09.04.2012, 07:00
London calling for six more European teams

Men’s Olympic tournament completed: Spain, Sweden, Croatia, Iceland, Serbia and Hungary qualified for London 2012

London calling for six more European teams

After the three Olympic Qualification Tournaments in Alicante, Gothenburg and Varazdin came to an end on Sunday, all 12 teams participating at the Men’s Handball tournament of the 2012 Olympic Games in London (28 July – 12 August) are known.

In Alicante hosts Spain (winner) and Serbia qualified for the Olympics, in Varazdin host Croatia (winner) and Iceland booked their tickets and in Gothenburg host Sweden (winner) and Hungary earned the berth to the Olympics.

They will join teams previously qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games; Great Britain (hosts), France (World champion), Korea (Asian representative), Tunisia (African champion), Argentina (Pan American representative), Denmark (European champion).

The Olympic tournament will be played in two Preliminary Round groups with six teams in each, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches – in contrast to the playing system in 2008 in Beijing there will be no placement matches for the ranking 5-8.

The seeding list for the Preliminary Round draw on 30 May in London is as follows:
Pot 1: France, Spain
Pot 2: Sweden, Croatia
Pot 3: Iceland, Hungary
Pot 4: Serbia, Great Britain
Pot 5: Denmark, Argentina
Pot 6: Korea, Tunisia

The final six places of the Women’s Olympic Tournament will be decided in three Qualification Tournaments in Lyon (France), Guadalajara (Spain) and Herning (Denmark) on 25 – 27 May.

Currently those six teams have already qualified; Great Britain (host), Norway (World champion), Korea (Asian representative), Angola (African champion), Brazil (Pan American representative), Sweden (European representative).

Result summary of all Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments:

Tournament I in Alicante:
Friday:
Poland vs. Algeria 28:27 (11:13)
Spain vs. Serbia 30:27 (11:10)

Saturday:
Serbia vs. Poland 25:25 (14:15)
Spain vs. Algeria 28:20 (14:9)

Sunday:
Serbia vs. Algeria 26:18 (15:10)
Spain vs. Poland 33:22 (18:9)
Final ranking: 1. Spain/6:0 points, 2. Serbia/3:3 points/+5 goals, 3. Poland/3:3 points/-10goals, 4. Algeria/0:6 points

Tournament II in Gothenburg:
Friday:
Hungary vs. FYR Macedonia 28:26 (15:13)
Sweden vs. Brazil 25:20 (12:10)

Saturday:
Brazil vs. Hungary 27:29 (15:16)
FYR Macedonia vs. Sweden 23:27 (12:14)

Sunday:
Brazil vs. FYR Macedonia 28:27 (15:13)
Sweden vs. Hungary 26:23 (11:12)
Final ranking: 1. Sweden/6:0 points, 2. Hungary/4:2 points, 3. Brazil/2:4 points, 4. FYR Macedonia/0:6 points

Tournament III in Varazdin:
Friday:
Croatia vs. Japan 36:22 (16:14)
Iceland vs. Chile 25:17 (12:7)

Saturday:
Chile vs. Croatia 15:35 (9:17)
Japan vs. Iceland 30:41 (11:20)

Sunday:
Japan vs. Chile 33:26 (14:9)
Croatia vs. Iceland 31:28 (18:15)
Final ranking: 1. Croatia/6:0 points, 2. Iceland/4:2 points, 3. Japan/2:4 points, 4. Chile/0:6 points

All statistics, reports and statements of the qualification tournaments on www.ihf.info.

TEXT: Björn Pazen