After Germany won the men’s beach handball competition at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, IHF.info hears from the gold, silver and bronze medal-winning coaches and players.

Final/Gold Medal Match: Germany v Brazil 2-0 (29:20, 15:14)

Thure BIELFELDT, player (Germany) – gold

On winning gold:
I feel absolutely fantastic. We won the game, and this is everything, just in my head. Luckily there was no shoot-out. It would be absolutely too much. It’s unbelievable. I don't realise it yet.

Lenn REINHARD, player (Germany) – gold

On winning gold and wearing the medal after the ceremony:
It's an amazing feeling. It's unbelievable.

On standing on the podium:
A wonderful, unbelievable – unbelievable – feeling.

On if he ever believed he would win gold:
I hoped so, but I never imagined that it would be so good and so great.

Konrad BANSA, coach (Germany) – gold

On what he is feeling after winning Olympic Games gold:
That's a question; it’s hard to answer. We won the final match. It happened. We had dreamed so many times and such a long time for it. And under the conditions of the missing players and the red card (for captain Mads KRUEGER in the semi-final), it was such an incredible mentality our boys showed, especially in the first set. So, it's a feeling of just joy. I’m proud. 

On adapting his tactics and team for the final with KRUEGER missing:
He's captain of the team, the leader and usually the playmaker. It was a loss. But we could see that because the team has been together so long, they are able to adapt on the field to play in other constellations. 

This is one little bit, but as we only had 10 players for the preparation days, we had to be flexible for practice, [and in the end] we could rely on this. That was great.

But we used Thure [BIELFELDT] as a line player and he was running the whole match – it was just amazing and unbelievable that he could do this with such success. 

On the difference between Germany and Brazil:
We started with the idea of that we are the underdog and we only can [try and] win something, but we wanted to fight. We wanted to give everything on the court. 

We could rely on our defence, who only allowed 20 points in the first set, which is a very small amount, [considering] Brazil's average, and that's the reason why we could play such a good first set [we were able to give] the attacking boys the time to find the right moves and some swings, some punches, and then we were on top. We had the mental moment, and Brazil was almost broken at this time.

This returned in the crunch time of the second half. Of course, it could have turned the other way, but the last minutes were obviously ours. Even with some mistakes, we were just on our road and with luck, but also with some flow of some players. You could you could see what they were into in the game. Almost nothing could happen anymore. 

Dave BIYAH, player (Germany) – gold (speaking to OIS) 

On winning gold:
It’s just quite incredible. We can’t believe it yet. In the final moment when the ball went to the side and there was a last shot, I didn’t know we’d won, that we are champions, Youth Olympic champions. I am really happy.

On how they won:
We are individually all very good. We can all play in different positions, we can take the pressure, we have options all over, and we work hard.

On the Dakar 2026 experience: 
This will be a memory for my whole lifetime. A year ago, I couldn’t even think about standing here.

Tiago AZEVEDO, player (Brazil) – silver 

On what it means to wear a medal around his neck:
Honestly, I really, really wanted that medal – even a silver one. Our team fought so hard; we put in so much effort to try and secure it. We came very close, but unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be today. Still, that’s okay—there’s a lot to take away from this experience.

On if having a silver medal makes up for not winning gold:
I truly, deeply wanted that medal. Our team fought incredibly hard—we really pushed ourselves to try and earn it. We got so close, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. Regardless, nothing can take away from the journey that brought us here.

On the future of this Brazilian generation:
It was a lot of hard work. Looking back and describing everything we’ve achieved here, I want to thank everyone who contributed; everyone played a part. This is our reality now, and we want to congratulate everyone – all the partners who worked alongside us.

It has been a great pleasure to be here with everyone. I see a very bright future ahead—both for this category and for the senior level.

Junior CARDOZO, coach (Brazil) – silver

On ending Dakar 2026 with a silver medal:
I am happy and excited about this Olympic medal for Brazil – it strengthens our sport, which is gaining a foothold nationwide. We are always striving for more; this medal is very important for the development of the sport in Brazil, and I am truly thrilled with this achievement.

Bronze Medal Match Senegal v Hungary 2-1 (20:18, 16:22, SO 9:6)

Mickael ILLES, coach (Senegal) – bronze

On winning gold:
Something unreal happened. Two years ago, when we started, I couldn't think that about getting a medal in the Olympics, so it's just unbelievable. These guys are amazing. 

On two very different sets and holding their nerves:
It was obvious that we cannot win the two sets because Hungary is really a great team. We put a lot of energy in the first one, and I think that I understood really quick in the second that we won't win this one. 

I told the players to stay focused, keep confident; even if we lose the set. To be focused on the shoot-out already. So, we just took away the second set and just thought about the shoot-out and they did great.

On the result (speaking to OIS):
It’s even better, incredible. I almost feel like this was written in the stars. The Senegal women won in a shoot-out today. They always play before us and we always seem to have the same result.

On his team (speaking to OIS):
I’m so proud of them because they have made sacrifices. For the last three months, they have not seen their families. They have been working towards this. Me, too. I’ve not seen my family.

On how they will celebrate (speaking to OIS):
Dancing. I’m not a Senegalese dancer, but I’m not that bad.

Mamour DIOP, player (Senegal) – bronze

On ending Dakar 2026 with a bronze medal after beating Hungary:
We wanted the gold medal, but destiny said that it would be the bronze medal and we are really happy about it.

On the game against Hungary:
The match was really hard, but we were only thinking about the win, and to stay focused all game. We were ready for the shoot-out when we saw that we will lose the second half. It was only mentality. 

On the atmosphere at Saly Beach West and the home support:
Everybody is happy; my teammates, the public, the people who came, my family. It's just a great day for Senegal.

On who he wants to thank:
I thank the IHF a lot for sending Valerie (NICOLAS – women’s coach) and Mika (ILLES – men’s coach) here to help all the coaches and beach handball here. It was a team, teamwork.

Abdourahmane DIOP, player (Senegal) – bronze (speaking to OIS)

On the win:
I am very proud. This moment means a lot to me, to us. When we started this sport, people didn’t believe in us. It was only two years ago, so we showed people what we can do. There is a lot of happiness. It means a lot to me and my family.

On how he will celebrate:
Saly is a place that is always vibrant. Everyone enjoys themselves in Saly, so I’m going to do that with my friends and family.