Meet the supermoms at the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship

The balancing act of being both a mother and a professional handball player sometimes requires a special set of skills.

Three players that know the fact very well are Stine Skogrand (Norway), Sarah Iversen (Denmark) and Estavana Polman (Netherlands), who are all competing at the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship this week.

The handball stars told Olympics.com about the challenges and advantages that becoming a mother has brought.

“When you become a mum, you get superpowers, because if you had asked me before that you get only two hours sleep and then play a game, I would say you're crazy,” Estavana Polman said.

“My child didn't sleep for a couple of years. Then I think you get superpowers. You do the best you can as mum and nothing is wrong. It's the way you do it yourself. I was standing on the court and thinking, how did I do that?”

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Estavana Polman: "I have become more calm"

The 2019 World Championship MVP Estavana Polman shares her six-year-old daughter, Jesslynn, with her partner, the former professional footballer Rafael van der Vaart.

Now, comparing her life before becoming a mother, the mentality is where Polman experiences the biggest difference.

“I have become more calm. I had a real temper before, now a little bit less. I still have it in me though. I’ve got more relaxed in my head, so I can enjoy all the things I do," Polman said.

“Of course, it changed a lot of things. Everything is about our little girl now. Sometimes when you lose, you are awake the whole night. Then you look at her in the bed and think: ‘tomorrow we bring her to school again’.”

The 31-year-old playmaker, who plays for Romanian side CS Rapid București, has found her way to juggle between being a mother and a professional handballer.

“You feel kind of guilt, especially in the beginning, when you travel for tournaments. But later you find your rhythm and how to handle things. For now, I think I have a good balance between being home, being a mum and being handball player. When I go to training, it's two hours of me-time, and I want to enjoy these two hours to play handball, and that's really nice,” Polman explained.

Both Polman’s partner and their daughter have been in Frederikshavn, Denmark to watch the Dutch team play.

The 2019 world champions appreciates that she has become a mother early in her career, so her daughter can experience her on the handball court.

“Before, when I played the European and World Championship, I thought that it was just normal. When you get the little one, you realise that it's not normal, and that it's really beautiful, what you're doing. When I see my daughter in the stands and I look at her, I’m grateful that I can still do this and show her what her mum does. And that makes me really proud,” Polman told us.

Stine Skogrand: “You feel that your head wants to, but your body doesn't quite follow”

30-year-old Stine Skogrand is one of five mothers in the Norwegian team that are featuring at the 2023 World Championship.

The right back of Ikast Håndbold is in a relationship with Eivind Tangen, who represents the Norwegian men’s team and Skjern in Denmark.

And it can be extra challenging at times to find the time to be both a mother of two and nurture the relationship with a fellow handballer.

“We travel a lot when we play in the Champions League,” Skogrand explained. “Eivind and I don't see each other that often, because he also travels with Skjern. The most challenging is that you can’t be two places at the same time. There have been some of the children's birthdays, for example, where I have been abroad.”

“But when I'm with the club or national team I'm 100 percent there, and when I'm at home I'm 100 percent there. When you are away from your family, you will also do even more to ensure that you make the most of it.”

For the three-time European champion Skogrand the comeback after the birth of sons Adam and Aron came quicker than expected, although she was a little impatient.

“Fortunately, I have had two easy pregnancies, where I could train well, which has also made the starting point better when I have to go back. But when you get back on the field, you feel that your head wants to, but your body doesn't quite follow.”

“We have agreed at home that we will not have any more children, so now I will just play as long as my body can take it and as long as I think it's fun,” Skogrand adds.

Sarah Iversen: “Having a child doesn’t limit you”

Denmark’s Sarah Iversen is playing her first World Championship since becoming a mother to son Elliot almost three years ago.

The Danish line player feels that she has returned as a better player, despite having to fight a tough battle to get back to her top level.

“It required a lot of hard work to come back, but now it almost feels better than before,” Iversen said. "I have got the feeling that everything becomes a little easier as if the body is moving in a different way.”

“Also mentally, I’m now quite conscious that I want to be completely focused when I'm away, because otherwise the family is more important. I think it has been healthy that you don't just take a training for granted. I have become more efficient in my daily life, which has been healthy for me, because I could be a bit of a mess before.”

Sarah Iversen, whose little sister Rikke Iversen is also part of the Danish squad, has additionally changed as a teammate.

“I think I unconsciously have taken on the mother role in the team. Unconsciously, I’ve become a little bit more caring, putting my arm around someone if she is not satisfied with the training. I think that the 'caring gene' has taken over a lot. I really like to assure people are doing well," Iversen explained.

For the 33-year-old line player it was difficult to tell her club and teammates about her pregnancy, although they received it well, and her club Ikast Håndbold offered a contract extension during her pregnancy.

With her experience, Iversen has an important message to share with other players that are considering having a child in the middle of their handball career.

“In the past, you had children and then stopped. We now have the opportunity to come back again and play on, so you don't have to stop when you are 32-33. You can combine the two things and get several good years as a handballer after giving birth.”

“You can get back at the highest level. So, I think that I now have a greater understanding and peace of mind that having a child doesn’t limit you. You decide that yourself,” Iversen concludes.

The 2023 World Women's Handball Championship runs until 17 December with the final taking place in Herning, Denmark.