DBased on his experience in the 2016 Olympic handball competition Kay Hafner Have a clear idea of what is about to happen: “In retrospect, the Olympics are particularly good when you have won something.” Five years ago, Hafner won the bronze medal from Rio. Häfner said that the defeat against France in the semifinals and the victory against Poland in the third game-were unforgettable. But that’s not all: “2016 was a blatant six months. I participated in my first big game at the European Championships and immediately won that thing. In half a year I will go to the Olympics and win a bronze medal. In Before the Olympics, I was married-those six months were incredible and unnatural at all.”
Being able to experience the Olympic handball game for the second time makes the backcourt players of MT Melsungen proud. The selection of the German Handball Federation on Thursday (Health Bureau) From their training camp in Tokushima to Tokyo. After settling down briefly in the Olympic Village and having the last training on Friday night (Japan time), this Saturday (9:15 AM CET) will play the first game against Spain. FAZ Olympics live broadcast, On ZDF and Eurosport)-not a mild start, but a meeting with one of Hafner’s favorite gold medal teams: “Spain has been one of the best teams for many years. We must remain calm 60 minutes, otherwise they will use it cruelly.”
In fact, this season with more heavyweight players-France and Norway-and dangerous outsiders Brazil and Argentina did not scare the 32-year-old professional player: “If we pass the group stage, we only need to be in the fourth The semifinals and the medal match. We are not the big favorites for medals, but we basically have the chance to succeed as we did in 2016.”
Japan and Tokyo are not new territories for Hafner and the Germans. In June 2018, DHB went to Japan for 11 days; it was part of “Mission Gold” at the time; athletes and staff should learn about Japan in order to better prepare for the conditions of the Olympic Games. Hafner believes that things are different now, also because of Corona-the national team coach is no longer Christian Prokop, but Alfred Gislarsen-this fact does not devalue The value of the game: “I’m proud and happy to be there. I can’t influence each other. Even in this case, the Olympics are exciting and not taken for granted.”
Experienced professionals put aside the never-ending topic of stress. After the long Bundesliga season, national football players have only one week of vacation. The free time after the Olympic Games has also been reduced accordingly. Hafner said: “I want to participate in the Olympics. If someone gives me a five-week holiday or participates in the Olympics, I will choose the Olympics. What will happen after that. Of course it will be very crisp, but I don’t think about it now.” He emphasized: “At the Olympics, after doing your homework, everything will become more enjoyable.”
