Croatia Handball at World Championship: Medals and History

As most of you are aware, Croatia handball kicks off their World Championship campaign on Friday night at 6 pm against Iceland. In honor of the tournament, we thought we’d take a look at Croatia’s handball history at the World Championship to date. 

The Croatia men’s handball team have so far played in 12 world championships and won one gold, three silver and one bronze medal, reports HRT on January 11, 2019. 

Already in their first appearance at the World Championship in Iceland in 1995, Croatia won the silver after losing to France in the final. At the 1997 World Championship in Japan, Croatia was 13th, two years later in Egypt, Croatia placed 10th, and in 1999, they came in 9th place in France.

The 2001 World Championship in Portugal brought Croatia their only gold medal and most significant success at the World Championship. In Tunisia, in 2005, Croatia won the silver after Spain was better in the final, and Croatia’s medal count was interrupted at the 2007 World Championship in Germany when they lost in the quarter-final to France in Cologne. Croatia came in 5th place at that tournament, even though they achieved 11 wins and only one defeat.

The 2009 World Championship will be remembered because it was hosted by Croatia and played in newly built arenas in Zagreb, Split, Varaždin and Poreč. Croatia secured all wins until the final in Zagreb when their old enemy France was better once again. Croatia thus celebrated the silver.

In 2011 in Sweden, Croatia again failed to win the quarter-final and thus placed 5th, and in 2013 in Spain, Croatia won the bronze, which is the last medal the Croatian “Cowboys” have won at the World Championship.

In Qatar in 2015, Croatia placed sixth, and in the last World Championship in France, Croatia finished without a medal, although in the semi-final against Norway, they missed a penalty for the win in the last second – and in the third place game against Slovenia, Croatia failed to keep their colossal advantage and took 4th place instead. 

Croatia handball will begin their World Championship campaign on Friday at 6 pm against Iceland. Saturday is a rest day, and Croatia will continue against Japan (January 13), Macedonia (January 14), Bahrain (January 16), and Spain (January 17). 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

 

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