Tucson, AZ, WPH Press, 8/7/18– R48 Men’s #2 pro Sean Lenning enters the 2018 World Handball Championships coming off one of the best Race 4 Eight seasons of his career. “The Freak” advanced to three finals during the 2017/18 Race 4 Eight season and became the only player to defeat R48 #1 Killian Carroll in one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the Race 4 Eight in the finals of the 2018 R48 Royal Flush in Las Vegas.
Despite Lenning’s impressive 2017/18 R48 campaign, the Washington prodigy is not brimming with confidence entering next week’s World Championships. “The strong draw frightens me,” admitted Lenning. “I’m disappointed in myself for not being as prepared as I should be.”
Unsurprisingly, Lenning rates five-time defending world champion Paul Brady as the biggest threat to take the title. As for his path in the loaded draw, Lenning welcomes the opportunity to play first-time opponents. “I seem to be more motivated playing people I’ve never seen before. The fact that I’m not knowing what to expect out of them doesn’t seem to bother me too much, as I can figure it out in a couple of points. I just gotta know what their serves are doing, and after that, everyone plays about the same.”
Lenning will kickoff his World Championships against Ireland’s Patrick Clerkin, followed by a potential clash with the “Minnesota Dreamboat” Andy Nett, with a potentially mouthwatering quarterfinal showdown with Robbie McCarthy.
Despite Lenning’s lack of preparation and apprehension entering next week’s World Championships, no player would ever count “The Freak” out. Lenning possesses one of the most dangerous offensive artilleries in the history of the sport and is capable of making short work of even the very best in the sport. “If Lenning is on top of his game, he can blow anybody off the court,” declared R48 #5 “Lucho” Cordova.
Age: 4/18/1985
Height: 6’2
Hometown: Shoreline, WA
Residence: Shoreline, WA
Home court: Tucson Athletic Club
Favorite athlete: Rickey Henderson
Best/favorite shot: Sapos (lucky shot)
Highest Race 4 Eight Ranking: #1
Strengths: power, serve, unorthodox style, offense from anywhere on the court, fly kill
Summary: Sean Lenning is one of the most feared offensive players in the history of the sport with the ability to dominate any opponent at any time with a rare blend of power serves, fly kills, back wall kills, and off-balance kills. Known simply as “The Freak” for his ability to consistently make seemingly impossible shots, Lenning is always must-see viewing. Lenning added a new moniker to his freak persona: “The Thrill.” During the 2017-2018 R48 7 season, Lenning played three of the most exciting matches in R48 history in three consecutive events, complete with outrageous comebacks, collapses, and drama, making Lenning the Phil Mickelson of handball
Sean Lenning Thrills With a Hat Trick here
Race 4 Eight pro player bios here
To view the Men’s Open Singles draw at the World Championships, go HERE
To view the WPH World Championships preview, go HERE
Follow the World Championships at wphlive.tv and ushandball.org
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer