U21 World Cup in Poland: THW Kiels Pabst and Kutz fight for gold!

U21 World Cup in Poland: THW Kiels Pabst and Kutz fight for gold!

An exciting event is just around the corner: the U21 Junior Handball World Championship begins in Poland on June 19th. The German national team will also be represented in this high-class competition, and two stars from THW Kiel will be central figures on the pitch. Linus Kutz and Henri Pabst, both talented players from the traditional Kiel club, have already attracted impressive attention during their preparation and now want to prove themselves on the international stage. The duo received their first professional contracts with THW Kiel and have been part of the club since 2019.

The team, led by national coach Martin Heuberger, is optimistic about the preliminary round. The German handball players will compete in their group against Serbia, Switzerland and Tunisia, each at 9 p.m. Pabst, who leads the team as captain, has big goals. “We want to finish the group phase with three wins,” he said confidently. In the last friendly matches against Portugal, both of which were won, the team showed that they are in good shape and ready for the challenges of the World Cup.

Move to the 2nd league

But it's not just the World Cup that's on the agenda. After the tournament, another step in the careers of the two players awaits: Both Kutz and Pabst will leave THW Kiel for the 2nd league. Kutz is moving to VfL Eintracht Hagen, who finished eighth in the second division last season, while Pabst is going to TuS N-Lübbecke, who finished 15th. The changes are intended to give both players the opportunity to gain more match practice, a crucial experience in their development as handball players.

Even THW managing director Viktor Szilagyi praises the performance of both players and describes these transfers as logical steps. Kutz, who has impressed in training and in the third division, has signed a professional contract for the next two years. Pabst is also hoping for more playing time in Lübbecke and sees the World Cup as the perfect platform to learn and develop for his future challenges.

Successes and challenges

Both players can already look back on some success: Kutz was part of the U17 national team in 2022 that won the gold medal at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF). Pabst, on the other hand, celebrated winning the bronze medal with the German U18 national team at the 2022 European Championships. These successes underline their potential and show that they know how to perform in pressure situations.

Overall, German handball fans can look forward to exciting games and the opportunity to get to know the next talents in handball. The U21 Handball World Championship, which has been held every two years since 1977, promises not only high-class sport, but also the chance for players to prove themselves at an international level. Meanwhile, as defending champions, Germany will take on the challenge of winning again the gold medal they won in Berlin in 2023.

Please also visit the official pages of the International Handball Federation (IHF) for all information about the World Cup and the German national team.