European champions take on the World GamesArticle
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Five European beach handball teams take part in the World Games in Cali, Colombia from 2-4 August 2013
 

European champions take on the World Games

Five European teams will take to the sand in the beach handball competition at the IWGA 2013 World Games taking place from 2 to 4 August in Cali, Colombia.

Europe will be represented by two women’s and three men’s teams at the event, after they earned their place due to their placement at last year’s World Championship.

The two women’s representatives, Norway and Hungary, faced each other in the third place play-off at the World Championship in Oman, with Norway coming out on top.

However, it was Hungary who had the upper hand in their last encounter just last month at the European Beach Handball Championship in Denmark, beating the Norwegians in the semi-final on their way to the gold medal.

The three men’s teams involved occupied the top four in Oman. Ukraine were beaten in a shootout by Brazil in the final, while Croatia secured bronze at the expense of Russia.

In Denmark, it was Croatia and Russia who went one step further to the final of the tournament and it was a disappointing sixth place for Ukraine.

Croatia proved to be too strong for Russia in the final, with a comfortable two sets to nil win and are likely to be the strongest challenger for gold in Cali.

Beach handball at the World Games

This will be the first time beach handball is included as an official sport, after invitational appearances in 2001, 2005 and 2009. Brazil are the defending men's champions and Italy won the last women's title.

Both tournaments feature eight teams, divided into two groups of four. The top two from each group will progress to the semi-finals and battle for the medals.

Women’s tournament preliminary round groups:
Group A: Norway, Uruguay, Australia, Chinese Taipei
Group B: Brazil, Hungary, Colombia, Tunisia
 
Men’s tournament preliminary round groups:
Group A:
Brazil, Russia, Colombia, Australia
Group B: Ukraine, Croatia, Qatar, Venezuela


TEXT: EHF / cor
 
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