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HANDBALL

Denmark stun France for men’s handball gold

Denmark stunned two-time defending champions France 28-26 to win the Olympic Games men's handball gold medal on Sunday.

Published: 21 August 2016 20:46 CEST
Denmark stun France for men's handball gold
Denmark celebrates its gold medal in handball. Photo: MARKO DJURICA/Scanpix
It was a shock result given that in the last eight years, France have won two Games golds, three world titles and two European crowns.
 
Denmark's previous Olympics best was a fourth place in 1984.
 
“I'm super proud of everybody in this group, everyone has worked from the first minute that we showed up this summer,” said Denmark's Mikkel Hansen.
 
“Before I entered these Olympics my dad still had the record in the family. He came in the fourth place in 1984, so I'm happy to show him the medal,” Hansen continued. “I've broken the record in the family too, so it's going to be good to see him again.”
 
French key player Nikola Karabatic admitted that the Danes had been the stronger on the day.
 
“Of course we are very disappointed but we are happy that both the female and male French teams were in the final,” said Karabatic.
 
Germany won the bronze medal earlier Sunday with a 31-25 win over Poland.
 
With the handball victory, Denmark claimed 15 medals at the 2016 Rio Games. 
 
Even before the weekend's action got underway, the head of the Danish delegation said that this year's medal haul amounted to “the best Olympics we’ve ever had”.
 
“This is a fantastic experience here [in Rio] and it must also be for the Danes home in Denmark,” Morten Rodtwitt told TV2 Sport.  

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HANDBALL

Norway backs out of co-hosting Euro handball champs with Denmark over Covid

Norway has pulled out of co-hosting the women's European handball championship just two weeks before the start in December due to restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic, its federation said on Monday.

Published: 16 November 2020 16:36 CET
Norway backs out of co-hosting Euro handball champs with Denmark over Covid
Denmark playing against Norway at last year's handball world cup in Japan. Photo: Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix

“Based on in-depth assessments by Norwegian health authorities as well as clear demands from Norwegian political authorities, it is now clear that Norway cannot be an organiser of the women's European handball championship,” the federation said.

Denmark is now considering whether to host the event on its own.

Strict restrictions are however currently in place in the North Jutland region, where some of the matches were due to be played, after a mutated version of the virus was found in the country's mink population, infecting 12 people.

The European Handball Federation “very much regrets the decision of the Norwegian government”, it said in a statement, referring to the Norwegian health authorities' refusal to grant exemptions to the strict measures it has imposed.

Under current rules, if a player or team official tests positive for the virus the entire team must quarantine, as well as the teams that it has opposed just prior.

The rules are less strict in Denmark.

“Alternatives are being sought with the Danish Handball Association and additional information will be released on Tuesday at the latest,” the European Handball Federation said.

Norway had been due to host around 60 percent of matches, including the final, in Trondheim.

While Norway has been one of the countries in Europe least affected by the pandemic, it has seen a recent uptick in cases which has led authorities to introduce a series of measures, notably on cultural and sporting events.

READ ALSO: Extra coronavirus restrictions 'halve travel' inside Danish region

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