The Hungarian women's handball team can play in the Olympic qualifying tournament after defeating the Croatian team 23-22 in a dramatic battle on the final day of the semi-finals of the Danish-Norwegian-Swedish world championship.

Based on the total, the Hungarian team finished in tenth place. By default, the WC is 2-7. the runners-up would play a five-round qualification in April. However, this was pushed further with the French and Norwegian reaching the quarter-finals, as well as the placing of the Brazilians.

According to Katalin Pálinger, vice president of the Hungarian Federation (MKSZ).

anything can be achieved with a fight like that shown by the national team on Monday when defeating the Croatians in the last round of the semi-finals of the World Olympic Qualification Championship jointly organized by Denmark-Norway-Sweden.

The Hungarian national team won the tenth place at the World Cup, thereby qualifying for the Olympic qualifying tournament in April, where they will face Japan, Cameroon and the best European team that does not qualify for the World Cup in Paris. The first two out of the four advance to the five-ring games in Paris.

The vice president of the MKSZ highlighted:

the World Cup ranking means the relatively easiest qualifying position.

"We didn't prepare like that, there are many lessons from this World Cup that need to be analyzed, learned from and profited from. For these young players, every game lost and won adds a lot to their careers. I'm very happy that this is the end, at the federal level we can be extremely proud that both of our teams are playing in the Olympic qualifying tournament," Pálinger told MTI, saying: hats off to the girls.

    "I trust that this will give them the belief that anything can be achieved with such a struggle and such a big heart."

he emphasized.

As he said, in women's handball, as in the entire sport itself, anything is possible.

The excellent defensive team captain, Blanka Böde-Bíró, was also touched upon by the Olympic and World Championship silver medalist and former European champion goalkeeper.

"A world-class person is not based on how many percentages he saves, but because he is outstanding when he needs to be the most. I always watch with a critical eye, now not only his defenses, but also his entire body language, communication, and attitude were highly world-class. I am very proud of him and very, very happy," said Katalin Pálinger.

MTI / hirado.hu

Cover photo: Kinga Debreczeni-Klivinyi, Katrin Klujber, Petra Füzi-Tóvizi, Blanka Böde-Bíró, Nadine Szöllõsi-Schatzl and Viktória Gyõri-Lukács (bj), members of the Hungarian national team celebrate after their team won 23-22 in the Olympic qualification played in the third round of the middle finals of the Women's Handball World Championship between Hungary and Croatia in Gothenburg, Sweden on December 11, 2023.
MTI/Tibor Illyés