He doesn’t know for a long time whether he will make it to the home European Championships; his thigh is giving Rune Dahmke trouble. But then he can enjoy the world record start. The 30-year-old took part in the European Championship triumph in 2016, but he only learned about his full dedication to the sport through his world-famous girlfriend.
“That was the sickest thing I’ve ever experienced.” Rune Dahmke went into raptures after the German handball players’ start at the home European Championship. 53,586 spectators in the arena in Düsseldorf are also unique for the 30-year-old, who is used to success and is cheered on in everyday league life in the always sold-out 10,000-man arena in Kiel. “That was through my bones. I’ll never forget that. That really only happens in Germany and that makes me want more,” said the left winger, who experienced two goosebumps moments. “During the warm-up, when we ran into the hall and when the national anthem was played. That was brutal.”
Dahmke has really experienced a lot. With the THW Kiel he has already won everything there is to win for clubs: four times German champion, three cup winners, six times Supercup winner, and the EHF Cup and the Champions League title are also on his CV. He is also one of four players in coach Alfred Gislason’s European Championship squad, who sensationally became European champions in 2016 and sparked a hype in Germany as “Bad Boys”. It was he who saved the team into overtime in the semi-final against Norway; his 27:27 a few seconds before the end of regular time was an important milestone on the way to the title.
“I really wanted to do it”
The 27:14 win against Switzerland was casual, so the fact that he only scored one goal was probably of secondary importance to Dahmke. He had to give way to Lukas Mertens on the left wing, 13:48 minutes of playing time on the plate shows the role he currently plays on the plate. Dahmke is not in the top seven. No wonder, he is still not in top shape; he was slowed down by a thigh injury at the end of last year. The fact that he made it into the European Championship squad at all is probably due to his importance in the team. Because he wasn’t able to audition for Gislason, who knows him well from his time as Kiel coach, for a long time. “I wasn’t 100 percent sure at times because you never know how it will regenerate,” Dahmke now admits to handball-world.news after the first European Championship game. “But I really wanted to do it.”
At the games against Egypt, the test games before the extended 35-man squad was nominated, Dahmke was only there as a spectator. And he was also rested in the final tests against Portugal. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old, who was nominated for the 2018 and 2022 European Championships and was also in the squad for the 2023 World Cup, played a relevant part during the courses – in marketing. The Kieler is one of the models for the DHB collection, he is not only important on the record. “An absolute top guy, a first-class character, always puts himself at the service of the team,” is how teammate Timo Kastening characterized him for the sports information service before the European Championships. “Over the years I haven’t met a greater team player than Rune. It’s always nice to have him in your ranks.”
Deeply rooted in Kiel
They also see it that way at the Bundesliga club THW Kiel. The left winger was born in Kiel and has been playing there for the THW since 2008, and in the meantime he also played for two years with TSV Altenholz in the 3rd league, with the right to play twice, which achieved promotion with him. At the same time he was allowed to play in the Champions League. He has been a member of the Bundesliga squad since 2013 – and will remain there until at least 2026; the extension was recently announced. “Rune is pure identification: with THW Kiel, with the city, with his teammates, with our fans,” says managing director Viktor Szilagyi. “He is also a top performer in our team and can inspire his teammates. This combination made the decision easy for us.”
Dahmke is as deeply rooted in Kiel as he is in handball. His father Frank, who will celebrate his 61st birthday on Sunday when the Germans can qualify early for the main round with a win against North Macedonia, was born in Kiel. And played for THW Kiel for ten years – as well as six games for the national team. He missed Thomas Knorr, the father of today’s DHB playmaker Juri Knorr, by just a year. The next generation has taken over.
And they have their sights set on something, even if only goalkeeper Andreas Wolff spoke offensively before the start of the tournament about wanting to become European champions. When last year’s quarter-final against France at the World Cup ended, Dahmke spoke of the “cleverness” as a big difference to the co-favorites. “A lot of things are really good for us, but sometimes there’s also a lot of risk.” The aim is to do it better this time. The team structure seems to fit: “We’re all part of a unit. We’re just 16 to 19 guys who have a good time together. There’s not this huge hierarchy and everyone can say something and everyone can have fun,” says Dahmke before the second, groundbreaking game.
Life as a handball dream couple
The left winger was able to see how to get into a tournament final with his fiancée in December. He has been dating the Norwegian Stine Oftedal since 2017 and has been engaged since last summer. The 32-year-old has been a national player for many years and was even named world handball player in 2019. Even the successful Dahmke can learn something from their successes, he admits without envy. She has been three times world champion, five times European champion and has collected numerous other awards. “I find it incredibly impressive how much hard work goes into it and how much she has invested to be so successful,” he told the magazine “Bock auf Handball” last year. When training together he has to push himself “to his pain limit,” he admits. “Stine, however, pushed himself to the limit at least once a day even in his supposedly free time.” This joint training almost only takes place on vacation, the two have a long-distance relationship, Oftedal plays for the top Hungarian club Györi ETO KC.
Dahmke also told the magazine the story of getting to know each other: “We were playing with the THW in Paris at the time, and at that time Erlend Mamelund, also a Norwegian, was helping out with us. After the game, he talked to Stine, whose sister Hanna was also in Paris at the time played. Stine caught my eye immediately, and I then told Erlend that he had to introduce me. From then on the story took its course…” By the way, said sister Hanna provides another handball-relevant aspect in this one Love story: She is the wife of Sander Sagosen, the Norwegian handball superstar who played with Dahmke in Kiel until last year. At this European Championship, the two brothers-in-law could now face each other as competitors when there is a duel between Germany and Norway. A situation that both of them already know from previous tournaments.
Until then, North Macedonia and heavyweight France are waiting in the preliminary round. Dahmke’s focus has sharpened: “It’s going to be a real fight,” he warns about North Macedonia (Sunday, 8.30 p.m./ZDF, Dyn and in the ntv.de live ticker). “They also led against France for a while. We can assume that they will leave their hearts on the record. It won’t be a sure-fire success.” One thing that makes Dahmke positive about his fourth European Championship is that the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin is almost sold out, with just under 15,000 spectators able to fit in. “When you have a tournament at home, you have to take the euphoria with you.” Just like the “brutal” start.