Croatian captain Ivan Juric spoke to IHF.info after his side beat Qatar in the main round of the IHF Beach Handball World Championships yesterday. He talks about that result, who he sees as the main rivals for glory and the responsibility of promoting beach handball to the young people of Croatia.

IHF.info: How does it feel to beat Qatar?

Ivan Juric: It feels great to beat them because we lost 2-0 to them in a test event so we wanted to win this game and to ensure a better position for the semi-finals and we succeeded and are very happy.

IHF.info: You were becoming known as the penalty shootout specialists as you won all your group games this way. However, when you entered the main round you beat Ukraine and now Qatar in normal time. Did something change for you as a team? Did you do something on purpose to change?

Ivan Juric: We made an arrangement to lose the first set and then to win the second set on the golden goal and then go to the shootout (laughs) – of course I’m kidding. I don’t know why [we won all our games like that], maybe we need some time to end the tournament properly and now we seem in a good way to the semi-finals, maybe the final.

IHF.info: Goalkeepers are maybe more important in beach handball than indoor handball. How good are yours with Croatia?

Ivan Juric: They are very good, for me, they are the best. However, when you see the Qatari goalkeeper (Mohsin Yafai), he’s the top goalkeeper in the tournament this time and I must congratulate him in this match.  

Goalkeepers are very important in beach handball because 95% of the shots are taken from the six-metre line. I have to say though that we play a good defence too and we work as a unit and that helps to make the goalkeeper even better.

IHF.info: You play Brazil next, they are world champions, but have looked a little bit nervous recently, losing against Hungary and going to penalties against Qatar and Ukraine. Are they still the team to beat here?

Ivan Juric: They are world champions but that was two years ago, and every time we play against them we want to win of course, but we last beat them back in 2008 I think, there have been some close matches against them [over the years].

It’s always a good experience to play against Brazil and we know they are a good team, they play the very best beach handball and we enjoy playing against them.

IHF.info: Who are the favourites for the men’s title?

Ivan Juric: We watched Qatar in other matches they looked very good and along with Brazil and Spain, they are the three teams who play the best beach handball but we don’t want to underestimate Hungary as the host team and they are rising from game-to-game.

IHF.info: In Croatia young people have lots of sports to choose from; water polo, basketball, indoor handball and football for example. Why should a young person choose beach handball?

Ivan Juric: I can only say from my personal experience. Of course I started playing indoor handball and beach handball at a young age is good fun to play during the summer months but as they grow up and develop they can start taking it more seriously.

It’s a beautiful sport, playing outside, outdoors and I would encourage any kids to try it. They are the future of this sport and I hope someday beach handball will be in an Olympic Games programme and these young kids now deciding to play could be those representing Croatia in the national team at an Olympic Games.

IHF.info: Do you feel a responsibility as a player to encourage young people to play the sport?

Ivan Juric: Yes, of course but when I finish my career as a player I will have more time to look into it more seriously.

Photo: Jozo Cabraja/Croatian Handball Federation