Phl handballers savor silver finish
'We have local tournaments, but we will shift our focus to the indoor handball season.'
'We have local tournaments, but we will shift our focus to the indoor handball season.'
The national women’s handball squad remains in high spirits despite losing the gold medal in the 10th Asian Beach Handball Championships last week in Muscat, Oman.
National team head coach Jana Franquelli said their silver medal finish feels like gold as they learned a lot while punching a ticket to the 2026 World Women's Beach Handball Championships.
The Philippines finished with a 4-2 win-loss record in the double-round robin of the prestigious event, where they suffered a heartbreaking loss to Vietnam in the final.
Still, it was a mission accomplished for Franquelli and her squad.
“Going to the Asian Championships, the goal was to qualify. Then for the World Championships next year, we have time to develop the new players,” Franquelli, a former member of the national women’s basketball team, said.
“So it was a good experience for them.”
It will be the Philippines’ second trip to the world championships since last year where the Nationals failed to make it to the quarterfinal after a 1-4 slate in Group 1.
As the beach handball season ends, Franquelli said they will shift their focus to indoor handball. However, they will compete in local tournaments to stay in shape for the world championships.
“We have local tournaments, but we will shift our focus to the indoor handball season,” Franquelli said.
Meanwhile, the men’s beach handball team suffered a 1-2 setback to eventual champion Oman in the quarterfinal of the same tournament.
Despite the loss, Franquelli lauded her boys for competing in a stacked tournament that featured the likes of Iran, Pakistan and Jordan.
“The men's showing was also good. Although they didn't qualify, the group was really very tough,” Franquelli said.
“So they finished in fifth place, which was the same ranking they had last time.”
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