Australia has reason to celebrate as both its men’s and women’s teams have emerged victorious in the Oceania Continent Handball Federation (OCHF) Oceania Beach Handball Championships. The event, held on Coolangatta Beach in Queensland from April 21st to 23rd, saw both teams secure their places in the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, and the 2024 IHF Beach Handball World Championships.

Competing against teams from the Cook Islands, New Zealand, and American Samoa (women’s event only), the men’s competition concluded with the Australian team reclaiming the title from New Zealand in an extended penalty shoot-out. The final score was 2:1 (17:16, 18:20, 12:10), with Australia winning by a golden goal in the first period and New Zealand taking the second by 2 points. The Cook Islands took home the bronze medal after pushing Australia to a shoot-out in the first preliminary round match and New Zealand to close periods and a golden goal.

In the women’s category, Australia remained undefeated, winning the gold medal against New Zealand with a 2:0 (16:8, 20:8) victory. The Cook Islands claimed the bronze medal over American Samoa. The women’s category featured thrilling penalty shoot-outs and golden goals during the preliminary rounds.

The championship featured three days of intense competition between the four participating nations, which converged on Coolangatta Beach for the first time since the lifting of Covid-related travel restrictions.

Individual awards for the men’s competition, as nominated by referees, included Most Valuable Player (MVP) for Cade Elliott (Australia), Top Scorer for Alberio Lazaro (Cook Islands), and Best Goalkeeper for Jack Gallagher (New Zealand). In the women’s competition, Claudia Mitchell (Australia) won both MVP and Top Scorer, while Jemima Harbort (Australia) was awarded Best Goalkeeper.

Handball Australia extends its gratitude to American Samoa, the Cook Islands, and New Zealand for their competitive spirit and sportsmanship. The organization looks forward to representing the Oceania region in the upcoming ANOC World Beach Games in Bali and the 2024 IHF Beach Handball World Championships.

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Courtesy Handball Australia