With over 750 players competing in 280 games across six age groups in nine different men’s and women’s events, the Jarun Cup 2025 beach handball event has many names to keep an eye out for.
Amongst those names and talent one well-known surname in Croatian sport stands out – Gvardiol.
While football fans will associate the name with Joško Gvardiol, the current Manchester City defender, who is also close to 50 appearances for Croatia, the name means something completely different in the global beach handball community, as it belongs to his older sister, Franka, who is playing for BHC Zagreb at the Jarun Cup 2025, and has also appeared for the national side as well.
A wide range of sporting options
Humble and determined, Franka impresses everyone who meets her or watches her play with her performance and attitude towards the sport and coming from a global handball powerhouse like Croatia, it is no surprise how Franka discovered the sandy sport.
“As a child, I wanted to try every sport: tennis, athletics, and so on. One day, my dad asked me if I’d like to try handball, and that’s how the love began – I started playing indoor handball when I was eight,” explains the player, who used to play for Trešnjevka, Libra Tehničar, Lokomotiva and Udarnik. “Later, when I was 12, I started playing beach handball.”
Like any elite athlete, the balance of life comes with the territory and during her academic studies, Franka admits it was difficult to balance all her obligations due to the constant travel. Handball training often suffered so Franka made the decision to stop playing the indoor version of handball a year ago.
“Indoor handball is hard. I used to play as a centre back, which always required thinking ahead and having a strategy ready,” explained the player who cites former Norway and multiple Olympic, World and European medallist Stine Oftedal Dahmke as one of her favourites.
“People often assume beach handball is easier, but I wouldn’t agree. For all my teammates, this sport means a lot, and when we’re on the court, there’s always positive pressure. I can’t say I miss indoor handball because this amazing BHC Zagreb team makes up for everything.”
A home on the sand
Her team have impressed so far at the Jarun Cup 2025, winning four of their five games to secure a place in the pre-quarter-finals.
“We’ve had four wins so far and I hope we’ll reach the final this time,” explained the 25-year-old. “Last year we lost the match for third place. One of my biggest wishes is to win a medal with BHC Zagreb at the Jarun Cup. This place just feels like home.”
Home is an understatement for Franka, not only are her team from the capital city of Croatia where it is being played, Zagreb, but they are part of the hard work which goes on behind the scenes, setting up the event and making sure it runs smoothly, all while playing and focusing on the championship itself and those crucial EHF European Beach Tour (ebt) points for the season.
But it will be tough, with 24 teams in both the men’s and women’s senior events each – the highest ever, something which Franka says has made the 2025 event one to remember already.
“Since I’m part of the organising team, I can say this is the best edition ever, with the highest number of teams,” she explains. “I want to praise everyone involved – from the volunteers to the organisers. Everyone has given their best because they simply love sport.”
Representing her family, representing Croatia
Franka has already represented the Croatia women’s national beach handball team before, on the IHF Beach Handball Global Tour and in last year’s European qualifiers.
A regular part of the national team training camps, she hopes to continue to collect as many appearances as possible in her favourite shirt, but her modesty is evident, when asked about the secret to success in professional sport for both her, and her brother.
“As for Joško, he’s a natural talent, but he has combined that with hard work and discipline,” she explains. “He’s constantly concentrating on football, even when he’s off the field, but I also have to mention our dad, who used to took us to training and supported us his whole life.”
Franka’s father Tihomir, used to play football in his youth, and Franka along with Joško and other sister Lorena, inherited his passion for sport.
So when the family gets together, does Franka train together with Joško?
“We went for a run together once, and it didn’t go well,” she says, laughing. “Joško was wearing a GPS on his hand so couldn’t stop, and I just couldn’t keep up with him. In the end, he told me he will do a few more laps and that I can go back home.
“When we were really little, my brother used to come to my training sessions at the club. Dad would also take us to the school yard where we played all sorts of sports together. I remember always being the goalkeeper, and Joško would shoot really hard.”
With such a famous surname in the world of Croatian sport, there is one last question to ask – does carrying the Gvardiol surname feel like a burden or does it provide motivation?
“No, it’s not a burden. Everyone has their own story, but I’m very proud of him,” she says. “When it comes to our tournaments, I’d say we (BHC Zagreb and the Jarun Cup staff) are like a family. We’ve known each other for years, even before the public knew who my brother was.”
Words: Tea Šeparović
Pictures: Paweł Jakubowski/PAWI.PL