With just four IHF Women’s World Championship appearances, fourth-placed Asian continental side Kazakhstan come to Kumamoto with nothing to lose.

A few months ahead of the championship 34-year-old player Marina Pikalova was named by the Kazakhstan Handball Federation as coach for Kazakhstan at Japan 2019, but with the deadline of the 28-name squad and coaching staff list looming, Berik Beknazarov was then officially announced as the coach, with Pikalova reverting to the playing side.

Despite qualifying for their very first IHF Women’s World Championship back in 1962, Japan have never finished higher than seventh and since 2000, have not finished higher than 14th (2011, 2013).

But could this change with home court advantage in Kumamoto? What is sure is that the host nation, known as ‘Orihime Japan’, have done everything they can to prepare, with an intensive programme consisting of around 140 days spent in training, split between Japan (65 days) and Europe (75 days). 

After Yugoslavia last qualified for the Olympics in 1988, Serbia have never played at this level. However, now the Balkan team are heading to Györ with the hope to break new ground and earn their first Olympic Games berth.

And although they will face strong rivals such as Russia and Hungary, this mission is certainly not impossible. In recent years, Serbia have regularly participated in IHF World Championships and EHF EUROs, and even if their results were not consistent, the team enjoyed some success.