DHB - National handball player Michalczik forgoes the Olympics
Handball-National Team Coach Alfred Gislason must definitely give up on Marian Michalczik for the Olympic Summer Games in Paris. As the German Handball Federation (DHB) announced on Friday, Michalczik, the playmaker for TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, canceled the training camp starting on Sunday in Hennef. Sebastian Heymann will take his place instead, who will play for Rhein-Neckar Löwen in the future.
The 27-year-old Michalczik and his wife are expecting their first child in the coming weeks, which is why the professional player withdrew from Paris. "The decision to give up a possible Olympic participation weighs heavily, but the birth of our first child takes priority," Michalczik said, who had already missed the Home-EM in January due to an injury. He now supports the boys as a fan.
Michalczik's chances of participation at the season highlight were not bad. Both in the successful Olympic qualification as well as in the last national team match against Sweden in mid-May, he was in the DHB squad.
Gislason: "We will continue with this formation"
Gislason sees the changed personnel situation pragmatically. "With the change of Sebastian Heymann for Marian Michalczik, we can continue with our concept. Starting on Sunday, we will be fully engaged in handball again and will play the current formation," the National Team Coach said.
The DHB selection will still play test matches against Olympic champions and European champions France, Hungary, and Japan in the Olympic preparation. In Paris, Gislason's wards will face Sweden in Group A for their first match on July 27. Other group opponents are Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, and Japan.
DHB press release DHB-Homepage
- Despite Michalczik's absence, the Rhine-Neckar Lions' Sebastian Heymann will join the German Handball National Team for the Olympic Summer Games in Paris, replacing him.
- Michalczik, a player for TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, had to cancel his attendance at the training camp starting on Sunday in Hennef due to the impending birth of his first child.
- In the upcoming Olympics, Germany's Handball team will face stiff competition, including Olympic champions France, in their test matches.
- Tokyo Olympians Sebastian Heymann and Alfred Gislason will lead the DHB team in their bid for glory at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
- Born in Hennef, Gislason remains optimistic, saying the team can carry on with their strategy despite the change in personnel, with Heymann stepping in for Michalczik.
- Despite missing out on the DHB squad in January due to an injury and the Olympics due to family reasons, Michalczik remains a passionate supporter of the German National Team, especially as they prepare for the Summer Olympics in Paris.
- Borussia Dortmund's women's handball team and the Rhine-Neckar Lions will be among the German teams eager to secure a place on the podium at the Paris Summer Olympics, following the influential Women's Handball team that nabbed bronze at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
