The 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championships opened on Tuesday at the 'Pingtan International Beach Sports Base' on Pingtan Island, People's Republic of China with eight games featuring all 16 teams.

Germany prolongs perfect streak, dispatching Greece 2-0

After winning all nine of their games 2-0 on their way to gold at the 2022 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship in Greece, Germany opened up their title defence with a clash against 2018 world champions Greece and made it 10 games without conceding a world championship set.

Their game was the hottest ticket in Pingtan, with national teams and coaches from Denmark, Netherlands and Norway amongst others all watching on and working out how it could be possible to beat the all-conquering team, who are also European Championship and The World Games title-holders.

But Germany showed their intent immediately, Kirsten Sophie Walter stealing the ball from Greece directly after the throw-off in a dominating first set performance which saw the Greek attack fail against the strong German defence.

With just two minutes on the clock, Greece were already 2:8 down and by the end of the first 10 minutes it was 10 as Germany powered through to a 24:14 victory.

However, you should never write the Greeks off and, after they had an early (fourth minute) time out in the second set, they readjusted to come back strongly and take it all the way to a golden goal. 

Despite winning the restart, Greece’s attack failed, they subsequently conceded a penalty and Germany’s Belen Gettwart did not have to be asked twice, sinking home to seal a 22:20 victory.

“Luckily,” said Germany goalkeeper Nele Kurzke to ihf.info about winning their opening game. “The last set was luck, but the first one was quite confident and we played as we are used to playing. In the second set Greece did a good job in the middle and it was a bit difficult for us to defend that, but it feels good to win, or to win safe.

“It's my first big tournament and I'm the only goalkeeper. I feel quite responsible for a victory or loss of a match. This game keeps the attention high and it shows us where we have to improve ourselves, so this is quite good.

“Actually, a lot of the ‘f-word’,” she added about what she says to herself when she is unable to prevent a goal. “I'm used to motivating myself to say ‘well, go on, go on’ and luckily it worked for the last ball today, but it's an honour to be part of the team, especially at my age.

“I wasn't aware that I would be in the interest of the national team coach. I'm quite good at passing the ball quite fast, quite precise. This was the thing where the coach said to 'we'd like to have you on our team'. I enjoy every second because I know I'm quite old in comparison to the others and this world championship may be the last one (for me)."

Yadielis Johan Barros Feliciano made some more Puerto Rican handball history, scoring the first-ever points at an IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship for her country in their debut at the event, a tough encounter against Brazil.

As expected, the record winners of the competition won 2-0 (22:6, 20:6), but for Feliciano, who played for Puerto Rico at the 2022 IHF Women’s Beach Handball Youth World Championship in Greece, it was a learning experience.

“This is my second championship and I feel awesome. Heraklion was shocking because it was my first so I wasn't so nervous. I was starting. Now I'm less nervous because it's my second.

“There are awesome, they are previous champions. I feel amazing playing with them. But now we're learning from them. I like to play with people like that. They're so big. Playing with professional teams. I feel so great.

“I knew it was going to be hard, but it was our first game and we're going to do better in the other ones.”

Another debutant, Philippines, nearly pulled off one of the greatest shocks in world championship history as they won their first set against Portugal via golden goal (19:18), despite having a clear lead for most of the opening 10 minutes. 

The European Championship fourth-placed side stormed back in the second set (22:10) to take it to shots, won by Portugal, 6:5 after Aurora Adriano was adjudged to have made a one-point shot (to make it 5:4).

“Coming here, maybe no-one gave us a chance but we got the first set and we just missed the shoot-out by one point,” said Philippines head coach Jana Franquelli. “I hope it showed everybody that we belong here and I'm just so proud of the effort of the girls.”

The home fans who had packed the central court arena for the host nation games were sent home happy as China bounced back from a first set loss to Oceania champions Australia (14:20) to win the second 16:11 and take a 7:6 shoot-out win thanks to Tianjie Zhang’s single point.

In other results of the day, Denmark’s epic 16:14 shoot-out win saw them defeat 2022 bronze medallists Netherlands 2-1 (17:16, 12:17, SO 16:14), Norway beat the USA 2-0 (22:12, 25:20), Spain beat Asian champions Vietnam 2-0 (26:14, 14:12) and Croatia rounded off the day with their first IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship appearance since 2012, but it ended in defeat as they lost to Argentina 0-2 (14:24, 16:26).

Results – Tuesday 18 June 2024

Preliminary Group

Women’s Competition

GER vs GRE 2-0 (24:14, 22:20)
BRA vs PUR 2-0 (22:6, 20:6)
NED vs DEN 1-2 (16:17, 17:12, SO 14:16)
NOR vs USA 2-0 (22:12, 25:20)
POR vs PHI 2-1 (18:19, 22:10, SO 6:5)
CHN vs AUS 2-1 (14:20, 16:11, SO 7:6)
ESP vs VIE 2-0 (26:14, 14:12)
ARG vs CRO 2-0 (24:14, 26:16)