The final day of the 2018 IHF Men's and Women's Beach Handball World Championships in Kazan, Russia means one thing only - absolute joy and absolute heartbreak as medals are won and lost.
IHF.info speaks to those involved in the big games.
Greece player Ntafina DIMITRI (GRE)
On becoming world champion:
It’s amazing, I don’t believe it yet. It’s really amazing, we don’t believe that yet. I am so excited – we were one of the biggest outsiders in this world championships but we believed so much in us.
On all the sacrifices she made to become world champion:
We worked alone with our training for the last five years and I think it’s amazing. An amazing feeling. So many people at that time in Greece were asking me ‘what is this beach handball? We just hope that everyone in Greece knows what beach handball is now.
Greece coach Maria KARANTONI (GRE)
On becoming world champion:
What just happened? We took first place in the world? I cannot believe it – it is too soon. I remember the goal, but I can’t remember what I felt. It sounds amazing, I can’t believe it.
Brazil coach Marcio MAGLIANO (BRA)
On winning a medal at Kazan 2018 by beating Spain 2:0, despite the disappointment of losing the semi-final yesterday:
I believe one of the greatest things we can do in sport is to learn how to lose. We prepared really well, but Norway deserved their win yesterday and we were here prepared the best we could. Even though we didn’t have the preparation we are used to, I believe our position is fair and it is a good result for us.
On the difference between Brazil and Spain today:
My defence worked really well, we are taller, and we could occupy all the spaces and Spain had a lot of difficulties to make the score.
On why it was important to also secure a place at the 2019 World Beach Games with a top five finish at Kazan 2018:
It’s huge for us, I believe the World Beach Games will mark a new level and a change of mind for beach sports. It has the involvement of Olympic committees, so we are very positive about it. Now, we have time to arrange things and get a better preparation and maybe become the first champion, who knows?
On what he has learnt at his first world championship as head coach:
Every time I come to a championship I watch and film and study a lot our biggest rivals; Spain, Norway etc and they have some tactical things that we don’t use in Brazil and that is something I want to study and see if I can apply it and improve our game.
Brazilian player Renata SANTIAGO (BRA)
On winning the bronze medal by beating Spain 2:0 (14:10) (15:10):
I am so happy [to win a medal] of course we would like the gold medal and unfortunately, we lost the last game against Norway, but we are very happy for this medal because it’s important as we had a lot of difficulties. I feel only happiness. It was very difficult to get here. We used the loss against Norway and made our hearts strong for this game.
On why it was important to also secure a place at the 2019 World Beach Games with a top five finish at Kazan 2018:
It’s important to be at the first edition – all the teams want to be there.