HOOROO, MATE: THANKS BEVAN: Bevan Calvert’s story is extraordinary. It tells of an Australian who left home at the age of 18 and set out on a journey of more than 16,000 kilometers to pursue his passion for handball in Europe. Fourteen years later, he appeared on the very large club stage last summer: Bevan left everything behind and took time off from his main job to help THW Kiel out of a jam. And so the story became his black and white fairy tale.
(Story reprinted from the THW Kiel website as authorised by Christian Robohm, THW Kiel Presssesprecher, July 2, 2021)
FROM THE KANGAROOS TO THE BULLS TO THE ZEBRAS: From the kangaroos to the bulls to the zebras – the story of Bevan Calvert reads like the content of a film: An Australian gets to know and love handball, which is completely unknown to his compatriots, goes out into the wide world for his new sport and ends up with him 34 years in the professional team of one of the best clubs in the world. The right winger’s first handball station outside of his Australian homeland was the Danish second division club Ribe HK. Born in Sydney, Calvert joined TSV Altenholz in 2009 through TM Tønder. After five years at the gates of Kiel, it went to the third division club MecklenburgerStiere Schwerin until 2014, and Bevan Calvert has been wearing the jersey of the 2nd team of the THW Kiel since 2018 and is now also their assistant coach.
FIRST AUSTRALIAN TO WIN THE TITLE IN GERMANY: But the 35-year-old’s special handball story doesn’t end here. Last summer, while preparing for Niclas Ekberg and Sven Ehrig, the regular right wingers of the professional team of THW Kiel were injured, and Bevan Calvert was promoted to the right wing of the record champions by coach Filip Jicha. First he was the first Australian ever to make his debut in the EHF Champions League, then he was the first Australian to celebrate his first title in German professional handball by winning the “Pixum Super Cup” Bundesliga goal. “Every minute with this team is a miracle,” said Calvert enthusiastically after winning the derby.
THE CULMINATION OF AN EXCITING CAREER: When he came to Europe from “down under” handball, he “never dreamed of experiencing something like this.” Not only did he gain a lot of experience on the big handball stage with the zebras: Bevan Calvert took part in a total of five world championships with the national team of his home country and was even their captain. After this season in the Handballloberhaus, Bevan Calvert is now going all the way back to the second team of the zebras, and that with many cinematic stories in the luggage. 12 games in the THW jersey with the number “25”, four goals, a time penalty, Super Cup winners and German champions: sober facts and figures from a handball fairy tale. Hooroo, mate – Thank you Bevan.
______________________________
Pictures by: Sascha Klann
