Context matters when analyzing the peak match demands in women's handball?

Understanding the influence of contextual factors on peak demands (PD) is essential to maximize performance in handball. The aims of the study were: (1) to quantify the PD in women's handball through the rolling average method in four different time windows (i.e., 30-s, 60-s, 180-s and the full-match duration); (2) to examine the influence of four contextual factors (i.e., playing positions, match halves, level of the opponent and match outcome) on the PD. Twenty-two female players from the Spanish 2 nd Division were monitored across 13 official matches. Total distance covered (TDC), high-speed running (HSR), high-intensity accelerations (HIA) and high-intensity decelerations (HID) were collected using a local positioning system. Wings showed the highest PD, with higher TDC (+36–47%), HSR (+143–162%), HIA (+167–255%), and HID (+82–176%) than pivots in the 30-, 60-, and 180-s windows. All positions reached the peak values in the 30-s window. Comparing match halves, TDC decreased from the first to the second half by 16–18% in all time windows, while HSR increased by 40–116% in 30-, 60-, and 180-s windows. This information should be considered to design position-specific drills that replicate the most demanding passages of competition, guide microcycle periodization, and structure injury rehabilitation programs.