Women's handball coach Signell sober: "Olympic medal? A dream for now"

"Behind Europe in size, strength need to improve a lot over the year"

Head coach Henrique Signel is interviewed

Henrique Signel, head coach of the South Korean women's handball team, which qualified for its 11th consecutive Olympic Games, 스포츠토토 is interviewed at Incheon International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The South Korean women's handball team qualified for their 11th consecutive Olympic Games with a come-from-behind victory over Japan in the fourth and final match of the Asian qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Hiroshima, Japan, the previous day.

"An Olympic medal feels like a dream, but I still think we have a chance."

That's what Henrique Signel, 47, the head coach of South Korea's women's handball team, said when asked about the country's chances of winning a medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics after taking over four months ago.

South Korea went undefeated in four matches at the Asian Qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which ended on Wednesday in Hiroshima, Japan, to earn a direct ticket to the main event, which is reserved for the top-ranked team.

Especially in the last match against Japan, the Korean women's handball team came from behind to win for the first time in a long time.

The Korean women's handball team has now qualified for the Olympic Games for the 11th consecutive time, reaffirming its status as an Asian powerhouse.

Women's handball team qualifies for 11th consecutive Olympic Games

Head coach Henrique Signel and players of the South Korean women's handball team, which qualified for its 11th consecutive Olympic Games, are all smiles after a farewell ceremony at Incheon International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The South Korean women's handball team qualified for their 11th consecutive Olympic Games with a come-from-behind victory over Japan in the fourth and final match of the Asian qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Hiroshima, Japan, the previous day.

But for Signell, winning the qualifier is just the first task.

A month later, she'll try to make it three in a row at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Then, at next year's Olympic Games in Paris, he'll have to try to qualify for the podium for the first time in 16 years.

Once recognized as a global powerhouse, winning back-to-back Olympic titles in Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992, South Korea has lost much of its international competitiveness since the 2010s.

South Korea's last Olympic medal was a bronze in Beijing 2008. They had to settle for 10th place in Rio 2016 and eighth place in Tokyo 2021.

Speaking to reporters at the arrivals hall of Incheon International Airport on Thursday, Signell gave a sobering assessment of the team's current state.

"If we were to compete in the Olympics right now, it would be difficult to qualify. "We need to improve our physicality and mid-range shooting. 토토 We are too short and too weak physically," he said.

Women's handball team qualifies for 11th consecutive Olympic Games

The South Korean women's handball team, which qualified for its 11th consecutive Olympic Games, receives a bouquet of flowers after returning home through Incheon International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The South Korean women's handball team, led by head coach Henrique Signel, qualified for their 11th consecutive Olympic Games after coming from behind to defeat Japan in the fourth and final match of the Asian qualifying tournament for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Hiroshima, Japan, the previous day.

"We need to gain more experience against stronger teams. The Korean Unemployment League is obviously a good league, but we need to play against stronger European teams," he said. "The national team has improved a lot since I took over, but we still have a long way to go."

Still, a medal is not out of the question, Signell emphasized.

"We have a year to improve a lot," he said. "An Olympic medal feels like a dream, but I think it's still possible," he said encouragingly.

After their first competition with Signell, the athletes said his strength is communication.

He talks a lot and always tries to take the athletes' opinions into account.

He even speaks Korean in training and meetings to reduce the psychological distance.

"I also try to learn handball jargon in Korean. I try to use as much Korean as possible to communicate with the players. At the end of training, I always say, 스포츠토토링크 'Thank you for your hard work' (in Korean)," he laughed.