After both Brazil teams, men’s and women’s, finished only as runners-up at the last Beach Handball World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in 2016, they are eager to defend their titles and reclaim the top of the podium. The men’s team, four-time world champions, were defeated by Croatia in Budapest, while the women’s team, who won the World Championship three times, had to admit defeat against the Spaniards. This year, Brazil are more motivated than ever. However, their way to the 2017 World Games, taking place in Wroclaw, Poland, was not easy.

 

Both teams faced problems with the Brazilian Handball Federation funding and had to set up a crowdfunding campaign. For this reason, both teams did not get as much preparation as they are used to.

 

 “We practiced for eight days, two times a day. But our girls are really experienced. Each one of them was playing the last World Championships so they are used to the pressure. I believe it’ll be enough for us to compete on a good level,” said women’s team coach Marcia Magliano – former assistant coach – shortly after the women’s team finished their last training session before the tournament starts tomorrow. “I tried to implement some innovations according to how I believe the game should be played. I’m really curious about the implementation of these changes and I hope it will go well,” says Magliano about his first appearance as a coach at the world tournament.

 

Men’s coach Antonio Herminio Guerra Peixe admits their preparation was shorter, but intense. “It’s really important for us to be present at the IHF competitions.” When mentioning the funding problem, he believes it only made the team stronger: “We are more determined. There were people, players, handball community, companies and anonymous donors that pushed us up. Now we don’t play for the federation, but for all these people of Brazil.”

 

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Cali 2013, Camila Ramos, came to Wroclaw with the highest expectations: “All the teams are really good, we have to work hard if we want to beat all of them. I consider Spain, Poland and Norway – the three medallists from this year’s European Championships – our biggest rivals.”

 

“Our biggest rival is Croatia,” states Nailson De Sousa Do Amaral. “We lost the World Championships finals with Croatians twice – in 2008 and 2016. And now we want a revenge,” says the Cali MVP of the men’s competition with a smile.

 

 “I don’t think Croatia is our biggest rival. Every match is different, but every team wants to beat the Brazilian team. In the past ten years, we won lots of tournaments and we became the team to be beaten. Every team is our rival, but also our friend,” opposes men’s coach Guerra Peixe and ends the last training day of World Games 2017 officially.

 

Tomorrow, Uruguay and Australia will play against Brazil men’s team. The women’s team will face Australia and Poland. 

Find the whole programme of the first competition day here (men) and here (women).