From
12 to 17 July 2016, Hungary will be in the spotlight of the international
handball family and beach handball fans all over the world are eager for the
VII Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships to begin. And today
the next step towards the championships has been made – the groups of the men’s
and women’s competitions have been determined.
The
Millenaris Event Center, located on the foothills of hill Buda in the host city
of Budapest was the venue for the draw event for the 2016 Beach Handball World
Championships.
The
draw was conducted by Mr Giampero Masi, Chairman of the IHF Beach Handball
Working Group and he was assisted by Mrs Katalin Palinger, former goalkeeper of
the Hungarian national team, winner of the silver medal at the Olympic Games in
Sydney and current Vice-President of the Hungarian Handball Federation, and Ms
Gabriella Horvath, HHF Deputy Secretary General.
In
each gender category 12 teams succeeded in qualifying for Budapest 2016. They were
drawn into two groups of six each according to their pre-determined performance
rows.
In
the men’s competition, defending world champions Brazil will have to face
Qatar, Ukraine, Egypt, the United States and Bahrain in Group A. In Group B, Recife 2014 silver medallists and reigning European Champions Croatia will meet Spain, runners-up at the 2015
European Championship, hosts Hungary, Oman, Uruguay and Australia.
In
the women’s tournament, hosts and Recife 2014 silver medallists Hungary join Italy,
Spain, Thailand, Argentina and Australia in Group A. Defending champions Brazil
will compete against Norway, Poland, Uruguay, Chinese Taipei and Tunisia.
The
results of the draw are as follows:
Men's
Competition
Group
A: BRA, QAT, UKR, EGY, USA, BRN
Group
B: CRO, ESP, HUN, OMA, URU, AUS
Women's
Competition
Group
A: HUN, ITA, ESP, THA, ARG, AUS
Group
B: BRA, NOR, POL, URU, TPE, TUN