The gold in the junior WC follows the national team’s WC victory and Viper’s win in the Champions League. For half a year, Norwegian handball girls have won everything internationally.
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– Pretty raw, says Viaplay expert Karoline Dyhre Breivang with 305 internationals for Norway.
She grew up in the 1980s when Norway broke into international women’s handball. The senior national team has won 14 gold and a total of 30 medals since 1986.
– It means a lot to have a role model. I have it and it continues. Young players have someone to look up to and reach out to. “I think that’s an important factor,” said Breivang.
Sunday’s World Cup win in Slovenia was a small miracle in itself. Last year, the 2002 model only finished number nine at the European Championships and lost decisively in April to recent opponents Hungary. In Celje, Hungary placed on 31-29 in the match norwegian girls lead almost all the way.
– This is an absolutely fantastic experience. “I don’t think there are so many girls who have thought about this before,” said Tore Johannessen, who has coached the team with Bente Lunke Norum.
– The order from above at the NHF is that we have to think about long-term development and not results. “But in the championship we definitely made the best of the game,” said Johannessen.
In addition, Norway’s best tennis player in the championship, Martine Kåringstad Andersen, did not play in the final. Follo girl is ready for Viper.
– It would be great to include him, said Viper coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad.
Kåringstad Andersen joins the WC All Star Team along with linesman Kaja Røhne (Haslum) and goalkeeper June Krogh (Follo).
The 18-year-old goalkeeper from Son was impressive in the final. The 187 cm tall Krogh got a match in the first elite series in the second half of the season and made his debut for the youth national team just before the World Cup.
Hungary only burned one penalty early in the championship. Then he started the game with two saves, said Breivang, and pointed out that Norway’s three penalty saves were crucial to the final winner.
Defender Frida Brandbu Andersen won the game at the other end of the pitch with his last seven goals.
– We don’t rely on individual players, says coach Tore Johannessen and believes the team has multi-position players at the back.
Unlike the 14 senior national team titles in the WC, EC and the Olympics, Norway on the junior side has not won many titles. The exception is the generation born in 1990/91 who about 10 years ago won the World Cup and European Championships.
Players such as Nora Mørk, Stine Bredal Oftedal, Veronica Kristiansen, and the Solberg twins Silje and Sanna, have dominated the majority of international women’s handball.
Now all these players have passed 30 years.
– After this generation, players like Henny Reistad have emerged, but there hasn’t been a new generation, says Karoline Dyhre Breivang who was part of the 1980-born golden gang. Katrine Lunde (42) still dominates.
– It’s not quiet, but there hasn’t been an entire generation that previously came with a cycle of about five years, Breivang points out and reminds that last year’s Olympic team had an average age of 30.2 years.
– It is important to give rise to a new generation, says the former captain of the national team who won all titles with Norway and Larvik.
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