Asian Women’s Handball Championship 2024: India finish sixth; Japan edge South Korea to win title
Kazakhstan beat Iran in the third-place playoff while Hong Kong China finished seventh.
Handball
India matched their best-ever finish at the Asian Women’s Handball Championship 2024 securing sixth place after a 41-30 loss to the People’s Republic of China in the 5th/6th playoff at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Arena on Tuesday.
Later, Japan stunned reigning and record handball champions the Republic of Korea in a gripping final after overturning a 12-9 deficit to win 25-24 to seal their second title and break South Korea’s streak of seven straight championship wins.
India, hosting the continental tournament for the first time, began their bout with China in high spirits, leading to a combative opening in which both teams tussled for zonal domination.
As the game progressed, however, 10-time silver medallists China used their considerable experience at this level, opening up a small gap between themselves and the hosts, before racing away with the win.
Regardless, Indian women’s handball team’s Menika remained upbeat about her side’s performance across the tournament.
“This was the first time India has hosted the event. Our experience playing in front of our fans was very good,” said Menika.
“But, our target was a medal this time and in terms of those expectations, we fell short. We’ll learn from our mistakes and we’re looking forward to the next opportunity.”
The Indian team had some standout performers in the tournament, including youngster Bhawana Sharma and experienced goalkeeper Nina Shil.
In other results, Kazakhstan secured their second-ever bronze medal in the tournament, following their 28-22 win over the Islamic Republic of Iran in the third-place playoff. Hong Kong China, on the other hand, confirmed a seventh-place finish ahead of Singapore, beating the latter 33-18.
Japan, South Korea, Kazakhstan and Iran qualified for the IHF World Women’s Handball Championship 2025 in Germany and the Netherlands.
The Asian Women’s Handball Championship 2024, where eight teams competed, was the 20th edition of the tournament. South Korea are the most successful team in the competition with 16 titles.
Asian Women’s Handball Championship 2024 standings
- Japan
- South Korea
- Kazakhstan
- Iran
- China
- India
- Hong Kong China
- Singapore