Russia women's national handball team

Russia Russia
Information
Association Handball Union of Russia
Coach Yevgeni Trefilov
Colours
Home
Away
Results
Summer Olympics
Appearances 3 (First in 2008)
Best result 1st (2016)
World Championship
Appearances 11 (First in 1993)
Best result 1st (2001, 2005, 2007, 2009)
European Championship
Appearances 12 (First in 1994)
Best result 2nd (2006)
Last updated on Unknown.
Russia women's national handball team
Medal record
Olympic Games
2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
2008 Beijing Team
World Championship
2001 Italy
2005 Russia
2007 France
2009 China
European Championship
2006 Sweden
2000 Romania
2008 Macedonia

The Russia women's national handball team is the national team of Russia. It is governed by the Handball Union of Russia and takes part in international handball competitions.

They are as of January 2011, the only handball team on the women's and men's side in the world, to have won the World Championship three consecutive times. Team Russia finally won their first gold at the 2016 Olympics, defeating France in the final.

History

1993–1999: Instability

The Russian women's national handball team was formed in 1993 as the successor Soviet Union women's national handball team, one of the strongest handball teams. Notwithstanding the third place at the 1992 Summer Olympics as Unified Team, Russia in the following eight years could not qualify to the Olympic Games.[1]

In this period the Russian team saw four changes of coaches, who retired after failing on large events. The only striking performance was at the 1997 World Women's Handball Championship, where Russia under Igor Eskov, coach of the Rostov club Istochnik, became 4th, and two Russian handball players, Natalya Malakhova and Natalya Deryugina, were included into the All-Star team. However, already in the next year at the 1998 European Women's Handball Championship in the Netherlands, Russia became only 9th, and at the 1999 World Women's Handball Championship, under Kuban's Alexander Tarasikov and head coach of the Unified Team at the 1992 Olympics, just 12th.[1]

1999–2009: Breakthrough

In late 1999, Tarasikov was replaced by Evgeny Trefilov, the club coach of Lada. He introduced younger players to the national team and concentrated more on national club players. At the 2000 World Championship, Russia became bronze medalist.[1]

At the 2001 World Championship, Trefilov returned two veterans, Raisa Verakso, which was her sixth participation at Worlds, and the 1990 World champion, goalkeeper Svetlana Bogdanova. Russia won all nine matches, and in the final defeated Norway.[2]

Against the backgrounds of those victories, team Russia became 4th at the 2002 European Championship in Denmark, and a year later at the World Championship in Croatia they became only 7th, which meant that Trefilov's team could not qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games. Only one point was needed to reach the semifinals in Croatia, but Russia failed to do that against France in the group stage, losing 19–20; a draw would have been enough to qualify.

After the fourth-best result at the 2004 European Championship in Hungary, team Russia rose from the ashes at the 2005 World Championship in St. Petersburg, repeating the 2001 success in Italy.[3]

Russia lost in the final of the 2006 European Championship to Norway, and so could not directly qualify for the Olympics; however, Russia rematched Norway at the 2007 World Championship in France in the final. A number of top handball players such as Lyudmila Bodnieva, MVP of the previous World championships and member of the All-Star Team at the 2000 and 2006 European championships, Irina Bliznova, who was injured in the group stage, Natalya Shipilova, who could not compete in the semifinals. Goal keeper Inna Suslina made a great game, saving three out of five penalties. Russia won 29–24.[4]

Norway returned the favour at the 2008 Olympics. Already in the early stage leading ten balls, the Vikings hindered the Russians coming back, and so Russia lost 34–27.[5]

After the Olympic Games, Anna Kareeva, Oksana Romenskaya and Natalya Shipilova decided to retire from handball.[6][7] Prior to the 2008 European Championship in Macedonia, players such as Polina Vyakhireva, Yana Uskova, Ekaterina Andryushina, Lydmila Postnova and Irina Bliznova could not compete for Russia due to injuries or disease; they were replaced by nine debutants. Russia again met Norway in the semifinals, and as previously, the Scandinavians started well, leading 7–1 in the beginning. In the third-place match between Germany, Russia claimed bronze.[8]

The Russians defeated the Norwegians in the semifinal of the 2009 World Championship with a score of 28–20. In the final, Russia claimed the gold medal by defeating France, 25–22.

