She is the top scorer overall in the history of the national team and the third most capped player for the side, and now Ana Gros hopes to write a new piece of history for Slovenia: A maiden Olympic Games. It all comes down to Sunday, when Slovenia will meet Montenegro in what is effectively a final to decide Tournament 3’s second berth at Paris 2024, after Germany secured the first on Saturday. 

Slovenia are making history simply by being at the Olympic Qualification Tournament, as they have never made it to this competition before. The historic participation comes after an exciting few years of strong growth for the side, which saw a big leap at their home EHF EURO in 2022, co-hosted with none other than Montenegro as well as North Macedonia. That event saw Slovenia take their highest ranking ever in the European championship, eighth. Prior to that, Slovenia had not placed in the top 10 at their continental championship since 2004. 

One year after the EHF EURO 2022, they climbed the World Championship rankings significantly compared to their most recent campaigns. In 2003, Slovenia finished eighth at the global event. Since then, they finished 14th in 2005 then had a gap of 12 years before returning to the world stage. From their return in 2017, Slovenia took 14th place, then 19th in 2019, 17th in 2021, and finally 11th in 2023. The latter result clearly highlights an achievement of consistency after the EHF EURO 2022 jump.  

It was their eighth-place finish at the EHF EURO 2022 that ultimately booked Slovenia’s place at the OQT in Neu-ulm, where they were defeated by Germany 25:31 then earned their first points with a 32:14 win against Paraguay. The match against the South American side went according to plan, says Gros. 

“It went very well. We were very serious from the beginning. That was the most important. We didn’t underestimate Paraguay at all. We know that they are very uncomfortable team to play. They were fighting with their heart. We also saw that against Montenegro, so we really wanted to show a good performance and a good game also for tomorrow,” said the 33-year-old right back. 

“Now it all comes to this last game. It’s a, let’s say, final for us. It will be really important. But I really believe in our team. I think we can make it and be rewarded for all this work throughout not just these two weeks but also all these years.” 

Slovenia’s men’s team have played the Olympic Games three times and booked a place at Paris 2024 in their OQT in March. Slovenia therefore have the chance to join the list of countries with both handball teams at the Games, as do Hungary, Japan and Sweden, who all vie for the two places available at Tournament 1 in Debrecen on Sunday. Denmark, Germany, Norway and Spain have already achieved it, and Olympic hosts France will naturally be represented in both the men’s and women’s competitions. 

“It’s an amazing feeling just to be one step from the Olympics, so we really don’t want to let this go. We really want to put everything what we have, what we’re working on these years, not just together as a national team but also in our clubs. I think many athletes can say that the Olympics are really the cherry on the top,” said Gros. “We want to achieve that and I really hope that we will do it tomorrow.”

Given it is Slovenia’s first time in the OQTs, the fact the dream of being at the Games is so close is momentous. For Gros, who has enjoyed great achievements on a club level including top scoring the Champions League in 2020/21, playing the EHF FINAL4 and being named right back of the season at the first EHF Excellence Awards in 2022/23, such a milestone with the national team would be very special. 

“When I started my national team career, it was hard to imagine to even come to the Olympic qualification because, let’s say, to be honest, our national team was not on a really good level at that time and we were struggling to come close to the Olympic qualification. But now that we are here, I think not just me, but let’s say our generation that’s been together also since some junior national teams as well, I think that would be a really nice reward and also a great ending to a career with the national team.” 

Slovenia’s decisive win against Paraguay means they are in the better position ahead of Sunday’s “final”, as Montenegro beat the South American side by five so Slovenia will have the edge should the match end in a draw. But Slovenia target nothing less than a win. 

“It’s going to be a real, real fight. It’s going to be war, I think. We all know what this game means for us and for them as well. They will give it all. They are a really uncomfortable team to play. They’re very disciplined. They play also very well together. Also, in the club there are many players that play together, in Buducnost, so they know each other so good. They have a good relationship with each other on the field, so we will have to break that. We will have to be very smart and clever — not let them play easily and of course be aggressive and also be disciplined in attack,” concluded Gros.