France Makes History in Wheelchair Handball Debut Securing Thrilling Triumph and Lessons Learned Against Spain

France’s wheelchair handball team recently became a part of history. As the team squared off against Spain at The Maison des Sports in Nevers, this was the very first instance when the team faced international opposition. To kick things off, Spain accepted the invitation to travel to France. They agreed to play three friendly games, followed by a couple of official matches. These games were slated to be held on Friday (Jan 12), Saturday (Jan 13), and Sunday (Jan 14), respectively. 

Such an initiative is seen as a welcome step for several reasons. Firstly, this would definitely strengthen the bonds between the two international federations. To add to it, these encounters will cater to the expansion and development of the sport in the long run. 

French wheelchair athletes eye handball glory 

It all started with the advent of Paralympic Day on October 8 of last year. This was done to celebrate the sports among all the sections of the society before the grand occasion of the Paris 2024 Olympics. To further give limelight to the paralympic sports, names such as Alexandra Dabek, Frederick Pasquier, and Fatih Cuhadar were included in a team of over one hundred athletes to promote the upcoming games. This event was jointly collaborated by the Ministry of Sports, the French, and the Olympic Paralympic Committee and was held at Place de la Republique, in Paris. 

These progresses were further bolstered by a four-day long camp in November at Maison du Handball. This program aimed at improved training methods coupled with physiological tests and theoretical meetings to contribute to the overall development of the sports. Following this event, a scheduled set of activities regarding the fitness and training regime for the team was also prepared. The entire funding for the programs was done by the FFHandball Research and Performance Unit.

With all the right things being channeled into the team’s players, the reflection of the same was pretty much evident as they bore rich fruits on the field.

A memorable start for the French Wheelchair Handball Team

The team started on an excellent note against the visiting Spanish team. In the opening encounter, France held on to a 6:4 lead to clinch the first set, courtesy of some exquisite handball skills from Samuel Chandesris. The positive momentum was carried on to the second set, and France also demolished Spain with a comfortable 8:2 lead, thus winning the match 2-0 overall. 

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Soon after the match ended, coach Fabien Convers expressed his pride for his team. He said, “It was an opportunity to test new combinations which were more or less successful.”  Expressing similar sentiments, vice-captain of the team Alexandra Dabek stated, “It’s a real opportunity for us to be able to compete against another European team…It’s necessary to be able to measure our level and see where our strengths and weaknesses lie.”

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