MADRID, 21 (EUROPA PRESS)
The president of the Royal Spanish Handball Federation (RFEBM), Francisco V. Blázquez, has highlighted the "foundation" of the national teams that has "endorsed an amazing summer," reflected in the "Guerreras" and "Hispanos" teams, who also "achieved their goals."
"With the recent Junior World Championships in Egypt, we close out a historic season for our national teams in both track and beach events. 'Guerreras' and 'Hispanos' achieved their goals, brilliantly qualifying for the upcoming World Championships and European Championships, respectively," commented Paco Blázquez in an open letter provided by the RFEBM.
"Our youth team has had an amazing summer. In the women's category, the junior team secured a silver medal at the European Championships, continuing the legacy of a generation that was crowned world champion last year. Meanwhile, the youth team, with a philosophy of teamwork, made it to the semifinals, and only physical exhaustion prevented them from reaching the podium," added the federation's top official.
"Our men's teams also demonstrated the potential of our youth academy. The juniors finished ninth, but victories in their last two matches, against powerhouses like Croatia and France, served to give them a good feeling. The last to enter the competition were the juniors, taking home a silver medal at the World Cup, a taste of gold, after losing in the final after two extra times and a sudden death penalty shootout," Blázquez recalled.
The letter then highlighted that the EHF had announced that "Spain leads the ranking of youth teams (junior and youth) in both the men's and women's categories, ahead of countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Croatia, France, and Hungary, many of which have budgets far superior to ours, and over which we have been superior in sporting terms."
"If the track season has been brilliant, what can I say about our national beach teams? In the senior category, our girls won continental gold and a valuable bronze at the World Games held in China. The men's team took silver at the European Championships and a fourth-place finish at the World Games," he said of the Chengdu event.
"If the top of the pyramid has shone, the youth team has demonstrated why we are the world's leading force in this sport. The junior 'Guerreras' of the sand have been the queens of the beach, becoming world and European champions, while the junior 'Hispanos' of the sand have won gold at the World Cup and silver at the European Championship. An impressive generation that has proven that our commitment to beach handball was successful and has positioned us as a leading country," Blázquez noted in his letter.
"To summarize, all the national grassroots teams, except for the junior teams, who had just won two world and European championships, have reached the semifinals, which demonstrates the work being done at the grassroots level of Spanish handball," he added.
In this regard, the RFEBM president advocated "valuing everything that has been achieved because it is the result of the tireless and valuable work behind it, always keeping in mind that small details can lead you to success or keep you from the glitter of medals."
"We have to remember the years of drought when we didn't even qualify for the top categories. But our project, which began 13 years ago, continues its solid and exciting progress, thanks to everyone's contributions," said Blázquez.
"I want to congratulate and thank our clubs for their efforts and dedication, breeding grounds for future stars, proving to be a fundamental laboratory for the development of any sport. Without their commendable work, which they carry out daily throughout our country, this would not be possible," the letter continued.
Blázquez also had a "very special mention for the coaches, who, beyond the passion they exude for our beloved sport, are the great foundation of training, hence the worldwide recognition of all our coaches."
He also praised "the remarkable work of all the coaches and officials, always attentive to the needs of our players, as well as the excellent medical team, with the best doctors and physiotherapists always at the service of our athletes."
"I can't overlook the refereeing community, which is becoming more and more experienced every day and gaining maximum prominence at the international level, and the enormous and dedicated work of the Territorial Federations, which, with their smooth functioning and quality management contributions, are becoming an irreplaceable link," asserted the RFEBM's top official.
"My respect always goes to the RFEBM Assembly for the trust placed in them; to the Board of Directors for their tireless dedication; to the Executive Committee, a key regulatory element; as well as to the extensive team of RFEBM professionals, who give their all to make this project more ambitious every day," he continued.
"And I leave for last, but no less important, the fans and families, because without their collaboration, dedication, and enthusiasm, young people would not have the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful sport called handball," Blázquez stated before the final paragraph.
"The new school year is about to begin, and I simply ask you all to give your all, both on and off the court. May respect, politeness, and camaraderie continue to be the values you demonstrate at all times. May you continue to train, as you must forge a future that is just around the corner. And may you continue to demonstrate the importance of our sport in building a more just, inclusive, supportive, and better society," he concluded.
