The 26-year-old Costa first got in touch with beach handball when he was still a kid and his indoor team set up a beach handball team.
“I started to appreciate the game since the beginning. It became more serious when we created a club to play in the Portuguese championship and we started to have good results,” Costa recalls.
“I love this sport because I feel that I am really happy on the court. There is nothing more rewarding than doing what we love, and I love the show that characterises beach handball.”
Of course, beach handball is more than just fun or show for Costa, it is also about performing. He had a breakthrough moment at another home tournament, the EHF Champions Cup 2022, last autumn.
Led by Costa, who contributed 106 points, his club GRD Leça – Spar won bronze. On top of that, Costa was named the MVP of the tournament in Porto Santo.
“I wasn’t expecting to be the MVP of the Champions Cup in 2022, so I was really glad to see that my work paid off,” Costa says. “Also, because it shows that Portugal has really good teams and players in beach handball and our international level is getting higher.”
The MVP award gives Costa the lead in the men’s beach handball standings for the inaugural EHF Excellence Awards, which will honour the best players during a gala in Vienna on 26 June.
“It is the first time that the EHF Excellence Awards exist, so it is quite interesting to see that beach handball is starting to be more and more appreciated,” Costa says.
Apart from the Champions Cup 2022, two more beach handball events will count towards the EHF Excellence Awards: the ebt Finals 2023 in Antalya next month and, of course, the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2023.
Just another reason for Costa to give it his all in his hometown event this week.
photos © Uros Hocevar / kolektiff