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Olympic Handball Recaps: 3 August (Day 15)

Women's Handball / Bronze Medal Match

NOR vs. HUN

Hungary Overcomes Deficit to Win Bronze

Losing almost the entire match until only eight minutes remained, Hungary outscored Norway 13-9 in the second half to claim a 20-18 victory and pick up its first women's handball medal since the 1976 Olympic Games on Saturday afternoon at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Norway started the match with a 3-0 lead and held Hungary scoreless for the first 7:42. Norway, which lost an opportunity to win its first-ever medal in Olympic handball, relinquished the lead when the two teams became tied at 14-14 with 10:27 left on the clock.

In a nip-and-tuck battle throughout the contest, Hungary's Aniko MEKSZ capped off the victory for her team as she stopped a point-blank penalty shot with :59 left in the contest.

Hungary actually held a one-point advantage at 6-5 in the first half, but Norway reclaimed the lead at 7-6 and had a 9-7 halftime advantage.

Both goalies buoyed their team's first-half efforts. Norway's Heidi TJUGUM had five saves, while MEKSZ notched four. Offensively, Norway's leftback Kjersti GRINI was the top scorer at the break with five goals, while leftback Eszter MATEFI and leftwing Anna SZANTO each paced Hungary with two.

Norway climbed out to a three-point lead after the start of the second half, but could not maintain it as Hungary again climbed to within one goal. Both teams attempted to give the other a chance to take control after a series of turnovers and missed shots before Hungary would tie the match at 14-14 with 10:27 remaining. In the midst of a 5-0 run over a seven-minute stretch late in the match, centerback Beata SITI put Hungary ahead for good at 16-15 with just over eight minutes left, as a furious last-minute rally by Norway could not reverse the outcome.

GRINI ended the match with eight goals to lead all scorers, while Hungary had four athletes each tallying three goals, including centerback Beatrix KOKENY, who also had seven assists and two steals. In goal, MEKSZ finished with eight saves, while TJUGUM posted seven in the losing cause. In an even matchup, Hungary shot 57.1 percent and had 14 turnovers and six penalties, while Norway shot 56.3 percent and had 16 turnovers and seven penalties.

Final Score: HUN 20, NOR 18.

"This was a team win because we all wanted the win and worked together to make it happen," remarked the victorious Andrea FARKAS. "It was very important for our players to win, because for many, it will be their last Olympics."


Women's Handball, Gold Medal Match

KOR vs. DEN

Denmark Stones Korean Three-Peat Effort With Gold Medal Upset Victory

In one of the greatest upsets in Olympic handball history, underdog Denmark rallied behind a raucous crowd to upend two-time gold medalist and reigning world champion Korea, 37-33, in double overtime to capture its first-ever handball medal on Saturday afternoon at the Georgia World Congress Center. Denmark finished the tournament without a loss.

Keying the victory was the play of goalkeeper Susanne LAURITSEN (DEN), who made two saves on the first two Korean shots in overtime. Denmark was able to convert and take a two goal lead, winning after the first overtime period, 34-31. The advantage was extended to five goals at 36-31 and eventually to the four-point final.

Denmark, behind 17-13 at halftime, went on a 15-11 run to tie the score at 28-28 with 3:31 remaining. As the clock expired in regulation the score was 29-29, but a foul against Danish superstar leftback Anja Jul ANDERSEN gave her an opportunity to win it with a penalty shot. However, she was stopped cold by Korean goalie, OH Yong-Ran, who batted away the attempt with her right leg, thereby guaranteeing the two five-minute overtime periods.

Great passing and goaltending helped Korea's fast-break offense kick into gear as they took their largest lead of six points just prior to the conclusion of the first half. Centerback LIM O-Kyeong helped the juggernaut Koreans to race out to the lead, notching eight first-half goals. ANDERSEN countered for Denmark, who withstood a brutal beating to score six times. At the half, Korea was shooting 60.7 percent.

Denmark was able to keep it close in the second half, whittling the Korean lead down to 23-22 with 12:48 remaining. Rightwing Gitte MADSEN scored at 11:25 to knot the contest at 23-23, concluding a 10-6 run. Yet, Denmark was bolstered by a power play which gave them a one-player advantage for the final 1:30, setting up the frantic conclusion to regulation.

Anja Jul ANDERSEN led the victors with 11 goals and six assists, while rightback Camilla ANDERSEN also added six assists and LAURITSEN totalled 14 saves. Denmark shot 63.8 percent for the match. LIM led all scorers with a 15-of-20 performance, while leftback OH Seong-Ok added seven assists and three steals and goalie MOON Hyang-Ja had 13 saves.

Final Score: DEN 37, KOR 33.

"I've had this game in my thoughts for several years and I thought I'd make this shot and we would win," said Anja Jul ANDERSEN on her missed game-winning penalty shot at the end of regulation.


This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.


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