IHF Beach Handball Showcase: Spectacular exhibition concludes in Paris
30 Jul. 2024
The final day of the ‘IHF Beach Handball Showcase’ in Paris on Monday (29 July) saw 64 of the world’s best players exhibit their skills at the event featuring on the sidelines of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the French capital.
Hydra and Vela make it two wins each on final day of women’s competition
Team Vela ended their IHF Beach Handball Showcase campaign with a pair of victories. This meant that the team, coached by Greece women’s coach Maria Karantoni and Croatia’s men’s coach Mladen Paradzik, ended with a perfect record with six wins from six games across the three days of competition.
In their opening game on Monday, they took down France 2-0 (24:16, 20:14) thanks to 12 points form Argentina’s Gisella Bonomi – 10 of which were scored in the second set. Their final game of the showcase saw another 2-0 win, this time against Team Lyra (26:18, 25:23) with an impressive 20 points from Jimena Laguna.
Team Hydra won the other two matches of the day, Meike Kruijer’s 17 points seeing off Team Lyra 2-0 (19:18, 17:16), despite 16 points from Brazil’s Nathalie Sena for Team Lyra. Her national teammate Renata Santiago scored 16 for Hydra to help them on their way to beating France 2-0 (20:16, 23:18).
“My day was great. I really enjoyed this experience alongside great players and what better way to end this showcase than with two victories,” said Team Hydra’s Fiorella Corimberto to ihf.info.
“The whole experience in Paris was incredible. I got to know a new culture and its wonderful monuments with my teammates. I was lucky enough to be able to see two Paris 2024 Olympic Games handball matches, including watching my country, Argentina, representing us.
“The truth is that every time I watch a Beach Handball match, I am always surprised by something. Everything is so spectacular and all of the players here have put on a show that sport should have – enjoying and laughing with people who are usually your rivals is one of the things that has left the greatest mark.
“In the end, Beach Handball continues to do its thing and, on this occasion, it has managed to bring together athletes from all over the world to give an excellent show and thus demonstrate that this environment is ideal.”
Men’s competition ends with wins for all four teams
The quartet of men’s teams in Paris all celebrated a final-day victory each. Hani Khaki’s 25 points helped Team Pegasus to a 2-0 (21:18, 26:24) victory over Team Draco, who then beat Aquila 2-1 (16:19, 15:14, SO 8:4) in their second game, Diogo Ferreira’s 17 points seeing off the threat of 19 points from Jesus Luis Domingo.
The France national team ended with one win and one loss, Bertrand Mathias’ 14 points helping towards a 2-1 (22:20, 20:21, SO 12:10) victory over Team Pegasus, before losing 0-2 (20:23, 13:18) to Aquila, led by 10 points from Mohamed Zaky Hassan, playing under his Qatar national team coach Khaled Aly.
“When I won my first MVP award back in 2008 as a best specialist, I imagined to myself ‘what if this All-star Team played against another team?’, and today, I was next to Brazil’s Gil Pires, part of that 2008 All-star Team, and making that dream come true,” said Hassan to ihf.info.
“The first day I arrived here in Paris I dropped my luggage at the ‘Maison du Handball’ (where the showcase was held) and went directly to the Eiffel Tower and I was wondering ‘is this true? What is going on here or am I dreaming?’ The next day, after training, I went to the Champs Elysee to see the Arc du Triumph and had a coffee there. I have also shared many moments with the players at the venue, watching the handball games at Paris 2024 from the podium in the Maison du Handball or the fanzone in front of it.
“I have many memories from the showcase,” he added. “Being coached by my national team coach Khaled Aly, but also being coached for the first time by Leticia Brunati. She always had a different view and was pushing us to be serious all the way as well. She is very kind and works hard.
“My biggest memory though is that I got my game shirt signed by all the All-star Team players and I'll keep it in a frame at home for my great grandchildren to see it.”
A variety of VIPs were also in attendance again, including Michael Lenard, Vice President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport and former USA Team Handball player, who represented his country at the 1984 Olympic Games, as well as former Beach Handball player and World Games winner Mayssa Pessoa, who later went on to appear for the indoor team, competing at two Olympic Games for Brazil and winning the 2013 IHF Women’s World Championship.
IHF Beach Handball Showcase
Day 3 Results – Monday 29 July
Women’s Competition
Team Hydra vs Team Lyra 2-0 (19:18, 17:16)
Team Vela vs France 2-0 (24:16, 20:14)
Team Vela vs Team Lyra 2-0 (26:18, 25:23)
Team Hydra vs France 2-0 (20:16, 23:18)
Men’s Competition
Team Pegasus vs Team Draco 2-0 (21:18, 26:24)
Team Aquila vs France 2-0 (23:20, 18:13)
Team Aquila vs Team Draco 1-2 (19:16, 14:15, SO 4:8)
Team Pegasus vs France 1-2 (20:22, 21:20, SO 10:12)
The IHF Beach Handball Showcase was a collaborative effort between the International Handball Federation (IHF), Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (COJOP2024), French Handball Federation (FFHB) and International Olympic Committee (IOC).