The president of the Handball Federation: The 2010 girls' national team made history, and women's teams are witnessing a remarkable revival.
Khaled Fathi, the president of the Egyptian Handball Federation, praised the historic achievement of the U-16 girls' team born in 2010, which secured fifth place at the World Championship in Morocco. This was their first global participation, and Fathi emphasized that the players' accomplishment marks a new step in the development of women's handball in Egypt, reflecting the federation's successful strategy in preparing promising generations capable of competing on a global level.
Fathi stated that reaching fifth place in their first international competition of this magnitude is an achievement worthy of praise and pride, especially since the team managed to overcome four global teams, including Switzerland, which ranked third in Europe, as well as Argentina, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. The victories came with significant goal margins, demonstrating the strength of the team and the technical and physical capabilities of its players.
The achievement of the U-16 handball team is part of a real surge in the sport
Fathi added that what the 2010 girls achieved is not an isolated success but rather a continuation of a real surge in Egyptian women's handball in recent times, thanks to the federation's board of directors' commitment to developing the sport and supporting women's teams at various age levels, providing the best preparation and technical and administrative support.
The handball president explained that the U-2008 team had previously achieved fourth place globally and was close to winning a medal, before the 2010 generation confirmed the ongoing development by securing fifth place worldwide. This reflects that achievements are no longer exceptions but rather the result of continuous work and a vision aimed at building a strong foundation for women's handball.
Fathi continued: "Our girls deserve all the respect and appreciation. They faced a tough challenge at the start of the tournament by losing to the strong Russian team, especially since they are young and have limited experience in such global competitions. However, they showed strong character, quickly returning to the World Championship atmosphere and delivering impressive performances that confirmed their ability to compete with the world's best."
He pointed out that the loss in the opening match affected their chances of competing for medals, stating that the team did not suffer any losses afterward, achieving four consecutive victories and overwhelming strong opponents. This confirms that the players had the capability to compete for a very high position and possibly reach the podium, had it not been for the initial setback.
The federation president thanked the players and the technical and administrative staff for their efforts throughout the tournament, emphasizing that success is the result of teamwork and role integration. He also expressed gratitude to the members of the federation's board, each in their position, for their role in preparing and supporting the teams to achieve these results.
Fathi specifically thanked Khaled Diwan, the federation's vice president, along with Amr Fathi, Ahmed Zaqzouq, Abeer Aqeel, Amr Al-Adl, and Khaled Saleh, as well as Mohamed Gamal Helil, the federation's treasurer and head of the national team delegation in Morocco, praising everyone's efforts in supporting the national teams throughout their journey.
He also commended the significant role played by Moamen Safa, the director of national teams and their supervisor, in the preparation and follow-up system, affirming that continued work and coordination between the board and the technical and administrative staff is a fundamental pillar for maintaining achievements and improving the levels of teams at various age stages.
Fathi concluded his statements by affirming that the federation will continue to focus on women's handball and work to build on these successive successes, making the competition for global medals a realistic goal for future generations. He stressed that what was achieved in Morocco provides everyone with a strong impetus to continue working and confirms that the future of Egyptian women's handball holds many ambitions.
