Following the conclusion of the Women’s EHF EURO 2024, where Czechia finished on the 15th place, missing out on a main round spot, Norwegian coach Bent Dahl stepped down from the position he held since 2022.

Dahl was the architect of a fantastic 8th place for Czechia at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, tying the best-ever performance for the European side, but now his work will be continued by a coaching duo.

A coaching duo will lead Czechia in the next years, with Tomáš Hlavatý and Daniel Čurda being named in this position from February 2025 onwards, with Czechia embarking on a tough road towards a new edition of the IHF Women’s World Championship.

"I would like to thank Bent Dahl and his assistant, Geir Oustorp, for their work, knowledge and professional approach. The team managed to improve its performance and equaled the historical maximum at the World Championship and also participated in the Olympic qualification for the first time," said the President of the Czech Handball Federation, Ondřej Zdráhala.

Now, Hlavatý and Čurda take over, with their first major test being the doubleheader against Ukraine in the Qualification Europe Phase 2, with the winner progressing to the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship. The two matches will take place on 10 and 14 April.

"Tomáš Hlavatý and Daniel Čurda are coaches who combine experience from both men's and women's handball with modern methods. Their vision is not aimed at short-term success, but also at the long-term development of Czech women's handball, including the education of talented players in cooperation with clubs. We believe that under their leadership the team will continue to grow and achieve the set results. Knowledge of the Czech environment and international trends from the best handball competitions in the world will also be a benefit," added Zdráhala.

Hlavatý has plenty of experience in the past years, working at top clubs in the EHF Champions League Women like Rostov-Don and Vipers Kristiansand, both as an assistant and as a head coach. He was also an assistant at Györi ETO Audi KC.

The Slovak coach will also take over German champions HB Ludwigsburg from this summer and has featured as the head coach of former EHF Champions League Women winners Vipers Kristiansand between August 2023 and January 2025.

Čurda, a former player, was an assistant at Dukla Prague, as well as one of the assistants of Dahl in the Czech women’s senior team since October 2023.

"We want to build strong collective values. During my coaching career, I have worked with players and coaches from different cultures and gradually formed my own view of handball and its development. I would like to use this experience in the national team and combine it with our conditions. I am looking forward to the first contact with the team and the start of working together," said Hlavatý.

Credit photo: Czech Handball Federation