From 27 to 29 July, the ‘IHF Beach Handball Showcase’ will take place on the fringes of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Three men’s and three women’s All-star Teams, plus the French men’s and women’s national teams will play Beach Handball games across three days coached by six world-renowned, medal-laden coaches.

In total, 64 (32 men, 32 women) of the world’s best Beach Handball players from 18 countries will feature, including players from Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Islamic Republic of Iran, Netherlands, Norway, People’s Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, United States of America and Uruguay. 

In a special series of question and answers, IHF.info hears from players and coaches selected for the showcase. This time, it is multiple gold medal winning Brazilian player and 2018 Youth Olympic Games Athlete Role Model (ARM), Gil Pires, one of the players at the event in Paris.

IHF.info: How do you feel to be selected for this event? 

Gil Pires: This is the greatest of all the moments I have experienced in my athlete life. I am a very lucky guy to have experienced incredible things in Beach Handball, such as being chosen as the Athlete Role Model at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics, or being elected a legend by the IHF, but having the opportunity to experience the Olympic Games through Beach Handball is incomparable.

For me, this will be the most important thing that our modality will experience since its creation.

IHF.info: Tell us about your Beach Handball career and your highlights so far…

Gil Pires: I started playing with my school team, as a physical preparation for indoor handball, but it was love at first contact, because when we played the first competition, the Taça Kika, the most traditional tournament in Brazil, I never left the sand again.

I have been part of the Brazilian Beach Handball national team since the first IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship, which took place in Egypt in 2004, until today. Regarding clubs, I have played for HCP, Bandeirantes, Grêmio CIEF, Metodista, Grêmio Unipê and Alpha in Brazil, plus Akropolis in Greece and Portuguese side, Gaw. I currently play for Clube Português do Recife.

It’s really hard to choose just one episode among them, but what moved me most to this day is the 2014 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship title, in Recife, my hometown, and the invitation to be an Athlete Role Model at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Buenos Aires and recognition as a World Beach Handball Legend in 2022 in Crete.

IHF.info: What do you love about Beach Handball? / How does Beach Handball make you feel?

Gil Pires: What I like most about Beach Handball is the atmosphere, Fair Play and dynamism of the game. I have a very strong connection with the beach itself, I was born and raised in front of the beach and I fell in love with handball when I was still at school age. Combining all of this in one sport was an undeniable invitation to live the best life an athlete can dream of.

IHF.info: What are your hopes for the future of Beach Handball and the Olympic Games?

Gil Pires: I imagine that when Beach Handball becomes Olympic it will propel it to be known at the level that every Olympic sport is. This is just what remains to become popular, as its characteristics and forms of dispute are inviting to spectators and large-scale practice.

IHF.info: What would you say to anyone who has never played or watched Beach Handball and is thinking of getting involved with the sport?

Gil Pires: I would say: don't think twice, if you try it, you will be surprised and, like me, you will never stop practicing/watching Beach Handball. Beach Handball brings me friendships, happiness, sportsmanship, friendships, resilience, a sense of community and did I mention friendships?

The IHF Beach Handball Showcase is a collaborative effort between the IHF, Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (COJOP2024), French Handball Federation (FFHB) and International Olympic Committee (IOC).