Almaty [Kazakhstan], October 10 : Captain Menica Thakur's decisive penalty ensured a shootout victory for Golden Eagles Bharat Club over Uzbekistan's Uzbechka HC to secure a tense third-place playoff at the 7th Asian Women's Club League Handball Championship at the Dostyk Universal Sports Complex in Almaty.
It is the second consecutive year an Indian club has claimed a podium finish in this prestigious tournament.
Led by Priyanka and Menica, Golden Eagles Bharat overcame an early deficit to level the score 11-11 at halftime. In the second half, Priyanka's last-second equalizer forced penalties, where Menica's decisive shot sealed a 3-2 shootout win after a 22-22 draw in full time.
"This victory means a lot to us and reflects how far Indian handball has come. The sport is growing, and we're starting to see what's possible with the right effort and support. I'm proud to be part of this team and excited for what the future holds for Indian handball," Menica was quoted in a release from the Handball Federation of India as saying.
As the Golden Eagles Bharat Women's Team battled for glory in Almaty, 1700 kilometres away, in Aligarh, the next batch of hand-picked handball talents was silently hard at work at the Golden Eagles Centre of Excellence - Handball. Aligarh's Pavna Industries has taken a keen interest in India's untapped handball potential and is helping develop the sport from the ground up through the Pavna Sports Venture and the Golden Eagles Centre of Excellence - Handball.
So far, the academy kids have participated in International Handball Federation events and the Youth World Championships, displaying certain evidence of the concept at work.
Priyanka, one of the budding handball talents recruited to the Golden Eagles Centre of Excellence - Handball, said: "It is an amazing place. The facilities here are top-notch, and we get everything we need to improve our game. The competition here is really tough, and that pushes us to get better every day. But it's not just about handball--they make sure we're taken care of in every way, from our training to our education. We're taught to work hard on the court and in school, and that really helps us grow as players and as people."
The overarching idea is to create a talent pipeline that commences at the Golden Eagles Centre of Excellence - Handball in Aligarh, passes through the domestic handball leagues, leads into international competitions, and eventually delivers Olympic-level athletes. With that strong emphasis on growth from the ground up, the Pavna-led handball revolution continues to brew quietly, limitless in scope.