One win under their belts has Germany seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in what has been a long wait to return to the Olympic Games, after the side last participated in the women’s competition in 2008. The opening day in Neu-Ulm saw the Tournament 3 hosts defeat Slovenia 31:25 after leading comfortably from the middle of the first half on, putting their first two points on the board in the race for Paris 2024. 

“I think our defence from the beginning was really tough; also then with a really good goalkeeper, Katharina Filter,” said line player and key defender Julia Behnke. “We played this over all the 60 minutes and that was the key at the end.”

There were indeed some standout individual performances in Germany’s opener, with 12 saves from Filter, nine goals from Julia Maidhof and six from Xenia Smits on the back court, and six assists apiece from Smits and playmaker Alina Grijseels. But it was a solid performance all round, reinforcing the great form Germany have been showing of late. 

Prior to the OQTs, Germany finished their EHF EURO 2024 qualifiers campaign with a perfect record of six wins. Before that, at the 2023 World Championship at the end of the year, Germany dropped only one game on the path to the quarter-finals, against the team that would go on to clinch the bronze medal, Denmark. They were defeated by Sweden in the quarter-final, 20:27, but their tournament prior to that showed yet again that Germany could be on the cusp of a breakthrough performance at the major championships. 

At every tournament played since 2019 — across five World Championships and EHF EUROs — Germany have placed in the top eight. They have been right there, and just one step further would take them into the medal rounds. 

“We improved really tough in the last years,” said Behnke of how she sees the team overall and particularly the end of the EURO qualifiers campaign, which saw them take three decisive wins — one against Ukraine and two versus Israel. “I think especially the last week was really important for us because then it was more like trainings but in a really high quality and tempo. We played also against Israel and the Ukraine over 60 minutes good, and I think that was important for these games now.” 

Behnke is one of the stalwarts of the team, having made her debut in 2013. She has therefore been part of big transitions and rebuilding of the side. On the club level, Behnke’s career has taken her to Rostov-Don in Russia and FTC in Hungary, along with German clubs Bietigheim and Metzingen after her start at Ketch. In 2022, she returned to Metzingen, and just over a month ago won the German Cup with the side, earning the tournament MVP award. 

Behnke says one important factor in where the national team is now is the time together, but the fact that there is still plenty of future left for the squad. At 31, Behnke is the oldest, which points to the young average age of the team. 

“We are really a young team now. Young, but they are also for a long time in the team, and I think that’s really helpful. You can see that we know each other better.” 

With two tickets to Paris 2024 up for grabs in each tournament and four teams vying for them, the contests are tight all round. In Neu-Ulm, Germany, Slovenia and Montenegro might have looked the clear frontrunners prior to throw-off, given the three European sides ranked in the top 11 at the World Championship in December while Paraguay were 29th, but the South American side delivered a superb match versus Montenegro on Thursday to make a clear statement that they cannot be discounted. 

Although the Montenegro versus Paraguay match ended 30:25, there was only one goal in it five minutes from the end. That means that Montenegro will surely have had a shake-up prior to meeting Germany in both teams’ second match in Neu-Ulm, while Germany must also expect a challenging match to end their OQT campaign against the South American side on Sunday. First, they tackle Montenegro, and can potentially secure their Paris 2024 place with a victory in the match on Saturday.  

“It’s the same like Slovenia,” said Behnke of Montenegro. “It’s also a really tough team. They are a bit smaller and faster in passing and one-against-one, I think. They are also strong, and it will be a big fight.”

Should Germany secure a place at Paris 2024, it will be their first Olympic Games in 16 years, following the last participation, in Beijing. No members of the current squad were in the side then, so all the players would also be looking at their Olympic debut. For the likes of Behnke, fighting in the national team jersey for so long, it would be a particularly special milestone. 

“It’s amazing,” says Behnke of the chance within reach. “2008 was the last time. All of us, we are really on fire and everyone wants to reach that goal, so I think we will improve. Also against Montenegro, we will give everything.”