“I am very happy that after 10 years, Slovakia have qualified for the EURO, and I can be part of it. For me personally, representing my country is a great honour. It is one of the biggest and toughest tournaments in the world, and I can’t wait to participate,” said the right back.
Slovakia are not a regular participant in major events; this will only be their fifth appearance since gaining independence (twice at the World Championships and three times at the continental championships). Only one player who competed at the EHF EURO 2014 is named in the initial Slovak squad for this year’s tournament: left wing Réka Bízik.
“For every athlete, this is an exceptional event. We can say that for us it is a significant achievement since we fought our way here on our own. I believe this will start to happen regularly,” says Lancz.
Slovakia have recently completed two blocks of preparation, with their latest competition at the Carpathian Trophy in Cluj, Romania. There, Lancz confirmed her scoring ability, leading the Slovak national team to third place with 26 goals.
“I have fighting spirit and leadership in my veins and I owe that to my parents. I have never had a problem taking responsibility, as I know that whether in a negative or positive situation, my amazing team will always stand by me,” Lancz says, confirming she is ready to play a key role at the EHF EURO.