Madjovska’s long wait pays dividends at EHF EURO 2022

When Simona Madjovska answered the call that came from a North Macedonian number, she could not believe what she was hearing.

“I cannot say it was a dream because I was not even dreaming about it at that point. It was just an outpour of emotion, something that made me very, very happy and really, really proud,” says Madjovska now, on the eve of her debut at the EHF EURO for North Macedonia’s women’s national handball team.

At the other end of the line, the President of the North Macedonian Handball Federation just informed Madjovska that she was called up for the first time for the national side, something that the left back just gave up after being omitted for so many times.

Since that moment, Madjovska became a mainstay for North Macedonia, featuring in 15 matches, becoming an integrant part of the co-hosts of the EHF EURO 2022, who are playing at the final tournament for the first time in 10 years – and 14 years after they hosted the tournament.

“We are all nervous about the start of the tournament, but it is very difficult to explain in words the feeling that is in the team. It is not pressure, there are not difficult feelings, we are just eager to take the court, play the games and enjoy ourselves,” says the 29-year-old left back, who played under her maiden name Stojkovska until she got married last June.

“Hopefully, we will make everyone proud, including our excellent fans, because what they are doing is just immense, contributing to a superb atmosphere in the stands.”

Madjovska took up handball in her hometown of Bitola, moved to Skopje, where she featured for WHC Metalurg, then in Greece at AC PAOK and is playing now in the German Bundesliga, for BSV Sachsen Zwickau.

Her excellent performances brought her back into attention for North Macedonia and with no hard feelings for Madjovska, she quickly accepted the call-up and started her career in the national team aged 27.

Now, she has become one of the most important players in the squad, is also one of the most experienced, and one of the few that is currently plying her trade in a foreign league.

“I think I am the third oldest player in the squad, but that does not matter much, we all want to do well. Of course, we have been handed a very tough group, but we cannot dwell on that, and we need to focus on what we have to do.”

“We will meet France in the first match, the debut match, and I think we could not have started with a tougher opponent. When you say France, you say the Olympic champions and that is a given that a very hard match will follow. They have amazing depth, as they can bring excellent players from the bench at any given time,” adds the North Macedonia left back.

There are few underdogs as big as North Macedonia in this edition of the EHF EURO 2022, especially in a group where more experienced teams will be eager to secure their main round berth as easy as possible.

But there is one ingredient to the mix that North Macedonia will surely benefit from. Namely, the amazing fans who have always supported their men’s and women’s national teams, irrespective of the destination.

“Handball is the No. 1 sport in North Macedonia, that is a certainty, because people live and breathe handball wherever they are. From the age of 7 to the age of 77, we all watch handball and enjoy the sport.”

“We had some amazing success, with Vardar in the Champions League and even in the past, with Kometal Gjorce Petrov, so the love for this sport was somewhat embedded into our DNA,” adds Madjovska.

Therefore, the A1 Arena SC Boris Trajkovski will surely be packed for the game against France, which will throw off the EHF EURO in Skopje. Over 3.000 tickets have already been sold, with others ex.pected to fly off the shelves on Saturday.

And Madjovska’s tone immediately changes when she talks about the atmosphere in Skopje.

“I was on the other side of the court, in the stands, with my family, and cheered for the teams, including the men’s one. I know the passion and the heart that are put in here, so it is very emotional,” says the left back.

“I can only imagine it: we will not hear the anthem, because the choir of voices will totally eclipse the music. I think I will be crying in that moment. I can already feel the goosebumps. Being here is just amazing.”