Staying fit and healthy, and maybe winning a trophy

Ferenc Laszlo is one of the organising forces behind Old Boys, which have teams in all different age groups. His anticipation for the upcoming event in Portugal is huge.

“The EHF Masters Championships have a very special atmosphere among all athletes and spectators. It is simply amazing,” Laszlo says. “Of course, we play to win matches and trophies, but the main aspect is to see all those senior players who you have known since decades. So many friendships have been generated all over the years thanks to those events.”

In 2003, Budapest Old Boys played their first EHF Masters Tournament in Vienna with their 45+ team, which finished runners-up right away. Later, the club took medals in all age categories, winning the 45+ competition eight times and the 50+ event on six occasions. Their 55+ team have one silver and one bronze medal.

This year, the 45+ team of Budapest Old Boys is set to play at Paredes, Portugal, while the 50+ and 55+ teams will take part in the Masters Handball World Cup in Omis, Croatia.

“The EHF Masters Championships are the perfect meeting point for teams from all over Europe. It is great to compete against the best teams of our age groups,” Laszlo says.

But for him, playing competitions – also in the Hungarian senior championships and the regional league in Budapest – is only one thing, the constant training, at least once a week, is another.

“At our age, it is important to stay fit and healthy. And if you are fit and healthy and you win a trophy, it is even better, and a nice recognition,” he says.

This is the aim of the EHF Masters Championship, which promotes physical activity and networking among experienced athletes, while providing the participants the opportunity to compete for trophies.

Paredes will host teams from six different categories during the four days of the tournament:

• Men: 35+/45+/50+/55+
• Women: 33+/43+

Per category, a maximum of 16 teams can participate and places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Deadline for registration is Tuesday 30 April 2024. Teams interested in taking part can contact EHF’s Claudia Brantl (brantl@eurohandball.com) for further information.