For the sixth time the Australian team participate at a Men’s World Championship . and since 2003 the “Aussies” wait for a single victory. Now they believe that their time has come in Sweden. “We have a really strong team with certain skills,” coach Taip Ramadani says. In the Preliminary Round the Australians had tough opponents like Croatia or Denmark, but they improved from match to match. “We had really good performances against Serbia and Algeria, especially our defense is working well,” player Bevan Calvert says.

A World Championship is a very special experience for the team from down under. “Normally we don’t play more than five international matches a year,” coach Ramadani explains: “And the preparation for a tournament is quite difficult.” They don’t have a real league system in Australia, only local and regional competitions in the big cities. So all the players and Ramadani hope that a National League is going to be installed, but: “We need support in every things, organizational support, financial support, sportive support.”

The Aussies met on 28 December in Karlskrona, Sweden, for their WCh preparation. All costs to participate at and prepare for a World Championship are borne by the players themselves. “For us a dream comes true to be part of a World Championship and to meet World class players like Mikkel Hansen or Ivano Balic,” Calvert says. For him the support of spectators from other countries means a great motivation: “To be in the big Malmö Arena and Danes shout and cheer for you, is great and gives you extra power.”

And they need this power to make their dream come true: to win one or even better two matches. “We have reached the level now to beat an opponent,” Ramadani hopes for the President’s Cup. And in the last match of the Preliminary Round an Australian was awarded “man of the match” for the first time in Sweden: Tommy Fletcher - another small step to come closer to the more developed nations.