After being awarded a Wild Card entry to Greece 2022, Czech Republic swiftly arranged a two-day preparation camp to finalise their squad for the 16-team IHF Men’s Youth Beach Handball World Championship.

“Everything changed terribly fast, for a while it looked like we were going, then we weren’t but we must thank the sponsors who raised the money in two days, allowing us to leave,” said coach Martin Hríb about the late call-up.

After finishing with bronze at the 2022 SCAHC South and Central Handball Confederation Youth Beach Handball Championships in Buenos Aires in March, Uruguay were left with a bittersweet taste in their mouths.

Even fielding a team at the World Championship with the well-known current situation in Ukraine, after the invasion by Russia, is an achievement and a source of pride for the entire delegation that will travel to Heraklion this month.

That delegation also features the women’s youth team and they will be sure to be welcomed with open arms and big hearts from those in attendance and on the island of Crete too.

Togo are just one of the three original nations – along with title-holders Spain and silver medallists Argentina – who competed at the debut edition of the IHF Men’s Youth Beach Handball World Championship and will participate in the second edition, Greece 2022.

Mauritius 2017 was not as successful for the Togo team as the Spain or Argentina, but it represented a World Championship first for the handball community in the African nation.

After winning their continental championship last year, Sweden will be one to watch on the Cretan sand. Since then, they have grown in confidence, winning the tough, testing and prestigious Jarun Cup in Croatia (U18).

A bronze medal at the 2022 AHF Men’s Asian Youth Beach Handball Championship was enough for Qatar’s team, led by coach Fawza Almoadhadi, to qualify for Greece 2022.

Jordan, Pakistan and Qatar had all been tied on six points for second behind Islamic Republic of Iran and all had beaten each other in the round-robin championship. Pakistan eventually missed out on goal difference to finish fourth.

Almost coming from nowhere, Jordan created a sensation in Islamic Republic of Iran in March, defeating the historically-strong Qataris 2-1 in their opening game of the Asian championship.

After taking the first set 20:14, it was expected that Qatar would come back strong – and they did, winning the second, 12:8. The game went to a shoot-out, but Jordan would not be denied, winning 8:4 to take the 2-1 win.

The men’s senior team will also be in Greece, having recently overcome the mighty Qatari’s in the Asian championships – a sign of things to come for Iran, with this new generation coming through.

Antonio Guerra Peixe, the legendary Brazil beach handball coach who has won everything in the game, is the coach of Iran’s senior side but also overseeing the younger age categories.