SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

"It was tough to follow the girls from home"

Sofia Hvenfelt is back in the national handball team after the knee injury that made her Olympic Games debut end after just 25 minutes. It was incredibly tough, of course. Terrible, she says about the memories from Paris last summer.

» Updated: 24 October 2024, 15:39

» Published: 24 October 2024

"It was tough to follow the girls from home"
Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT

In just a week, national team captain Tomas Axnér will select the squad for the European Championship in Hungary, Austria, and Switzerland, which starts on November 28.

Therefore, this week's two national team matches against Spain may be extra important for Sofia Hvenfelt. She needs to show that her knee is holding up and that she is ready for the European Championship games.

But I don't see it as do-or-die matches. I'm aware that the national team coaches are also keeping an eye on what I do in the club, and I've managed to play three matches. These national team matches will be important, but there are also more matches that will influence the decision, she says.

"Happy and sad at the same time"

Axnér included Hvenfelt in the squad when he realized that her knee was fully recovered and that she had started playing matches for her German club Ludwigsburg.

She'll get some good training sessions and will play in the matches, then we'll make an assessment of how much, what's best for her in terms of workload. She's a player who's relevant for the championship, he says.

Middle six Sofia Hvenfelt got to play in the Olympic Games premiere against Norway last summer. After 25 minutes, a Norwegian player fell over her knee, and that was the end of the Olympic Games.

It was incredibly tough, of course. Frightening. At the same time, I tried to find positive things – being proud and happy about getting my Olympic debut, playing the first match, and being part of the win over Norway. Injuries happen, and sometimes they come at bad times, she says about what she herself calls crisis management of the injury.

I was then quite grateful that it was "only" a ligament that was injured. So, there were many emotions – tough and grateful and sad and happy at the same time. It was tough to follow the girls from home, but I also thought they did a great job, which was uplifting.

Will resemble the Olympic team

The national handball team meets Spain in Eskilstuna tonight and in Gävle on Saturday. Already next week, Axnér will select the European Championship squad. This week's matches will thus be the only ones before the European Championship selection, but it's not something that has any greater significance for Axnér, since it wasn't so long ago that the national team played a championship – the Olympic Games in Paris, where they finished fourth.

Moreover, all players are motivated to continue in the national team. And the basics are in place, he says.

The European Championship squad will therefore likely be quite similar to the Olympic team.

Corrected: In an earlier version, Sofia Hvenfelt's last name was misspelled.

Born: April 23, 1996.

Position: Middle six.

Clubs: Nödinge SK –2012, Önnered 2012–2016, H65 Höör 2016–2020, Copenhagen 2020–2023, Ludwigsburg 2023–.

National team matches/goals: 30/36 (debut 2018).

Championships: World Championship 2023, Olympic Games 2024.

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Quick Hero - Arsenal to Quarterfinal
1 MIN READ

Quick Hero - Arsenal to Quarterfinal

Confirmed: Frida Karlsson Competes in the Swedish Premiere
1 MIN READ

Confirmed: Frida Karlsson Competes in the Swedish Premiere

Hammarby's anger after the celebration: "Disgusting"
2 MIN READ

Hammarby's anger after the celebration: "Disgusting"

Frustrated Frölunda fell: "Worst we've done this year"
2 MIN READ

Frustrated Frölunda fell: "Worst we've done this year"

Confirmed: Guardiola Extends with Manchester City
1 MIN READ

Confirmed: Guardiola Extends with Manchester City

Sweden in European Championship final after thriller: "Proud and happy"
1 MIN READ

Sweden in European Championship final after thriller: "Proud and happy"

Blytung comeback for Åberg: "A bit rusty"
2 MIN READ

Blytung comeback for Åberg: "A bit rusty"

Hammarby set a new attendance record: "Love every single one"
3 MIN READ

Hammarby set a new attendance record: "Love every single one"

Referee suspended after Isak-miss
1 MIN READ

Referee suspended after Isak-miss

Super strikers in qualifying – Värnamo equalized late
2 MIN READ

Super strikers in qualifying – Värnamo equalized late

Sjöström's Criticism: "Would Have Been a Worthy Winner"
2 MIN READ

Sjöström's Criticism: "Would Have Been a Worthy Winner"

Tough for Team Edin - misses European Championship semifinal
1 MIN READ

Tough for Team Edin - misses European Championship semifinal

Roberts: Nothing is broken in any case
2 MIN READ

Roberts: Nothing is broken in any case

Rookies get a chance in the World Cup premiere
2 MIN READ

Rookies get a chance in the World Cup premiere

MFF confirms: Dahlin has a cruciate ligament injury
1 MIN READ

MFF confirms: Dahlin has a cruciate ligament injury

Operated on after horror injury – testicle burst
1 MIN READ

Operated on after horror injury – testicle burst

Guide: Everything you need to know ahead of the distance premiere
2 MIN READ

Guide: Everything you need to know ahead of the distance premiere

Haak's Joy: Gets to Defend the Title - in Sweden
1 MIN READ

Haak's Joy: Gets to Defend the Title - in Sweden

Poromaa misses the Swedish premiere
1 MIN READ

Poromaa misses the Swedish premiere

Kosovo appeals the decision affecting Sweden
1 MIN READ

Kosovo appeals the decision affecting Sweden