With less than 45 days until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the pressure is mounting for the 24 teams in the men’s and women’s competitions as they prepare for the final stages leading up to the event.
As the countdown continues, teams are in full preparation mode, and coaches must make tough choices for their 14-player rosters, along with three available substitutes. The competition will take place at the South Paris Arena 6 in the French capital and the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille during the knockout phase.
Although the tournament is still weeks away, training camps and friendly matches are already on the schedule. Teams have announced provisional rosters ranging from 17 to over 20 players, with final lists expected to be finalized as the event approaches.
The number of athletes allowed at the Olympic Games is regulated by the IOC and differs from World Championships. However, the IHF has successfully increased the player quota from 14 athletes plus one alternate to 14 athletes plus three alternates. Each alternate can permanently replace an injured or sick athlete, but the replaced athlete is not permitted to compete again.
As hosts and defending Olympic champions, France has 21 players available, starting their first training camp in Tignes on June 20. Their roster includes key players such as Ludovic Fabregas, Kentin Mahe, Dika Mem, Melvyn Richardson, and Nedim Remili, along with Nikola Karabatic, who plans to retire after Paris 2024. Coach Guillaume Gille stated, “After the EHF FINAL4 in Cologne, we announced this roster, and now we can finally say that preparation for the Olympic Games has begun.”
World champions Denmark have also revealed their roster, featuring 20 players, including Mikkel Hansen, a three-time IHF Male World Player of the Year, who will also retire after the Games. Coach Nikolaj Jacobsen remarked, “It’s a balancing act to hit the spot. With only 14 players, it’s difficult to prepare for everything. With potentially eight matches in 16 days, we need to manage our resources while being ready for injuries.”
Spain has included several experienced players like Joan Canellas, Gedeon Guardiola, and Antonio Garcia, all likely participating in their final Olympics, with Canellas already announcing his retirement.
Sweden, a strong contender for gold, is bringing significant experience, with Jim Gottfridsson and Albin Lagergren selected for their third Olympic appearance, alongside star goalkeeper Andreas Palicka.
Germany, which placed fourth in the EHF EURO 2024, has made minor adjustments to their provisional roster, with an average team age of 26.5 years and 17 players selected, including new addition Marko Grgic, who debuted in May.
Argentina and Japan have also named their provisional teams, with Japan’s Spanish coach Carlos Ortega announcing his first squad after taking over from Dagur Sigurdsson, following a successful stint winning the EHF Champions League with Barça.
**Provisional Rosters – Men’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games:**
**Denmark**
Goalkeepers: Niklas Landin (Aalborg Håndbold), Emil Nielsen (Barça), Kevin Møller (SG Flensburg-Handewitt)
Wings: Emil Jakobsen (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Magnus Landin (THW Kiel), Niclas Kirkeløkke (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Hans Lindberg (Füchse Berlin)
Backs: Mikkel Hansen (Aalborg Håndbold), Simon Pytlick (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Rasmus Lauge (Bjerringbro-Silkeborg), Mads Mensah Larsen (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Thomas Arnoldsen (Aalborg Håndbold), Lasse Andersson (Füchse Berlin), Mathias Gidsel (Füchse Berlin), Mads Hoxer (Aalborg Håndbold)
Line Players: Magnus Saugstrup (SC Magdeburg), Simon Hald (Aalborg Håndbold), Emil Bergholt (Skjern Håndbold), Lukas Jørgensen (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Henrik Møllgaard (Aalborg Håndbold)
