How did Anna Vyakhireva fall back in love with handball?

Eyebrows were raised when Anna Vyakhireva announced her temporary retirement from handball after the conclusion of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, when she won the silver medal, her second medal in the prestigious competition, after the gold from Rio 2016.

Vyakhireva was only 26 years old, but cited personal reasons for her decision, one that saw one of the best players in the world, a two-time MVP at the Olympic Games and the MVP of the Women's EHF EURO 2018, take a break.

One year later, the diminutive right back, one of the most talented players in the past decade, who earned her first MVP title at the Olympic Games when she was only 21 years old, is ready to take the handball world by storm once again.

And the reason for the comeback is not overcomplicated. In fact, like for every difficult question, the easiest answer is probably the simplest one.

“Well, during my break, I realised that I loved handball a lot and it is the only thing I can really do well,” laughs Vyakhireva when asked about her break.

Did she miss handball at all during her self-imposed break – before returning for Rostov-Don in the spring to win the national championship?

"I will be brutally honest here. I did not miss handball at all, nor did I regret my decision. It was nice to have a rest and help my body get back to the proper level to compete. It was also nice to do nothing.”

"But when I was finally back on the court, I realised that I love this sport, I love this life and I am ready to have a proper comeback," added the 27-year-old right back.

This comeback also brought another ambition for the MVP of the EHF EURO 2018, another challenge and a totally different landscape. For the first time in her star-studded career, Vyakhireva decided to move to a foreign club, which even for an experienced player like her can be difficult.

Meeting new teammates, adapting to a new lifestyle and setting up new on-court chemistry has all followed after Vyakhireva decided to sign for the reigning EHF Champions League Women champions, Vipers Kristiansand, who have won the title in the past two seasons.

Therefore, the challenge is huge, as Györi Audi ETO KC are only club that have won the EHF Champions League Women three seasons in a row.

"I am pretty excited about things that are now happening in my career. What happened is that I fell in love with handball again and I want to enjoy it as much as I can. And I am even happier to take part in the Champions League once again, which is the competition played at the highest level.”

“I will not lie; it is a challenge. I have been in Norway for the past two months and everything is still very raw and new. I can also say it is really different. But I like it - I would not have chosen this new challenge if I did not think that it was good," said Vyakhireva.

The 27-year-old right back is now eyeing the big prize in club handball, the EHF Champions League Women trophy, which she does not have on her CV, despite reaching the final in 2018/19 with Rostov-Don, when Györi Audi ETO KC secured a 25:24 victory to seal the title.

"The Champions League will be very unpredictable once again this season, but this also means it will only get more interesting. There are several teams who are very strong on paper and that could mean the level is going up."

"The EHF FINAL4 is a big goal, but there is still a lot of work to be done. It is very far away still. We will need to go step by step and see how the season unfolds," added the right back.

Of course, the eyes will be on Vyakhireva, especially as her choice was Vipers, where she will replace Nora Mørk, the second top scorer in last season's competition, who has already lifted the trophy six times.

"I am proud and honoured to play in such a team that is always aiming high," said Vyakhireva, who scored 267 goals in five seasons in the EHF Champions League Women for Rostov-Don, where she played between 2016 and 2022.

But if one player can fill big shoes, it is definitely Vyakhireva who, injury free, dazzles with her speed and strong shots. Vyakhireva is a perfect addition for Vipers, as consistent left-handed right backs are always hard to find.

Yet can Vyakhireva rediscover her own form and stay injury free?

"I do not want to grade my conditioning at the start of the season, because there is a long way to go until the end. Right now, I feel very good. Let’s just wait and see how I feel, I am curious too," concluded the right back.

Copyright and credit for the images used in this article belongs to Terje Refsnes.