Acceleration and Speed Profiles by Playing Position in Elite Women’s Handball: Insights From the EHF EURO 2024

PURPOSE: Recent rule changes in team handball have increased the relevance of sprinting and acceleration for performance outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the acceleration-velocity profiles of elite female players during the Final Weekend of the Women's EURO 2024. METHODS: Sixty-four players from the 4 finalist teams (19 wings, 33 backcourts, and 12 line players) were monitored using a validated Local Positioning System. Data were processed in Python, using dual-pass Butterworth filtering to refine the signal and determine each player's maximum velocity. Peak acceleration and distance covered at speeds exceeding 4 m/s were calculated, and all running trajectories exceeding 90% of each player's individual maximum velocity were considered for the final analysis, with a 3-second buffer added before and after each event for descriptive purposes. Results were grouped by playing position and 2 game phases (fast breaks or defensive transitions). RESULTS: Wings covered significantly greater distances and exhibited higher peak speeds and accelerations than backcourt and line players (P > .001). No significant differences in intensity metrics were found between offensive and defensive transitions; however, the trajectory analysis revealed that maximal-intensity actions occurred nearly twice as often during defensive transitions. CONCLUSION: In-competition assessment of individual acceleration-velocity profiles provides valuable insights for coaches seeking to manage high-speed running loads across training sessions or microcycles. Position-specific data may also help design training tasks that more accurately replicate real match demands.