Moroccan-French Star Nawal Hatta Leads Bergerac Handball to Breakout Season

Versatility, energy, liveliness, grit, experience and permanent optimism. These are the words that describe the personality of Nawal Hatta, who joined the Bergerac Périgord Pourpre Handball (BPPH) in September, after the sudden departure of coach Laurent Duarte. Her arrival is actually motivated by the latter. "I didn’t want to take over. But on the one hand there was the Moroccan selection that had solicited me for the African Cup of Nations in November, and on the other hand Laurent Duarte who was telling me that he was leaving for Bergerac," details Nawal to Sud Ouest. Previously, the native of Libourne had played in Mérignac, with Laurent Duarte, in Lège-Cap-Ferret, Blanquefort, Bordeaux Étudiants Club, Saint-Loubès, and Mios.

With the 36-year-old player, the BPPH is gaining momentum. "The girls have done a lot of work with these seven wins in eight games, and there was physical and moral fatigue. We cut ten days, before doing two physical sessions last week and then working normally again this week," notes current coach Michel Cassier. He does not hesitate to extol Nawal’s qualities. "She is a small-framed, right-handed player who plays right back, which is not common. She has a lot of experience, an iron mentality, a lot of energy, liveliness, grit in defense, and in addition she gives a lot in the life of the group and the club, with her optimistic and positive character," he describes.