Hungary out to defend U20 women’s world crown

Overview

Hungary fended off Spain two years ago in Coimbra, Portugal for its first world crown following one previous visit to the gold-medal final (2011). It has also won three bronze medals, including 2021, and finished fourth on a further three occasions.

Spain is riding high momentarily and was in the last two finals, winning the crown at Netanya, Israel in 2021. Spain previously won the title in 2011 in Trieste, Italy and has six medals.

United States of America and Australia have the most medals for this level of competition with the former an eight-time medallist and the latter securing seven.

USA, which contains Singapore 2025 Media All Star member Emily Ausmus, will be gunning for a fifth crown after a dismal 10 years since winning in Volos, Greece in 2015. USA has played five finals and also won three bronze medals. The resurgence of the new-look senior team in Singapore will add impetus to a nation that was fourth in last year’s U18 titles and winner two years before that.

Spain, which includes Olympic champion Isabel Piralkova, and Greece — fronting with world champions Dionysia Koureta, Nefeli Krassa and Foteini Tricha — filled the top two spots at the U18 worlds and have players filtering into the senior teams, let along those here in Salvador. Greece is particularly on a high, the senior women having won both the World Cup and World Championships this year.

As with these events, the top eight teams from 2023 are seeded into the main two groups in Salvador with the lower two groups having the harder route to the quarterfinals, having to win their groups and then beat the bottom teams from the top-tier groups. Thus, New Zealand was eighth and Australia ninth in 2023, showing how that result meant different fortunes in Salvador.

Groups

Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and Israel round out Group A.
Hungary, Greece, USA and Italy contest Group B.
Group C contains Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Croatia
Group D has Canada, South Africa, China and Australia.
Of the bottom two groups, expect Croatia, China and Australia to make an excellent showing.

History

While USA is hunting for a fifth title, there are no “gimmees” at this level and every nation has a strong reason for a podium finish. USA and Australia, have impeccable records in the early years but have been bereft in the past decade as new teams emerge.

Of the 16 teams fronting this year, nine teams have made the medal dais since this tournament began in Ste Foy, Canada in 1995 when Netherlands took gold over Australia, with USA securing the bronze from Greece.

The medal table shows the following in total medal order: USA (4G, 1S, 3B), Australia (2G, 3S, 2B), Russia (3G, 1S, 2B), Spain (2G, 3S, 1B), Netherlands (1G, 2S, 2B), Hungary (1G, 1S, 3B), Greece (1G, 2S, 1B), Canada (1G, 1S), China (1S) and Italy (1B).

Australia, Spain and USA are the only three teams to make five gold-medal encounters.

There have been 32 nations compete at this level with no newcomers this year, although Mexico returns after visits in 2003, 2011 and 2015. Croatia returns after its first effort in 2023 and is stacked with senior internationals while Argentina is back for a second tilt after playing in 2021. They are coincidentally joined in Group C with Mexico and Brazil.

International Springboard

A scan of the current national squads shows that a host of players from the 2023 championships have progressed to senior level and competed with distinction.

The following names are players who also contested this year’s senior championships in Singapore (and may not a complete list):

Argentina: Anahi Bacigalupo, Isabella Mastronardi, Maylen Sampedro.
China: Shao Yixin, Wang Beiyi, Zhang Jingwen, Zhang Yumian.
Croatia: Jelena Butic, Ria Glas, Neli Jankovic, Nina Jazvin, Nina Medic, Iva Rozic, Aurora Stipanov.
Greece: Dionysia Koureta, Nefeli Krassa, Foteini Tricha.
Hungary: Kata Hajdu, Eszter Varro.
Italy: Paola di Maria.
Netherlands: Pien Gorter.
New Zealand: Holly Dunn.
South Africa: Hannah Banks, Georgia Eccles,
Spain: Carlota Penalver, Isabel Piralkova.
USA: Emily Ausmus, Julia Bonaguidi.

First-Day Line-Ups

Group A has Netherlands facing Spain and New Zealand against Israel.
Group B has Hungary against USA and Greece taking on Italy.
Group C has Mexico against Argentina and Brazil playing Croatia.
Group D’s matches are Canada v China and South Africa against Australia.

Summary

The winner will probably come from Group A or B and teams like Hungary, Spain, USA and Greece will likely be in the leading contenders.
But be ready for upsets as the world’s best junior players 20 and under prove their credentials for senior-team berths ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic Games.