06.05.2016, 09:40
Budapest turns into a festival of Olympians

NEWS FEATURE: 30 EHF FINAL4 players hope for their tickets to Rio. Györ's Norwegian goalkeeper Kari Grimsbø is the only two-time Olympic champion on court in Budapest.

Budapest turns into a festival of Olympians

Exactly three months after the Women’s EHF FINAL4 in Budapest, the handball tournament at the Olympic Games will be thrown-off in the Future Arena in Rio de Janeiro. And as all participating teams are confirmed, 30 players, who will be on court in the Papp László Budapest Sportaréna this weekend, can hope for their tickets to Rio.

In contrast to EHF EURO events and World Championships, the rosters for Olympic Games only contain 14 players - so the fight for the spots in Rio is in full swing. Nevertheless, most of those EHF FINAL4 participants such as the EHF EURO 2014 MVP Isabelle Gullden (Sweden, CSM Bucuresti) or the 2015 World Championship MVP Cristina Neagu (Romania, Buducnost) are cornerstones of their teams.

Norway are the current Olympic champions in women’s handball, winning in 2008 and 2012. But only one player with two gold medals in her personal cabinet will be playing at the Women’s EHF FINAL4 in Budapest. Györi Audi ETO KC’s goalkeeper Kari Aalvik Grimsbø was in the Beijing squad as well as in the London squad of the World-, EHF EURO- and Olympic champions.

Györ even count on more Norwegian power, as the London gold medallists Heidi Loke, Linn Sulland and Ida Alstad are part of the team.

In London, Norway defeated Montenegro in the Olympic final, and Montenegro are the Olympic participant with the highest number of players on court in Budapest: 11 (eight from defending Champions League winners Buducnost, three from HC Vardar).

Four players, who will have the home advantage in Rio are participating in Budapest, as Bucuresti count on three Brazilian players and Györ on one. The Romanian champions have the biggest variety of nations participating in Rio in their squad: 4 (Romania, Sweden, Brazil and Spain).

EHF FINAL4 players who are (probably) participating in the Olympic Games in Brazil:

Buducnost (9):

Radmila Petrovic (MNE)
Biljana Pavicevic (MNE)
Ivona Pavicevic (MNE)
Djurdjina Jaukovic (MNE)
Katarina Bulatovic (MNE)
Ema Ramusovic (MNE)
Majda Mehmedovic (MNE)
Milena Raicevic (MNE)
Cristina Neagu (ROU)

HC Vardar (6):

Jovanka Radicevic (MNE)
Itana Grbic (MNE)
Andrea Klikovac (MNE)
Amandine Leynaud (FRA)
Siraba Dembele (FRA)
Tatiana Khmyrova (RUS)

CSM Bucuresti (8):

Aurelia Bradeanu (ROU)
Oana Manea (ROU)
Isabelle Gullden (SWE)
Linnea Torstensson (SWE)
Fernanda da Silva (BRA)
Ana Paula Rodrigues (BRA)
Mayssa Pessoa (BRA)
Carmen Martin (ESP)

Györi Audi ETO KC (7):

Yvette Broch (NED)
Nycke Groot (NED)
Ida Alstad (NOR)
Heidi Løke (NOR)
Linn Sulland (NOR)
Kari Grimsbø (NOR)
Eduarda Amorim (BRA)

TEXT: Björn Pazen / es