2009–2013: Decline and Retirement of Trefilov

After the 2009 World Championships, team Russia saw a number of disappointing results. They became 7th at the 2010 European Championship and 6th at the 2011 World Championship. Russia could not get beyond the quarterfinal of the 2012 Olympics, losing there to Sourth Korea. After the London Olympics, the new head coach became Vitaly Krokhin.

In June 2013, Russia fought for the qualification to the World Championship. In the playoff round, Russia won the first leg in Rotterdam, 27–26, but lost the next leg in Rostov-on-Don, 21–33. With that said, Russia for the first time did not qualify for the Worlds.[9]

Since 2013: Trefilov's Return

On 16 September 2013, Evgeny Trefilov returned as head coach.[10] He debuted at the 2014 European Championship, but Russia became a dreadful 14th, the worst ever result in the European championships. However, on 7 and 13 June 2015, Russia twice defeated Germany in the playoffs and qualified for the 2015 World Championship. In their first match they defeated the Norwegians, 26–25.[11] However, the Russians only reached the quarterfinals, losing there to Poland. In the playoffs, team Russia was placed 5th.[12]

Russia for the third time qualified to the Olympics, through the qualification tournament taking place from 18–20 March 2016 in Astrakhan. In the group stage of the Olympic tournament, Russia defeated all of its rivals. In the knockout stage, the Russians defeated Angola in the quarterfinal, and in the marathon semifinal match between Norway claimed the deciding point in overtime. In the final, Russia defeated France to claim its first Olympic gold in women's handball.[13][14]

Results

Olympic Games

Russia women's national handball team at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Year Position Pld W D L GS GA
China 20082nd8611229210
United Kingdom 20128th6312174149
Brazil 20161st8800256230
Total[15]3221723659589

World Championship

Year Round Position GP W D* L GS GA
Norway 1993Second Round57412164147
Austria/Hungary 1995Second Round68413187171
Germany 1997Semi-Finals49612227209
Denmark/Norway 1999Round of 16126303178144
Italy 2001Champions19900252194
Croatia 2003Second Round78512224182
Russia 2005Champions1101000328239
France 2007Champions19711324279
China 2009Champions19603253242
Brazil 2011Quarter-Finals69702295210
Serbia 2013Did Not Qualify
Denmark 2015Quarter-Finals59801277207
Germany 2017TBD
Total11/124 Titles957351727622123

European Championship

Year Position Pld W D L GS GA +/-
Germany 19946th6303143116+27
Denmark 19967th6312164147+17
Netherlands 19989th6114144147-3
Romania 20003rd7502163148+15
Denmark 20024th8413202189+13
Hungary 20044th8404226215+11
Sweden 20062nd8701242200+42
Republic of Macedonia 20083rd8512210183+27
DenmarkNorway 20107th6303159145+14
Serbia 20126th7232190180+10
HungaryCroatia 201414th30127983-4
Sweden 2016Qualified
Total12/12733782819221753+169

Other tournaments

Current squad

The following is the Russian roster in the women's handball tournament of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[16] On 12 August, Tatyana Yerokhina replaced Anna Sedoykina due to an injury.[17]

