Two teenagers represented Great Britain at the European Open Handball Championships in Sweden earlier this month.

Charlie Hardwicke and Jake Crapper, from Cirencester, both play for Stroud Handball Club and flew to the competition along with 14 other boys from all over the country.

Both Jake and Charlie are 16 and have just finished their GCSE’s.

The young team, with some still only 15, played eight demanding games against the host nation, Sweden as well as Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Belgium, Estonia, Russia and Austria.

It was the first time Great Britain had experienced the competition.

Unfortunately, they didn’t win any of their games but it was a brilliant opportunity for the team to learn and perform on the world stage against large crowds.

They will be looking to improve ahead of next year’s European Championships, which will take place in August.

Both Charlie and Jake will now turn their attention to pre-season training and selection for their second Great Britain cap at an Under 18s tournament in Portugal in September.