Handball at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament

2008 Men's Olympic handball tournament

Medal ceremony
Tournament details
Host country	China
Dates	9 August - 24 August
Teams	12 (from 5 confederations)
Venue(s)	2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	France
Runner-up	Iceland
Third place	Spain
Fourth place	Croatia
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Handball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Tournament
men  women
Rosters
men  women

The men's handball tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held from August 10 to August 24, at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium and National Indoor Stadium in Beijing. Twelve nations are represented in the men's tournament.

The four best teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinal round, 5th and 6th teams in each group are classified 9th-12th by the results of their group matches. The losers of quarterfinal matches competed in the 5th-8th place matches by the same elimination system as the winners of the quarterfinals.

This event was the last to be completed in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Qualification

Competition	Date	Venue	Vacancies	Qualified
Host Nation	-	-	1	China
IHF World Championships	Jan 19 - Feb 4, 2007	Germany	1	Germany
European Championships	January 17–27, 2008	Norway	1	Denmark
Asian Qualifying Tournament	January 30, 2008	Tokyo	1	South Korea
Africa Nations Cup	January 10–17, 2008	Angola	1	Egypt
Pan American Games	July 14–29, 2007	Rio de Janeiro	1	Brazil
Olympic Qualifying Tournament 1	May 30 - Jun 1, 2008	Wrocław	2	Poland  Iceland
Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2	May 30 - Jun 1, 2008	Paris	2	France  Spain
Olympic Qualifying Tournament 3	May 30 - Jun 1, 2008	Zadar	2	Croatia  Russia
TOTAL			12

Olympic Qualifying Tournaments

• Tournament I:
  • Worlds 2nd:  Poland
  • Worlds 7th:  Iceland
  • Europe:  Sweden
  • Pan-America:  Argentina
• Tournament II:
  • Worlds 3rd:  France
  • Worlds 6th:  Spain
  • Africa:  Tunisia
  • Top continent at the Worlds (Europe):  Norway
• Tournament III:
  • Worlds 4th:  Croatia
  • Worlds 5th:  Russia
  • Asia:  Japan
  • 2nd continent at the Worlds (Africa):  Algeria

Preliminary round

Seeding

The draw for the groups was held 16 June 2008.

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4	Pot 5	Pot 6
Germany	Denmark	Croatia	South Korea	Spain	Egypt
Poland	France	Russia	China	Iceland	Brazil

Rosters

Group stage

Group A

Qualified for the quarterfinals

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
France	5	4	1	0	148	115	+33	9
Poland	5	3	1	1	147	128	+19	7
Croatia	5	3	0	2	140	115	+25	6
Spain	5	3	0	2	152	145	+7	6
Brazil	5	1	0	4	129	153	–24	2
China	5	0	0	5	104	164	–60	0

10 August 2008 09:00	Croatia	31 – 29	Spain	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Lemme, Ulrich (GER)
	Lacković, Džomba 5	(16–11)	García 5
	4× 4×	Report	3× 3×

---

10 August 2008 14:00	France	34 – 26	Brazil	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Din, Dinu (ROU)
	Girault 7	(19–11)	Ertel 5
	2× 3×	Report	4× 3×

---

10 August 2008 19:00	Poland	33 – 19	China	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan (IRI)
	Jurasik 8	(21–10)	five players 3
	3× 3×	Report	3× 3×

---

12 August 2008 09:00	Brazil	14 – 33	Croatia	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Gjeding, Hansen (DEN)
	Ertel, Souza 3	(9–18)	Džomba 7
	4× 3×	Report	3× 2×

---

12 August 2008 14:00	China	19 – 33	France	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Canbro, Claesson (SWE)
	Hao 5	(7–19)	three players 5
	4× 3×	Report	2× 3×

---

12 August 2008 15:45	Spain	30 – 29	Poland	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Chernega, Poladenko (RUS)
	Rocas 7	(16–17)	Jurasik, Lijewski 4
	1× 3×	Report	5× 4×

---

14 August 2008 10:45	Poland	28 – 25	Brazil	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan (IRI)
	Jurecki, Tłuczyński 6	(14–15)	Ribeiro 7
	2× 3×	Report	5× 3×

---

14 August 2008 15:45	China	22 – 36	Spain	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Elmoamli, Shaban Ali (EGY)
	Cui 5	(12–16)	Tomás 7
	2× 3×	Report	1× 3×

---

14 August 2008 20:45	France	23 – 19	Croatia	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Chernega, Paladenko (RUS)
	Gille 7	(11–9)	Džomba 5
	2× 3×	Report	4× 3×

---

16 August 2008 09:00	Brazil	29 – 22	China	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Elmoamli, Shaban Ali (EGY)
	Ribeiro, Laureano 5	(14–10)	Cui Liang, Cui Lei 4
	3× 3×	Report	4× 4×

---

16 August 2008 14:00	France	28 – 21	Spain	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Lemme, Ullrich (GER)
	Gille 6	(16–10)	García 7
	3× 3×	Report	3× 3×

