Olympic Handball Ireland appoint new Board Members and Chairperson of Competitions Committee

Following a recent recruitment campaign the Board of Olympic Handball Ireland is delighted to announce the appointment of 2 new Board members.

Christina Barbosa-Gress

Christina was appointed to the Board in June 2025. For her, handball has been a lifelong passion. She played from the age of six in her native Germany and later became Irish Champion with Dublin City University during her European business studies in Ireland. Now settled in Ireland, Christina is looking forward to contributing her 20 years of expertise in Strategy and Governance, Marketing and Commercial to support the next growth phase of Olympic Handball in Ireland.

Coralie Picault 

"Coralie Picault is a dedicated French lawyer who has been practicing in Ireland since 2020. Passionate about law and committed to excellence, she brings international expertise to her work. 

Beyond her legal career, Coralie has a deep-rooted love for handball. Having started playing at the age of eight in France, she continued her journey in Dublin, where she has played for the past four years. During her time there, she not only played but also took on leadership roles within the women's team—serving as a captain, assisting as a finance officer, and helping beginners by leading training sessions. Her involvement extended beyond the court, demonstrating her dedication to fostering a supportive and thriving handball community.  

Her passion for sports extends far beyond handball—she thrives on new challenges, registering for running races as often as possible, playing badminton and tennis, and even embracing local sports like tag rugby. Always eager to discover something new, she continuously seeks fresh opportunities to challenge herself, both on and off the field. 

Her dedication to both law and sports reflects her drive, discipline, and teamwork—qualities that define her both professionally and personally." 

Both Christina and Coralie will go forward for ratification at the upcoming OHI 2025 Annual General Meeting. 

Get to know our Board of Directors

Competitions Committee 

The Board of OHI is also pleased to announce the appointment of Pierre Larraide to the role of Chairperson of the Competitions Committee for the next 2 years. 

Pierre is well known within handball circles in Ireland having played for Dublin City Handball Club and most recently Astra Handball Club. His attention to planning and organisation will be appreciated by his fellow committee members as will his commitment to fairness. 

Pierre has already met with representatives of the senior clubs in order to kick off preparation for the 25-26 handball season. 

OHI Secretary Michael Moloney made the following statement regarding the appointments:

“On behalf of the Board I am delighted to welcome Christina, Coralie and Pierre to the organisation. They bring with them skills which will benefit the current handball community and the handball players of the future. We thank them for their willingness to volunteer their time for the sport that they love. We hope to make further appointments at Board and at sub-committee level in the near future and would encourage anyone from the handball community or outside the handball community to make contact with OHI if they feel they could make a positive contribution.”