Nikola, one of the most important backup in French team, is now in Kransodar, Russia, to prepare the Olympics in Beijing. His brother, Luka, who plays for Montpellier Agglomération HandBall, prepares for the final tournament of the Men’s 20 European Championship (24th July - 4th August) in Romania. And Branko, the father of the boys, joined Luka in Egypt as the goalkeepers coach of the team. Finally, Ludmilla, "Lala", is the only one of family at home, waiting patiently news about "her" men under the sun of Montpellier.
Niko, topscorer against Russia
Les Blues won yesterday evening the first preparation game for the Olympic Games, 31:30 (15:17) against Russia, in Krasnodar. With 8/2 goals, exactly like Bertrand Gille, Nikola was not only the best goalscorer of his squad, but also of the match. The voyage to Russia was very long and the night before the game the opposite. The French team landed in Russia around 3 o´clock in the morning and arrive in the hotel to sleep 5 o´clock. So no wonder that they couldn´t perform at their best, but the fact that they won the dispute is surely a good sign.
Luka sweats in Egypt
Thousands kilometres away, another Karabatic has to do. This one is called Luka, is 20 years old, and began to play handball in less than an year, "transfering" from tennis. He trains hard for the Men’s 20 European Championship. He is 2,02 metres tall and eager to learn every day. In his opinion, the work is the only solution to make one´s way among the best. He plays as pivot and his favourite sector of the match is the defense. To block, to perturb his opponent and to impede him to play, that is what Luka likes the most. It is clear that his body is of advantage and that the tennis, that he has practised for a long period, helped him to react precisely and fastly.
His father is also there as the coach of the goalkeepers, while the mother, "Lala", finds herself home, in Montpellier. She watches her sons from distance, due to press reports and phone talks with Branko and Niko. A situation not easy to manage, but she has all the reasons to be proud of her boys. And vice versa...
