It was simply after 10 p.m., as the twenty eighth World Handball Championship in Stockholm drew to a last climax. And Niklas Landin additionally ran ahead, extra exactly, he went to satisfy the president of the IHF World Federation, Hasan Mustafa. Because the 78-year-old clearly had hassle carrying the almost 20-kilogram World Cup trophy – fabricated from pure gold and studded with sapphires – to the new world champion. Thus, the captain of the Danish handball workforce took from him a 70-centimeter trophy depicting a hand holding a golden handball in the air.
The art work is a present from the Emir of Qatar, price €800,000, and was modestly donated by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the 2015 World Cup in his nation. A little bit of enjoyable: the World Handball Championship is price a number of occasions greater than soccer gamers.
None of that mattered to the 34-year-old Denmark captain and goalkeeper proper now, as Landin took the huge gold and raised it in entrance of his teammates seconds later. Denmark have gained their third straight world title, a feat no different workforce can declare. The Scandinavians are worthy champions of this World Cup held in Poland and Sweden: they misplaced just one level in the complete event – in a 32:32 draw with the Croatians in the preliminary spherical – and have been in the last 34:29. Good workforce beat France.
Neither the burden of journey nor the appointment of referees can throw the Danes out of rhythm.
Even the undeniable fact that Denmark went to Gdansk for the semi-finals and returned to Stockholm for the last, whereas the French stayed put, didn’t deter the Scandinavians. National coach Alfred Gislason additionally had hassle on this uneven journey. His workforce needed to journey a day earlier than their quarter-final and first-place sport in opposition to Egypt, whereas their respective opponents survived. The IHF needs to take the criticism critically, however it needs to be fascinating to see the way it performs out at the 2025 World Cup. Then there are the three hosts in Denmark, Norway and Croatia, who’re additionally contenders for the essential knockout video games on expertise.
Gift from the Emir of Qatar: World Cup gold medal.
(Photo: Michael Campanella/Getty Images)
The appointment of referees Giorgi Naczewski and Slav Nikolov was additionally criticized by the Danish neighborhood. When the World Cup began, the Danish TV channel reported on the firm sports activities radar has been revealed, itemizing notable matches from 2016 and 2017, together with matches refereed by two North Macedonian contenders for the last. After the examination, the European EHF Federation didn’t see any deviations and no must act, which has now additionally appealed to the world federation.
Apart from that, the Danes had little purpose to complain, as a few selections went very nicely for the world champion when issues received tense once more at the begin of the second half of the last. Of course, this shouldn’t be the purpose for the defeat of the Olympic champion, the first purpose was a quite weak sport of the goalkeeper.
Guaranteed win: Denmark goalkeeper Niklas Landin.
(Photo: Jan Woitas/dpa)
Because Vincent Gerard hardly caught the ball, the present world handball participant Landin once more confirmed a sport worthy of this title in the Danish aim. In this manner, the Danes have been in a position to shortly rating as much as 5 targets (12:7). Nevertheless, the Olympic champion managed to cut back the rating to fifteen:16 earlier than halftime. A powerful backcourt round two left-handers, Dika Mem and Nedim Remili, introduced the French again into the sport.
In the finish, the French protection discovered nothing in opposition to the agile Danish forwards, with Mathias Gidsel, additionally the World Cup’s high scorer, refueling – or Simon Pitlik scoring from the again. However, the most vital think about the assault was Rasmus Lauge, who just isn’t actually one in every of the first defenders, however formed the sport with ten targets.
That’s the beauty of such a gaggle of groups, they’re crammed twice in all positions, and by the method, this additionally applies to the French. That’s why it did not matter that the grand previous males of world handball could not impress Denmark’s Mikkel Hansen and France’s Nikola Karabátić.
In this respect, each groups don’t have anything to concern, Gidsel is 23 years previous, Pitlik is just 22 years previous. France additionally has a number of top-class kids, Elohim Prandi, 24, Thibaut Briet, 23, injured and compelled to depart the subject, or Dylan. 23-year-old Nahi was invited. Therefore, it may be assumed that these two groups will likely be at the high of the desk at the European Championship in Germany.
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