Hosts France secured both gold medals in the men’s and women’s competitions at the FISU World University Championship, which took place between 20 and 27 June in Pessac Bordeaux Métropole.

Student-athletes from 11 countries have travelled to Pessac near Bordeaux in France, with eight teams in the line-up of both the men’s and the women’s competitions, which were played in a round-robin format in the preliminary round before the semi-finals and finals were scheduled on 25 and 27 June.

In the men’s event, teams from three continents – Europe, Asia and South America – started, with five European sides – Poland, France, Spain, Croatia and Czechia – being joined by Argentina and Brazil, plus Lebanon.

Only one team stayed undefeated throughout the preliminary round – Spain – which took a 42:27 win over Croatia, a 34:22 over Czechia and a 44:21 win over Argentina in Group D.

Croatia followed them in the standings, which took two clear wins against Czechia (32:24) and Argentina (33:25) in the preliminary round, as Czechia and Argentina were heading to the placement matches.

In Group C, three teams finished tied on four points, but Poland were the side which finished first, courtesy of their better goal difference in the three-way tie head-to-head scenario.

Poland beat France, 35:30, but lost against Brazil, 24:25, boasting a +4 goal difference, while France finished second, winning 32:28 against Brazil, for a -1 goal difference. Brazil finished third, with a -3 goal difference, while Lebanon were last, with three losses.

France then went on to deliver a perfect knockout phase performance, after eliminating Czechia in the quarter-finals, with a 30:26 win, as they were joined in the semi-finals by Spain (52:17 againt Lebanon), Brazil (31:28 against Croatia) and Poland (42:23 against Argentina).

France the continued with a win against Spain, 36:35, setting up a final against Brazil, which won against Poland, 30:28.

In the final, France led by three goals at the break, 19:16, but then staved off a Brazil comeback, to secure the title with a 35:34 win.

Spain were bronze medallists, after a 32:28 win against Poland. Croatia, Czechia, Argentina and Lebanon completed the final standings in this order.

In the women’s competition, France and Spain went undefeated in their groups, winning three out of three. France dominated the Netherlands (30:27), People’s Republic of China (35:27) and Poland (39:27) to win the group, while Spain won against Czechia (26:25), Brazil (24:20) and Germany (21:18).

In the quarter-finals, Spain lost surprisingly against Poland, 26:31, while France beat Germany, 32:29. Poland and France were joined in the semi-finals by Czechia (35:30 against China) and the Netherlands (32:21 against Brazil).

Netherlands went in the final with a clear win against Czechia, 38:25, while France beat Czechia, 31:29.

The final was thoroughly dominated by France, which lead 18:15 at the break and then went on to secure a 42:28 win. 

Czechia won the bronze with a 26:22 win against Poland, with Spain ending up fifth, China sixth, Brazil seventh and Germany eighth.

Credit photo: FISU