margins” her team needs to fine tune for China 2024.

The bronze match had come after a 0-2 (20:23, 22:25) loss to Spain in the semi-final, a game the Norwegians had reached after seeing off the Dutch 2-0 (22:21, 28:22) in the last eight. China 2024 group opponents Denmark had beaten Norway in the preliminary round 2-1 (25:22, 22:23, SO 8:2).

But the Norwegians will take strength from their performance at The World Games in Birmingham, USA a few weeks after Greece 2022.

At the global event they put to bed their defeat against Argentina at Greece 2022, beating the South Americans twice, once in the preliminary round (2-1) and again in the semi-final (2-0). They also beat USA, Mexico and Australia in the opening stages, but lost twice to Germany – in the preliminary stage (1-2) and in the final (0-2).

A number of preparation camps have taken place for the Norwegian wider squad ahead of the final team of 10 being chosen for China 2024.

From late February to early March, a camp was held in Bergen, Norway and in April, Germany was the country, with another camp held in Witten. Finally, from 15 to 19 May, a joint training camp was held with the Danish women’s team in Fjerritslev, Denmark, although no matches were played.

Andreasson has picked his 10 players from a provisional list of 15 and it features a mix of experience and youth, with IHF Beach Handball Showcase-selected Elisabeth Hammerstad, Viborg’s deadly Marielle Martinsen and Marte Siren Figenschau leading the pack.

“I think our preliminary group is the hardest one, but also the main round group we could be in, with the strong Germany, Brazil and Greece teams,” said Andreassen to ihf.info.

“I see Germany as the big favourite for China 2024. Behind Germany it could be close and it will be exciting to see how good Brazil is this time.”

Coach: Eskil Berg Andreassen

Key players: Marielle Martinsen, Elisabeth Hammerstad, Marte Siren Figenschau

Qualification information: 2023 EHF Women’s European Beach Handball Championship – 5th

History in Tournament: 2004-2006: DNQ, 2008: 6th, 2010: 1st, 2012: 3rd, 2014: 3rd, 2016: 3rd, 2018: 2nd, 2022: 11th

Group at China 2024: Group C: Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, USA