Opening day sees close fights and big wins
RIJEKA — The FISU World University Handball Championship was off to a great start with Romania and Japan becoming the first teams to register wins. The Japanese women’s team scored an emphatic 31:17 victory over hosts Croatia, with a 14-goal difference. In the men’s competition it was Romania who opened proceedings, also registering a big win over Poland, winning 28:20.
The second Group A match in the women’s competition was Czech Republic versus Brazil, which turned out to be a close one with Brazil winning by just one goal. At the same time, the match on the second court was a men’s Group B match between Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei, in which the Korean men prevailed with a 12-goal difference.
The biggest win of the day, however, came courtesy the Spanish women in Group B who beat Uruguay by 29 goals, with a final score of 37:8.
One of the most exciting games of Day 1 was a men’s Group B match between Czech Republic and Lithuania. Throughout the first half, the Czechs were able to hold onto a one goal difference but in the second half, a lapse of concentration from Lithuania meant that the match ended with a score of 32:35 in favour of Czech Republic.
The 24th edition of the FISU World University Handball Championship continues through the week at the Sport Centre Zamet in Rijeka. Hosts Croatia have a rich history in handball, having been World and Olympic champion on more than one occasion in the past. Fittingly, this week will see the emergence of new talent and faces among the 327 student-athletes participating, as they gather together to celebrate sport, culture and diversity.
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