The IHF World’s Best Female player in 2012, Brazilian star Alexandrina Do Nascimento talks for Serbia2013.com about the upcoming Women’s World Championship in Serbia and the chances of Brazilian team. Lefthander from Austrian HYPO looking forward to another great handball event…
During the last EHF week, you have played and won the tournament in Hungary, where Brazil beat teams as Norway, Croatia and Hungary. Are you satisfied with the team’s form and atmosphere?
– We don´t have a lot of time to prepare ourselves for the WCh, so we need to use every opportunity to try ourselves and the torunament in Hungary helped us a lot to improve. The atmosphere is always good, when all Brazilians gather, so we look forward with a positive attitude to the WCh.
Is Brasil capable to take the first historical medal in Serbia?
–  We failed in the last times in the quarterfinals, only minor things were missing. We certainly hope that this time we can go further and win a medal. If you take a look at recent years in handball, none of the teams win a medal at first, you need hard work and commitment for winning it, that´s our goal what we work on in our clubs.
You will play in Group B with Serbia, Denmark, Japan, China and Algeria. What are expectations from the clashes and who is the first favorite to win the group?
–  I hope it´ll be Brazil winning the group. We hope to achieve this and we know that we have to give 100% in every match. At the end it won´t matter who is first or second, important matches will be the 1/8 finals and 1/4 finals.
Who are the favorites to take the gold in Serbia?
–  Brasil ! (she laughs) In Hungary we have played against Norway B and despite the top players were missing, they showed a great fast handball. This team uses same style as Norway A, so if you make a mistake, they punish you with quick counterattacks. For me they´re number one favourite for gold medal.
As the best world’s players award by IHF in 2012, do you feel pressure with that “prize on your back”. All eyes are on you…
–  There is no pressure really. When I play handball, I try to give my best and besides that also support my colleagues. Just like in Hypo NÖ, where I help younger, inexperienced players to become better.
After China and Brasil, WWCh is coming to Serbia – back to Europe. What are your expectations from new big handball event?
– Honestly I don´t know much about the country, and as we´ll focus on handball all the time, we will only have little opportunity to visit sights or cities. For sure, we´ll only have few fans in the arenas. We are expecting a full loud hall for the match against Serbia – concludes Alexandra.
Jozsef
13. November 2013. at 08:15
I agree
They have a very good team with Alexandra and don’t forget Eduarda Amorim, who is one of the top feft back. Montenegro is also a factor, together with Norway, they are wonderful teams. I wish Hungary could compete with them too, but what I saw in the tournament, which was mentioned by Alexandra, we (Hungarians) should work hard to be a factor too
G
6. November 2013. at 17:34
I think, now Brasil has a chanche to win meadal. They are mentaly strong, they have some world class players and beside that good players on all positions. Maybe playmaker is the only position where a good player is missing. If they can play their quick game, they have good chanche for medal.
Beside Norway, also Central-European teams like Montenegro, Romania, Hungary can also stop them, if they manage to slow down their play.
Lets see, what Brazil will reach in the group against Denmark and Serbia!