---

16 August 2008 19:00	Croatia	24 – 27	Poland	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Gjeding, Hansen (DEN)
	Džomba 7	(12–13)	Tłuczyński 7
	2× 3×	Report	2× 2×

---

18 August 2008 10:45	Spain	36 – 35	Brazil	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Baum, Goralczyk (POL)
	Romero 8	(20–17)	Pacheco Filho 12
	4× 3× 1×	Report	3× 3× 1×

---

18 August 2008 15:45	Croatia	33 – 22	China	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan (IRI)
	Šprem 8	(17–13)	Hao 6
	3× 2×	Report	1× 3× 1×

---

18 August 2008 20:45	Poland	30 – 30	France	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Liudowyk, Vakula (UKR)
	Jurecki 7	(16–13)	Karabatić 8
	2× 2×	Report	3× 3×

Group B

Qualified for the quarterfinals

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
South Korea	5	3	0	2	122	129	–7	6
Denmark	5	2	2	1	137	131	+6	6
Iceland	5	2	2	1	151	146	+5	6
Russia	5	2	1	2	136	131	+5	5
Germany	5	2	1	2	126	130	–4	5
Egypt	5	0	2	3	127	132	–5	2

10 August 2008 10:45	Russia	31 – 33	Iceland	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Krstic, Ljubic (SLO)
	Igropulo 9	(16–19)	Guðjónsson 12
	6× 3×	Report	3× 3×

---

10 August 2008 15:45	Germany	27 – 23	South Korea	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Canbro, Claesson (SWE)
	Kraus 7	(10–13)	Cho Chi-hyo 7
	3× 3×	Report	3× 3×

---

10 August 2008 20:45	Denmark	23 – 23	Egypt	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Bord, Buy (FRA)
	Christiansen 6	(11–10)	El-Ahmar 8
	4× 3× 1×	Report	4× 4×

---

12 August 2008 10:45	Egypt	27 – 28	Russia	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Liudowyk, Vakula (UKR)
	El Ahmar 10	(14–14)	Rastvortsev 8
	4× 3×	Report	4× 3×

---

12 August 2008 19:00	South Korea	31 – 30	Denmark	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Licis, Stolarovs (LAT)
	Jung Su-young 9	(13–14)	Nøddesbo 11
	1× 2×	Report	2× 3×

---

12 August 2008 20:45	Iceland	33 – 29	Germany	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Bord, Buy (FRA)
	Guðjónsson 8	(17–14)	Kraus 13
	2× 3×	Report	5× 2× 1×

---

14 August 2008 09:00	Germany	25 – 23	Egypt	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Krstic, Ljubic (SLO)
	Glandorf 7	(14–14)	Zaky 7
	5× 3×	Report	8× 4×

---

14 August 2008 14:00	South Korea	22 – 21	Iceland	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Baum, Goralczyk (POL)
	Yoon Kyung-shin 6	(10–9)	Geirsson, Sigurðsson 5
	1× 3×	Report	3× 4×

---

14 August 2008 19:00	Denmark	25 – 24	Russia	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Breto, Huelin (ESP)
	Christiansen 6	(10–10)	Chernoivanov, Igropulo 6
	3× 2×	Report	4× 3×

---

16 August 2008 10:45	Egypt	22 – 24	South Korea	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Breto, Huelin (ESP)
	Abd Elsalam 8	(11–8)	Paek Won-chul 7
	6× 3× 1×	Report	3× 3×

---

16 August 2008 15:45	Russia	24 – 24	Germany	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Gjeding, Hansen (DEN)
	Filippov 6	(11–10)	Kraus 6
	6× 1× 1×	Report	3× 4×

---

16 August 2008 20:45	Denmark	32 – 32	Iceland	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Canbro, Claesson (SWE)
	Nøddesbo 6	(18–17)	Guðjónsson 8
	5× 3×	Report	6× 2× 1×

---

18 August 2008 09:00	Iceland	32 – 32	Egypt	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Din, Dinu (ROU)
	Sigurðsson 10	(14–17)	Zaky 9
	4× 4×	Report	6× 3×

---

18 August 2008 14:00	Russia	29 – 22	South Korea	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Bord, Buy (FRA)
	Rastvortsev 6	(17–12)	Yoon Kyung-shin 7
	4× 3×	Report	1× 1×

---

18 August 2008 19:00	Germany	21 – 27	Denmark	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Krstic, Ljubic (SLO)
	Kraus 6	(12–15)	Boesen 8
	4× 4× 1×	Report	6× 3×

Medal round

Quarterfinal, Poland-Iceland

All times are China Standard Time (UTC+8)

