Australian senior women’s handball team aiming for history at the 2018 Asian Handball Championship

Australia has never qualified for a foreign Olympics in handball. Now, the senior national women’s team are ready to make some history.

(L-R) Senior Australian women’s handball team members: Stephanie Fallah, Olivia Mowat, Brianna Keyes, Jessie Wood and Jessica Fallah. Pictures: Angelo Velardo

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Australia’s senior women’s handball team will have the opportunity to take a giant leap towards a history-making Olympic qualification when they compete in the 2018 Senior Women’s Asian Handball Championship.

Held in Japan from Friday until Sunday, December 9, the championship acts as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2019 World Women’s Handball Championship and is Australia’s pathway to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In preparation for the competition, the Australian squad gathered at Valentine Sports Park at Glenwood last week for a nine-day intensive training camp.

Australia has a shot at qualifying for their first ever Olympics if they can qualify for the 2019 World Women’s Handball Championship.

The camp was the first time the entire team came together under new head coach, Egyptian Heba Ali.

Stanhope Gardens resident Jessie Wood and Kellyville’s Brianna Keyes are two of five Sydney locals who will be travelling to Japan in the hopes of sealing a crucial place in the world championships for Australia.

Keyes’ father and national team manager Anthony Keyes said the squad was brimming with confidence.

“We will need to beat some strong teams, however we are very confident that we will be successful in Japan and gain a place at the 2019 Senior Women’s World Handball Championship,” he said.

Australian handball is in a better place than ever before thanks to increased funding from the Australian Olympic Committee.

“All players are excited, well prepared and very focused.”

Keyes Snr added new financial support from the Australian Olympic Committee meant that Australian handball was better prepared to make a statement on the world stage.

“The team has been very fortunate in benefiting from AOC funding for the first time and, as a self-funded sport, players are very appreciative of this new support,” he said.

“Of course, with regular interstate training and overseas travel to participate in the championships, the costs to each player can still exceed $4500 annually even with the benefit of the funding.

“This year we have also been helped by a local physiotherapist business, Sports Physio Norwest, who have supplied a final year student to help our players during the training camp and a volunteer psychologist, Jan Skov.