interview
After two shoulder operations, handball player Annika Lott (23) from Thüringer HC was about to end her career. But now she is fighting with the German national team for participation in the World Cup. On Sunday (April 9th, 2023) the DHB selection will play the first of two qualifying games against Greece in Hamm. The second leg will take place in Greece on April 12. The winner goes to the World Championships in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which begin at the end of November.
sports show: Ms. Lott, since April 3rd you have been preparing for the World Cup qualifiers against Greece in Kamen-Kaiserau with the German national handball team. What has the focus been on in the past few days?
Annika Lott: We train properly and diligently. The focus was on being able to make the defense more variable. We got a few more moves and just want to position ourselves more flexibly.
What will matter in the games against Greece?
Lotte: I’m actually very excited. I don’t know the team personally. I’ve never played against Greece. The focus is on our game, that we pull this through. And then we’ll see what matters in the end. But I think our performance should be the priority, so we just show that we’re the favorites and go out there with a win.
The games against Greece will now decide whether the German team will participate in the World Cup. What is the pressure?
Lotte: The big goal is of course to go to the World Cup. That’s very clear. We’re the favorites and we just want to win the two games to get in there. There’s always some pressure, but we just believe in the team and the team that we can win this together.
You yourself have been through a long period of suffering. They had to have two shoulder surgeries in 2019 and 2021. Even a career end was in the room. How do you look back on this time?
Lotte: First of all, I have to say that I’m just super happy to be here. It’s always an honor to play for the national team. I’m just happy to be there, especially after my shoulder injury, where I thought maybe it’s the end now. But I fought my way up again. I had a good rehab and managed to get back into it. I am just happy.
Was there a turning point during your injury break when you realized: Yes, I can play handball at the top level again?
Lotte: After the rehab I noticed that I was slowly getting back into my old form and it just kept getting better. My move from Buxtehuder SV to Thüringer HC was also the perfect step for me and the season went well for me personally and for the team right from the start. That’s when I realized it was working. That’s why I was very happy about the invitation to the course.
Has the time during your injury changed you personally?
Lotte: Definitive. It has become clear to me that health is the priority in competitive sports. Because without the body you can’t make it all the way to the top. You have to be sensitive to that. I believe everyone has the best feeling for their own body. And I took that with me extremely from the time.
What would a World Cup participation mean to you?
Lotte: Very, very much. If I could be there personally, it would be a dream come true. The goal is simply to win the two games against Greece for us to be there. Everything else – what the squad looks like – we’ll see then.
The German team won the three-country tournament with Poland and Hungary. They themselves played a major role in the victory against Poland with six goals. At the European Championships last year, however, the DHB selection missed the semi-finals. Where does the team currently stand compared to the world leaders?
Lotte: That’s a good question. I’ve only been able to do a few training sessions with the team now. I can’t really say. Sure, the EM was another step forward. I think every tournament advances a team and keeps the structure growing together. The next step has to be that we are simply more variable in attack and also in defence, so that we can continue to attack at the top of the world.
What makes the team strong at the moment?
Lotte: The good team structure. Everyone stands up for everyone. And then we come forward from a solid, strong defense into the fast paced game. You could see that in the last international match against Poland, that our goal is simply to put up a consistent defense and then play quickly forward. That is and should be one of our strengths.
You also have exciting weeks ahead of you at the club. With Thüringer HC they are sensationally in the final four of the European League. The championship is still there. Is it difficult to focus on the national team?
Lotte: When you’re invited to the national team, the focus is of course on the national team. In the week and a half now, you don’t really think about the club at all. Of course you know how tough the next few weeks are going to be, but right now I’m living here and I’m doing my best in every training session and I want to get as far as possible with the team. Also in training. That’s why I would say that the club is not in the foreground here.
What are your personal goals for the rest of the season and beyond?
Lotte: I want to step on the gas with the club in the Final Four. It would be a big goal and a big dream to be in the final. I personally want to put in a good performance there with the whole team. I always say it’s a team sport. It’s not about individuals. I want to stay in the squad with the national team and show what I’m made of.