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Gold medal game

A2

Poland

30

B3

Iceland

32

B3

Iceland

36

A4

Spain

30

B1

South Korea

24

A4

Spain

29

Iceland

23

France

28

B2

Denmark

24

A3

Croatia

26

A3

Croatia

23

Bronze medal game

A1

France

25

A1

France

27

Spain

35

B4

Russia

24

4

Croatia

29

Quarterfinals

20 August 2008 12:00	France	27 – 24	Russia	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Lemme, Ullrich (GER)
	Narcisse 9	(13–10)	Kokcharov 5
	2× 4×	Report	2× 3×

---

20 August 2008 14:15	Poland	30 – 32	Iceland	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Bord, Buy (FRA)
	Jachlewski, Tkaczyk 6	(19–14)	Petersson 6
	8× 3× 1×	Report	3× 2×

---

20 August 2008 18:00	Denmark	24 – 26	Croatia	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Breto, Huelin (ESP)
	Christiansen 6	(14–12)	Šprem 7
	2× 2×	Report	4× 2×

---

20 August 2008 20:15	South Korea	24 – 29	Spain	Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium Referees: Gjeding, Hansen (DEN)
	Jeong Yi-kyeong 7	(13–14)	Rocas 8
	3× 3×	Report	5× 2×

Classification

22 August 2008 12:00	Russia	28 – 27	Denmark	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Elmoamli, Shaban Ali (EGY)
	Dibirov 8	(17–14)	Christiansen 8
	2× 4×	Report	5× 4× 1×

---

22 August 2008 14:15	Poland	29 – 26	South Korea	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Canbro, Claesson (SWE)
	Jurasik 7	(15–14)	Yoon Kyung-shin 6
	3× 3×	Report	5× 3×

Semifinals

22 August 2008 18:00	France	25 – 23	Croatia	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Chernega, Poladenko (RUS)
	Burdet, Narcisse 6	(12–11)	Horvat, Šprem 5
	4× 4×	Report	3× 3×

---

22 August 2008 20:15	Iceland	36 – 30	Spain	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Krstic, Ljubic (SLO)
	Sigurðsson, Geirsson 7	(17–15)	Rocas 7
	9× 4×	Report	5× 3× 1×

7th–8th place

24 August 2008 08:00	Denmark	37 – 26	South Korea	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Aires Menezes, Aparecido Pinto (BRA)
	Hansen 8	(15–13)	Ko Kyung-soo 10
	4× 3×	Report	1× 2×

5th–6th place

24 August 2008 10:15	Russia	28 – 29	Poland	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Karbaschi, Kolahdouzan (IRI)
	Kokcharov 10	(15–14)	Jurasik 6
	5× 4×	Report	4× 4×

Bronze medal match

24 August 2008 13:30	Croatia	29 – 35	Spain	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Din, Dinu (ROU)
	Duvnjak 7	(14–12)	García, Prieto 7
	4× 3×	Report	5× 3×

Gold medal match

24 August 2008 15:45	Iceland	23 – 28	France	Beijing National Indoor Stadium Referees: Lemme, Ullrich (GER)
	Stefánsson 5	(10–15)	Karabatić 8
	4× 3×	Report	3× 3×

Rankings and statistics

Final ranking Classification  France  Iceland  Spain 4  Croatia 5  Poland 6  Russia 7  Denmark 8  South Korea 9  Germany 10  Egypt 11  Brazil 12  China Source: IHF.info

All star team Goalkeeper: Thierry Omeyer Left wing: Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson Left back: Daniel Narcisse Centre back: Snorri Guðjónsson Right back: Ólafur Stefánsson Right wing: Albert Rocas Line player/pivot: Bertrand Gille Chosen by team officials and IHF experts: IHF.info

Top goalkeepers Rank Name Team % Saves Shots 1 Johannes Bitter  Germany 41% 70 170 Thierry Omeyer  France 84 204 3 Mohamed Nakib  Egypt 40% 59 149 4 Sławomir Szmal  Poland 37% 85 227 5 David Barrufet  Spain 36% 59 165 Oleg Grams  Russia 91 250 Kasper Hvidt  Denmark 94 250 Alexey Kostygov  Russia 31 86 Maik Santos  Brazil 52 145 10 Björgvin Páll Gústavsson  Iceland 33% 75 226 Han Kyung-Tai  South Korea 67 204 Venio Losert  Croatia 44 135

Top goalscorers

Rank	Name	Team	Goals	Shots	%
1	Juan García	Spain	49	65	75%
2	Snorri Guðjónsson	Iceland	48	77	62%
3	Guðjón Valur Sigurðsson	Iceland	43	66	65%
4	Lars Christiansen	Denmark	42	59	71%
5	Michael Kraus	Germany	38	65	58%
6	Mariusz Jurasik	Poland	37	59	63%
	Nikola Karabatić	France		69	54%
8	Konstantin Igropulo	Russia	36	63	57%
	Jesper Nøddesbo	Denmark		47	77%
10	Bertrand Gille	France	35	48	73%
	Daniel Narcisse	France		69	51%
	Albert Rocas	Spain		54	65%

References

External links

• Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
• International Handball Federation
• European Handball Federation
• Team Handball News 2008 Men's Olympic Qualification Summary