Gold for Hungary, Spain at U17 Beach Handball World Championship

Gold for Hungary, Spain at U17 Beach Handball World Championship

There was much to celebrate for Europe’s teams when the U17 Beach Handball World Championship came to a close on Sunday.

One year after Spain won men's gold at the U16 Beach Handball EURO, the same generation of players also topped the podium at the World Championship, beating Italy 2:1. Argentina won bronze following a 2:1 win against Russia in the match for third place.

In the women’s event Hungary beat the Netherlands, who had won the U16 Beach Handball EURO 2016, 2:1 to claim World Championship gold – and to show that there is another strong generation of beach handball players growing up in Hungary.

Just like in the men’s event, women's bronze was won by Argentina who beat Portugal, the bronze medallists at the U16 Beach Handball EURO 2016.

With the end of the U17 Beach Handball World Championship, the line-up for the beach handball tournament at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires has also been determined.

It is the first time that beach handball makes an appearance at Olympic level.

For the men’s tournament the following teams have claimed a continental quota place (the number in brackets identifies the final ranking at Mauritius 2017).

Europe: Spain (1st), Italy (2nd) and Russia (4th)

Pan-America: (*), Venezuela (5th) and Paraguay (11th)

Asia: Taipei (6th) and Thailand (8th)

Africa: Mauritius (12th)

Oceania: Australia (10th)

(*) The 10th quota place is still to be allocated by the International Olympic Committee. As hosts, Argentina could choose one category to participate in and they picked the women’s.

For the women’s tournament the following teams have claimed a continental quota place.

Europe: Hungary (1st), Netherlands (2nd) and Portugal (4th)

Pan-America: Argentina (3rd)*, Venezuela (10th) and Paraguay (11th)

Asia: Thailand (6th) and China (7th)

Africa: Mauritius (14th)

Oceania: American Samoa (12th)

(*) The 10th quota place was allocated to Argentina, as hosts of the Youth Olympic Games. 

The 2018 Youth Olympic Games are played from 6 to 18 October 2018.