Olympics-Handball-Denmark brush aside Japan as European teams make strong starts

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Handball - Men - Group A - Germany v Spain - Yoyogi National Stadium - Tokyo, Japan - July 24, 2021. Jorge Maqueda of Spain in action REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

TOKYO (Reuters) - World handball champions Denmark started their bid to capture back-to-back Olympic gold medals by thrashing hosts Japan 47-30 in their opener at the Yoyogi National Stadium on Saturday.

Denmark rode on three-times World Player of the Year Mikkel Hansen's five goals to end the first half with a 25-14 lead as Japan, who are competing in men's handball at the Games for the first time since Seoul 1988, struggled to get into the contest.