**Spain**
Goalkeepers: Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas (Barça), Rodrigo Corrales (MKB Veszprém), Sergey Hernández (SC Magdeburg)
Wings: Ferran Solé (Paris Saint-Germain), Aleix Gómez (Barça), Kauldi Odriozola (HBC Nantes), Angel Fernández (Limoges Hand 87), Miguel Sánchez-Migallón (SL Benfica Portugal), Daniel Fernández (TVB Stuttgart HB)
Backs: Álex Dujshebaev (Industria Kielce), Ian Tarrafeta (Pays d’Aix UCH), Petar Cikusa (Barça), Joan Cañellas (Kadetten Schaffhausen), Agustín Casado (MKB Veszprém), Antonio García (Fraikin Granollers), Daniel Dujshebaev (Industria Kielce), Jorge Maqueda (HBC Nantes), Imanol Garciandía (OTP Bank-Pick Szeged)
Line Players: Abel Serdio (Orlen Wisla Plock), Gedeón Guardiola (Viveros Herol Nava), Javier Rodríguez (Barça)
**Sweden**
Goalkeepers: Andreas Palicka (Paris Saint-Germain), Tobias Thulin (GOG), Mikael Appelgren (Rhein-Neckar Löwen)
Wings: Hampus Wanne (Barça), Lucas Pellas (Montpellier HB), Daniel Pettersson (SC Magdeburg), Sebastian Karlsson (Montpellier HB)
Backs: Jonathan Carlsbogård (Barça), Karl Wallinius (THW Kiel), Felix Claar (SC Magdeburg), Jim Gottfridsson (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Jonathan Edvardsson (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Albin Lagergren (SC Magdeburg), Lukas Sandell (Telekom Veszprem HC)
Line Players: Max Darj (Füchse Berlin), Oscar Bergendahl (SC Magdeburg), Andreas Nilsson (Telekom Veszprem HC)
**Germany**
Goalkeepers: Andreas Wolff (KS Vive Kielce), David Späth (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Joel Birlehm (Rhein-Neckar Löwen)
Wings: Lukas Mertens (SC Magdeburg), Rune Dahmke (THW Kiel), Christoph Steinert (HC Erlangen), Tim Hornke (SC Magdeburg)
Backs: Juri Knorr (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Luca Witzke (SC DHfK Leipzig), Marian Michalczik (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Julian Köster (VfL Gummersbach), Marko Grgic (ThSV Eisenach), Renars Uscins (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Franz Semper (SC DHfK Leipzig)
Line Players: Johannes Golla (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Justus Fischer (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Jannik Kohlbacher (Rhein-Neckar Löwen)
**Japan**
Goalkeepers: Motoki Sakai (Osaka Electric Osoi), Takumi Nakamura (Toyoda Gosei Blue Falcon), Daisuke Okamoto (Toyota Auto Body Brave Kings)
Wings: Hiroki Motoki (Zeekstar Tokyo), Naoki Sugioka (Toyota Auto Body Brave Kings), Goki Koshio (Toyoda Gosei Blue Falcon), Tomoya Sakurai (Toyota Auto Body Brave Kings)
Backs: Jin Watanabe (Toyota Auto Body Brave Kings), Tatsuki Yoshino (Toyota Auto Body Brave Kings), Shinnosuke Tokuda (Al Duhail), Kozaru Mizumachi (Toyoda Gosei Blue Falcon), Adam Yuki Baig (Zeekstar Tokyo), Kosuke Yasuhira (RK Vardar), Naoki Fujisaka (Nippon Sport Science University), Yuto Agarie (Zeekstar Tokyo)
Line Players: Kenya Kasahara (Hörður), Hiroyasu Tamagawa (Zeekstar Tokyo), Sota Takano (Toyota Auto Body Brave Kings), Shuichi Yoshida (Dunkerque HGL)
**Hungary**
Goalkeepers: László Bartucz (MOL Tatabánya KC), Roland Mikler (OTP Bank-Pick Szeged), Kristóf Palasics (La Rioja Logrono)
Wings: Pedro Rodriguez Alvarez (MOL Tatabánya KC), Zsolt Krakovszki (HSA-NEKA), Bence Imre (FTC-Green Collect), Bence Krakovszki (MOL Tatabánya KC), Bendegúz Bóka (Balatonfüredi KSE)
Backs: Gábor Ancsin (MOL Tatabánya KC), Zoran Ilic (HSV Hamburg), Gergő Fazekas (Orlen Wisla Plock), Egon Hanusz (TvB Stuttgart), Zoltan Szita (OTP Bank-Pick Szeged), Richárd Bodó (OTP Bank-Pick Szeged), Patrik Ligetvári (Telekom Veszprem HC), Máté Lékai (FTC-Green Collect)
Line Players: Bence Bánhidi (OTP Bank-Pick Szeged), Miklós Rosta (Dinamo București), Adrián Sipos (MT Melsungen), Szabolcs Szöllősi (Dabas KC)
**France**
Goalkeepers: Samir Bellahcene (THW Kiel), Rémi Desbonnet (
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