World champions Croatia claimed their country’s first gold medal at the Athens Olympics with victory in the men’s handball final yesterday.
Croatia added the gold medal to the one they won at the 1996 Atlanta Games in downing Germany 26-24 in a charged final at Helliniko.
Up to the last day of competition in Athens, Croatia had won two silver and two bronze medals.
Croatia finished strongly in the final stages of the gold medal playoff pulling out to a 24-21 lead with two minutes left.
The Germans had been up by three goals, 15-12 early in the second half, but the inspired Croats were too quick on the break and defended their goal area powerfully.
Mirza Dzomba topscored with nine goals, the same as the Germans’ most dangerous attacking player Stefan Kretzschmar.
Germany were bidding for their second handball gold medal at the Olympics after winning in Berlin in 1936, although the former East Germany won the title in Moscow in 1980.
Croatia raced to an early 2-0 lead in the charged full-house atmosphere generated by the two sets of opposing supporters with every physical exchange cheered.
Denmark Win Women’s Gold After Penalty Shootout
• Denmark won a dramatic penalty shootout to claim their third successive Olympic gold medal in the women’s handball final against South Korea at the Athens Games yesterday.
The scores were locked at 34-34 after two periods of extra time and the gold medal was decided when Denmark won the penalties 4-2.
It was Denmark’s third straight Olympic title after winning in Atlanta and Sydney.
In a final of high tension, the Koreans looked set for their third handball gold after triumphs in Seoul and Barcelona with a 33-31 lead with two minutes left in the second period of extra time but the Danes would not give in.
Katrine Frueland scored two goals and converted a penalty to put the Olympic champions back on terms, her last effort coming with six seconds left.
