Game Analysis of Olympic, World and European Championships in Men’s Handball

Abstract

The development of men’s handball was analyzed using data from the Olympic, World and European Championships held within the last eight years. The most obvious change, especially within these last nine tournaments, was that men’s handball was played more dynamically and rapidly, both in attack and defense, especially by European teams. The first aim of this study was to conduct a technical analysis of current handball and to determine factors related to success in this sport discipline. The second aim was to compare the data of European Championships with other tournaments, considering the success of European teams in Men’s World Handball. The technical variables used to compare the tournaments included: the average number of attacks, the efficiency of attacks, the efficiency of goal throws, fast break goals per game, the efficiency of fast breaks, the efficiency of the goalkeeper, saves by the goalkeeper per game, number of turnovers per game, and the efficiency of position throws (wing, pivot, back court, break-through, fast break, and 7-meter). This technical analysis used cumulative statistics from the European Handball Federation and International Handball Federation. ANOVA revealed significant differences between the first eight teams in the European Championships and their counterparts in the other two tournaments (Olympics and World Championships) in terms of several technical variables. The results showed that the efficiency of fast break, pivot position and back court players affected the ranking in favor of the European teams in significant international tournaments.

Match Statistics as Predictors of Team’s Performance in Elite competitive Handball. [Estadística del partido como predictor del rendimiento de equipo en el balonmano de élite].

“…The effect of spatial position and time of plays on team performance have been widely studied (Celes, Vojvodic, and Skender, 2012;Foretić et al, 2010;Gutiérrez and Ruiz, 2013;Meletakos et al, 2011). However, other authors suggest that the number of shots per game could be an adequate indicator of team performance (Bilge, 2012). In this line, the present study shows that the number of throws is a significant variable in overall team performance.…”

“…Some researchers have highlighted the efficacy of fastbreak, pivot actions, and first line players in team success (Bilge, 2012), while others have shown negative correlations between goal attempts and goals scored in shots from six-and nine-metre (Foretić et al, 2010;Meletakos et al, 2011). Other studies have shown that, in isolation, goalkeeper actions are insufficient to increase the probability of winning a match, and that shot efficacy should be considered.…”

Perfil neuromuscular de atletas de handebol durante curta competição no Brasil

“…However, an addition effect might have led to greater changes in EIMD markers that would not be manifested after a single match, as previously described in a similar model 22 . However, considering that the most important TH competitions have a short-term, condensed characteristic 23 , it is also important to investigate the level of stress imposed to the neuromuscular system throughout them.…”

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“…The measurement and assessment of the game actions play an important role in planning the training process and competition (Bilge, 2012).…”

“…It was the edition with most teams participating, 16 in number; at the next edition decreases the number of teams to 11, and from 1980 to the present, the number of participating teams is 12. Designation of participating teams is as follows: the host team, World Cup finalists, winners of continental championships to which there are added the first 2 ranked each of the 3 qualifier tournaments.In the form with 12 participating teams, the number of games played by each team varies between 5 and 8, depending on the place in the rankings: places 1-8 -6-8 games, places 9-12 -5 games.The measurement and assessment of the game actions play an important role in planning the training process and competition (Bilge, 2012).The handball players must have a lot of motor skills enabling them to execute a wide range of techniques, with and without the ball, in terms of speed and strength in relationships with teammates and in opposition with the other team. Practicing handball at performance level requires a specific and sustained effort to meet the rigors of competition (Ghervan, 2006).…”