Relaxing towards the World Cup was not an option for Bo van Wetering. The 24-year-old handball player has been struggling with a shoulder injury in recent weeks, which suddenly made it a race against time. “It’s going in the right direction,” says the hopeful Heerhugowaardse.
She was sidelined for more than two months with a nasty shoulder injury. “I had to build it up slowly and the shots were at sixty percent. Now that is a lot better,” she says just before the start of the World Cup. “It was very difficult at times. It was just very uncertain. It is difficult at times. You just have to pay close attention to how things are going.”
For Van Wetering, the recovery ultimately took longer than she expected. She will only play a match for the first time next weekend. “I was able to participate fully in training, so that makes a difference.”
Third World Cup
In 2019, Van Wetering accompanied the Dutch team to the World Cup for the first time. Then she eventually returned as a talent with a gold medal around her neck. She has now become an indispensable part of the Dutch team and so her role has clearly changed. “I notice that I have developed as a handball player,” says Van Wetering, who can now handle pressure better, especially. “It was different at the first tournament. You are new and it is very exciting, but I have known everyone for a lot longer so it feels very good.”
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At the World Cup, the Netherlands is in a group with Argentina, Congo and the Czech Republic. The first match is on Thursday, November 30 in Fredrikshavn against the Argentinians. The World Cup final will take place on Sunday, December 17.