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Beach handball: HCD quartet becomes European champion again - "It was mega cool"

2023-06-02T05:13:40.053Z

Highlights: The German women's national beach handball team is once again European champion. The DHB women beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the final to defend their 2021 title. Part of the successful squad was also a quartet from HCD Gröbenzell: Kristin Walter, Belen Gettwart, Isabel Kattner and newcomer Leni Frey. The German team has been unbeaten for two and a half years now – a total of 34 games in a row. They will take part in the Beach World Games in Bali in August.



Also in the national jersey a sworn unit (from left): Isabel Kattner, Kirsten Walter, Belen Gettwart and Leni Frey. © Jörg Gettwart

The German women's national beach handball team is once again European champion. Among them: four players from HCD Gröbenzell.

Gröbenzell – The success story of the German women's national team in beach handball continues. After the World Cup triumph a year ago in Crete, the German women once again put on Europe's crown in Nazare/Portugal. The DHB women beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the final to defend their 2021 title. Part of the successful squad was also a quartet from HCD Gröbenzell: Kristin Walter, Belen Gettwart, Isabel Kattner and newcomer Leni Frey. In addition, ex-HCD player Lena Klingler was a fifth player with Gröbenzell connections.

The German team has been unbeaten for two and a half years now – a total of 34 games in a row. National coach Alexander Novakovic was speechless after the performance of his girls - not only because of their sporting achievements. "Our players are very humble, patient and think in small steps," said Novakovic, describing the inner workings of the team. "This has created an unbelievably high level of trust among each other and also between the coaching staff and the squad." How maturely each individual has dealt with the confirmation of recent successes is a prime example of mental strength.

Germany turns a set deficit in the final

This mental strength also made itself felt on the pitch. In difficult phases, there was no unrest in the German game. Instead, the DHB selection convinced with a matter of course in the appearance that doubts about success could not germinate in the first place. An irrepressible self-confidence carried the team through the entire tournament, which was finally reflected in the final. After losing the first set, the German team also fell behind in the second set, but turned the game around within a very short time with four goals in a row. After the winning goal in the shootout, there was no stopping the women. They pounced on goal scorer Lucie-Marie Kretzschmar and buried her under them.

As in the semi-finals, blocker Isabel Kattner became the match winner with two blocked balls. These enabled Kretzschmar to score the winning goal. With 18:20, 20:14 and 7:4 the German team won and took the gold medal.

Isabel Kattner: "It was a lot of fun"

Still a bit taken away by the "hardships", 21-year-old Belen Gettwart raved about the European Championships. "It was great. We played beach handball in a huge stadium right on the promenade in front of a large crowd." Many German holidaymakers were also on site and watched. And for Gettwart, it's not over yet: "I'm already looking forward to the next challenges in Krakow and at the beginning of August in Bali, where we will take part in the Beach World Games as defending champions."

Her Gröbenzell teammate Isabel Kattner was also enthusiastic about the tournament: "It was a lot of fun, it was mega cool." Together with Leni Frey and Lena Klingler, she spent a few more days in Nazare. For Kattner, the special thing about beach handball is the relaxed atmosphere and the beach atmosphere - a nice change from indoor handball. (Dieter Metzler)

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2023-06-02

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