In all three German games, local hero Renars Uscins from TSV Hannover-Burgdorf was voted best player; the U21 world champion was also the best German scorer of the tournament with 26 goals. In the final game against Austria, Julian Köster (VfL Gummersbach), who suffered the defeat against Croatia right on just his 24th birthday, also excelled. 15 of the 16 German players, who were on court at Hanover, play for clubs in the LIQUI MOLY HBL, the only exception is goalkeeper Andreas Wolff (Kielce/POL).

The Croats were the tournament winners in Hanover, by winning all three matches. In the decisive games against Austria and Germany, Ivan Martinovic (MT Melsungen) was the best scorer, besides, Domagoj Duvnjak (THW Kiel) also played a strong game against Germany. In addition, two more HBL professionals, Filip Vistorop and Nikola Grahovac from Balingen, were in the Croatian squad.

At the two other Olympic Qualification Tournaments in Granollers, Spain and Tatabanya, Hungary, numerous other players from the LIQUI MOLY HBL and their teams secured participation in the Olympics. Norway won the tournament in Hungary after three wins ahead of the hosts, who qualified for Paris with a 30:27 win over Portugal in a dramatic final game. The Norwegian squad included Petter Overby and Harald Reinkind from THW Kiel, Kristian Saeveras from SC DHfK Leipzig and Kristian O'Sullivan from SC Magdeburg. Adrian Sipos (MT Melsungen), Zoran Ilic (Handball Sport Hamburg Club) and Egon Hanusz (TVB Stuttgart) were part of the Hungarian line-up.

In Granollers, Spain, the decision about the two Olympic tickets was talen in the last game, which the hosts won against Brazil 28:26 - the third victory in the third game for the Spaniards also caused celebration among the Slovenians, who also qualified for Paris. Daniel Fernandez (TVB Stuttgart) was in the squad for Spain, while for Slovenia Blaz Blagotinsek (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Tilen Kodrin, Kristian Horzen (both VfL Gummersbach), Klemen Ferlin (HC Erlangen), Domen Novak (HSG Wetzlar) and Urh Kastelic (TBV Lemgo Lippe) were from LIQUI MOLY HBL clubs.

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This outcome means that once again only European teams qualified for the Olympics through the qualifying tournaments. The Olympic handball tournament will take place from 25 July to 11 August, with men's and women's teams playing alternately. The preliminary round will be held in Paris with two groups of six. After the travel day on 5 August, the tournament will continue in the Lille football stadium with quarter-finals, semi-finals and the medal games.

These are the participants in the Olympic men's handball tournament in Paris and Lille: France (host), Denmark (world champion), Sweden (European representative), Japan (Asian representative), Egypt (African champion), Argentina (Pan American champion), Croatia, Germany (from the qualification tournament in Hanover), Norway, Hungary (from the qualifying tournament in Hungary), Spain, Slovenia (from the qualifying tournament in Spain).

The IHF has also already announced the pots for the draw for the preliminary round groups on April 16th in Paris - the German team, which is seeded in pot 3, definitely has a fantastic group waiting for them at the Olympic Games.

Pot 1: Denmark, Spain
Pot 2: Croatia, Norway
Pot 3: Germany, Hungary
Pot 4: Slovenia, France
Pot 5: Sweden, Egypt
Pot 6: Argentina, Japan

Photo: Klahn