Head coach: Yevgeni Trefilov

No. Pos. Name Date of birth (age) Height App. Goals Club
1 GK Anna Sedoykina (1984-08-01)1 August 1984 (aged 32) 1.81 m 128 4 Russia Rostov-Don
2 LW Polina Kuznetsova (1987-06-10)10 June 1987 (aged 29) 1.70 m 119 322 Russia Kuban Krasnodar
7 CB Daria Dmitrieva (1995-08-09)9 August 1995 (aged 20) 1.78 m 43 92 Russia Lada Togliatti
8 LB Anna Sen (1990-02-03)3 February 1990 (aged 26) 1.85 m 93 222 Russia Rostov-Don
10 LB Olga Akopyan (1985-03-04)4 March 1985 (aged 31) 1.76 m 133 367 Russia Lada Togliatti
13 RW Anna Vyakhireva (1995-03-13)13 March 1995 (aged 21) 1.62 m 37 165 Russia Rostov-Don
15 RW Marina Sudakova (1989-02-17)17 February 1989 (aged 27) 1.66 m 38 56 Russia Kuban Krasnodar
17 LB Vladlena Bobrovnikova (1987-10-24)24 October 1987 (aged 28) 1.80 m 36 69 Russia Rostov-Don
21 LB Victoria Zhilinskayte (1989-03-06)6 March 1989 (aged 27) 1.88 m 110 159 Russia Kuban Krasnodar
22 LW Yekaterina Marennikova (1982-04-29)29 April 1982 (aged 34) 1.79 m 120 260 Russia Kuban Krasnodar
24 RB Irina Bliznova (1986-10-06)6 October 1986 (aged 29) 1.82 m 124 369 Russia Lada Togliatti
33 CB Ekaterina Ilina (1991-03-07)7 March 1991 (aged 25) 1.75 m 68 187 Russia Rostov-Don
77 P Maya Petrova (1982-05-26)26 May 1982 (aged 34) 1.84 m 55 82 Russia Rostov-Don
84 GK Tatyana Yerokhina (1984-09-07)7 September 1984 (aged 31) 1.85 m 21 0 Russia Lada Togliatti
88 GK Victoriya Kalinina (1988-12-08)8 December 1988 (aged 27) 1.83 m 39 0 Russia Kuban Krasnodar

Notable players

Several Russian players have seen their individual performance recognized at international tournaments, either as Most Valuable Player, best defense player or as a member of the All-Star Team.

MVP
All-Star Team
Best defense player

Incomplete

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Из того, что было" [From what was there] (in Russian). Sports.ru. 18 December 2000. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  2. ↑ Georgy Kudinov (18 December 2001). "Русские женщины умеют делать подарки" [Russian women can bring offerings] (in Russian). Sport-Express. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  3. ↑ Elena Rerikh, Vladimir Yurinov (19 December 2005). "Русский хоровод" [Russian round dance] (in Russian). Sport-Express. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  4. ↑ Natalya Kuzina (17 December 2007). "Какие же золотые у них руки!" [They have such golden hands!] (in Russian). Sovyetsky Sport. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  5. ↑ Regina Sevostyanova (23 August 2008). "Трефилов: сначала женщины плачут, потом ревут" [Trefilov: At first women cry, then howl] (in Russian). Championat.ru. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  6. ↑ Vladimir Mozhatsev (4 September 2008). "2008-09-04" (in Russian). Sport-Express. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Гандбол: Шипилова завершает карьеру" [Handball: Shipilova ends career] (in Russian). Sportbox.ru. 14 September 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  8. ↑ Vladimir Mozhaytsev (15 December 2008). "В Македонии родилась новая сборная России" [A new team was born in Macedonia] (in Russian). Sport-Express. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "Чемпионат мира впервые пройдёт без нас" [The World Championship will be without us for the first time] (in Russian). Handball Federation of Russia. Archived from the original on 2013-06-18. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  10. ↑ Anastasia Bogdanova (2013-09-16). "Король Треф" [King Tref] (in Russian). Gazeta.ru. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  11. ↑ Россиянки стартовали на чемпионате мира с победы
  12. ↑ Borislav Golovin (20 December 2015). "Российские гандболистки попали в пятерку" [Russian handball players became fifth] (in Russian). Gazeta.ru. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  13. ↑ Mikhail Chesalin (19 August 2016). "Ругай их, ругай! Как Россия вышла в финал Олимпиады" [Scold them, scold them! How Russia entered the Olympic final] (in Russian). Championat.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "Российские гандболистки завоевали золото Олимпийских игр в Рио-де-Жанейро" [Russian handball players won gold at the Rio Olympic Games] (in Russian). Championat.com. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  15. ↑ http://www.olympic.org/handball
  16. ↑ "Определен окончательный состав женской сборной России по гандболу на ОИ-2016" [The final composition of Russia women's handball team at the 2016 Olympics] (in Russian). Russian News Agency TASS. 27 July 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "Player Replacements". International Handball Federation. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.

External links

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