Humans of Beach Handball
Everyone has their own story and beach handball players are no different.
Juggling their daily lives and 9-5 jobs with travelling around Europe and using up their holiday to play beach handball, the beach elite have some of the most compelling stories in sport.
Humans of Beach Handball aims to give the players the opportunity to tell their tales of life at the beach.
From players who have met future partners at competitions to athletes who have gone on to star in the EHF Champions League, some of the most recognisable names in the sport are put in the spotlight.
These are their stories.
DITTE VIND
One of the heroes of the Danish women’s team golden performance at Beach EURO 2019, goalkeeper Ditte Vind remembers the feeling of being crowned champion in what was her first ever competitive beach handball tournament – and how the sport has touched her heart.
HUGO MADERA
He’s one of the most successful and recognisable beach handball stars of all-time – but what makes Hugo Madera tick? The Spaniard with the biggest smile in the game opens up in his Humans of Beach Handball story how he got involved in the sport and how its taken over his life. From meeting his future wife at a beach event to dreaming about the future, Hugo reveals all in his own unique way.
ROMAN KALASHNIKOV
Mention beach handball to any player or fan and first name that will come to their mind will be this guy’s. Roman Kalashnikov has dedicated his life to the sport – so much so he missed the birth of his daughter because he was away playing. From discovering beach handball at university to travelling the world, Roman explains what it’s like to be considered a beach handball legend.
JESPER KNUTSSON
If there's someone who cares more about beach handball than this guy we're yet to find them. Jesper Knutsson lives and breathes the beach. And when he's not playing or coaching he's busy indoor, also playing handball. Insane. However, after a decade of dedication to the sport, the Swedish captain now wants to pass on his wisdom to the next generation.
RENÁTA CSIKI
Everyone in beach handball knows Renáta. A 28-year-old European beach champion talked about her emotions and the energy she has for the sport. OVB Beach Girls' specialist revealed her sporting goals, and is not shy about the big apsirations of becoming the head coach of the Hungarian national team one day.
CATARINA OLIVEIRA
“I do not usually go to the beach by myself to soak in the sun, to enjoy the sea or the ocean, even if I live two blocks away from one in Matosinhos.” For a beach handball player, this surely sounds a bit anticlimactic. Or even quirky at times. But make no mistake, Catarina Oliveira loves the beach and especially beach handball. She has become one of the top players in Europe over her career, in spite of all the challenges she faced on her way there.
IVAN JURIĆ
Ivan Jurić has been a constant presence in beach handball since 2007 – both in club tournaments and national team events. The most decorated beach handball player of Croatia keeps on going after winning seven medals at EHF Beach Handball EURO events and six at IHF World Championships medals, plus gold from the World Games and numerous individual awards.
