Handball heritage: Sorina Grozav writes a new chapter in her family's legacy

Romania are the only team to feature at the IHF Women’s World Championship in each of the 27 editions in the history of the competition. They won the second edition, in 1962, secured silver in 1973 and 2005 and another bronze medal in 2015.

In its checkered history, the European side has provided some of the best players ever donning the court in the competition, with plenty of names standing out, such as Mariana Tîrcă and Cristina Neagu.

Tîrcă is the all-time top scorer of the Romania team, with 2043 goals and 335 caps, according to the Romanian Handball Federation. She also made the All-Star team at the 1995 IHF Women’s World Championship, when she was the best centre back in the competition and also was one of the top scorers, with 51 goals.

A handball legend in Romania, Tîrcă played for Rulmentul Brașov, Știința Bacău and Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea in her home country, before spending several years abroad at Podravka Koprivnica in Croatia, where she won the EHF Champions League Women in 1996, and at Greek club GAS Anagennisi Artas, where she finished her career in 2000.

 

30 years later, her daughter, Sorina Grozav, is lightning up the world handball flagship competition, being the top scorer of the 2025 IHF Women’s World Championship after six days of competition, with 24 goals.

“For everyone, regardless of age, it’s an incredible emotion. Everyone dreams of reaching a World Championship, especially because you face the best players and teams. That’s the greatest satisfaction you can have as an athlete,” says Romania’s left back.

Grozav (née Tîrcă) started to dabble in the sport when she was only a few years old. Her mother felt immediately that she has that innate handball DNA which will propel her to the greatest heights.

“When I was named the coach for Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea, there was this media day at the club. Everybody wanted a picture with Sorina because, of course, she was always with me at the training sessions and at the matches. And the way she held the ball during that training session made me realise she is an innate talent for handball,” said Mariana Tîrcă.

And then, Sorina’s name started to appear more prominently throughout the younger age categories in Romania, making it clear that she has a bright future ahead of her.

“To have my mother near me is priceless. We argue sometimes, but she gives me the best advice. It’s completely natural, no one knows me better than she does. Beyond our mother-daughter bond, there’s also a very special connection through handball. Sometimes it’s harder to be the child of a former athlete because you already know what you did wrong, and then you get told again. But it’s constructive criticism, something only she can give me,” says the left back.

 

Slowly, but surely, she made her mark in international competitions, being the top scorer of the W17 EHF EURO 2015, with 55 goals, and at the W19 EHF EURO 2017, with 56 goals. Her star was on the up.

“People often look at me through the lens of my mother’s career. They think I receive special assistance, but that has never been the case. Everything I have achieved has come through hard work, and I’m proud to help the teams I play for. I’m also very happy to play at a World Championship and hope to keep contributing for my country,” says the current Romania left back, who has always chosen to play with number 99, the year she was born.

At 17 years old, she made her debut in the senior team, but this is her maiden appearance at the World Championship, after a slew of injuries derailed her debut at the world handball flagship competition.

And she provided some excellent moments for Romania at Germany/Netherlands 2025, constantly being the fulcrum of the attack. So far, Grozav has scored 24 goals, tied with Sweden’s Clara Lerby at the top of the top goal scorer standings.

She has also provided 11 assists, having a direct hand in 35 of Romania’s 95 goals, while spending 106 minutes from the 180 played by Romania in the preliminary round, her connection with line player Lorena Ostase earning huge plaudits from everybody seeing Romania’s matches.

“Honestly, it’s a great source of pride to be between the top scorers at the World Championship. But what I really want is to achieve something as a team, to win a medal or reach the quarter-finals. That would bring me much greater joy than any individual success,” adds Grozav.

 

“We’ve changed a lot as a team, and we’re happy about that, but there’s still much to improve. You can still feel some shortcomings during difficult moments. Even in yesterday’s game against Denmark, our defence wasn’t as solid as it should have been, especially after the 35th minute, so we need to work on that seriously.”

For Romania, which have finished 10th, 12th, 13th and 12th at the last World Championship, breaking into the top 10 would mean that the progress is there and this team is finally reaching its potential after years of navigating into tough waters.

But that will require a win in the next match, against Hungary, when they open the main round on Wednesday, at 18:00 CET, in the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam. One of Romania’s last wins against a powerhouse at the World Championship came against Hungary, 28:27, at Japan 2019, when Romania progressed to the main round at Hungary’s expense.

“We are a united team that works hard and never gives up. We’re happy because we have raised our level of play compared to last year, and we hope to continue improving and reaching higher goals,” says Grozav.

But apart from handball, she also thinks about her family. Grozav gave birth in April 2024 to a boy, Cezar. And being at the World Championship also means being away from her son, who is always present at her matches when she dons the shirt of her club, Corona Brașov, a team which Mariana Tîrcă coached and where Sorina made her first steps.

“Yes, it’s very hard, but the satisfaction of being here and having the chance to play great matches makes it worthwhile,” concludes Grozav.