Gro Hammerseng
Encyclopedia
Gro Hammerseng is a Norwegian
handballer
playing for the Norwegian national team
and Norwegian
club Larvik HK
. She has been the captain of the national team for several years, and in 2007 she was voted female World Handball Player of the Year
.
. Gro stayed 7 years in Denmark
playing for the Danish
club FC Midtjylland Håndbold
, but on 17 February 2010 she signed under a 2-year contract with the Norwegian
handball club Larvik HK
. Gro has played for Larvik since the 2010/11 season.
on 29 November 2000 against Poland in Bergen
, Norway. Her first major tournament was the 2000 European Championship
in Romania
, where Norway finished sixth. She received a silver medal at the 2001 World Championship
and at the 2002 European Championship
.
In December 2003, coach Marit Breivik
made Hammerseng captain of the team, replacing fellow Gjøvik
native Else-Marthe Sørlie Lybekk
. The 2003 World Championship
was her first competition as captain, but Norway was not successful and finished the championship in sixth place, thus missing the opportunity to participate in the 2004 Summer Olympics
. The 2004 European Championship
brought her first gold medal with the team. Hammerseng saw her performance recognized as she was voted MVP
and member of the All-Star Team of the tournament.
After a serious knee injury kept her out of the court in the 2005/06 season, Gro Hammerseng repeated her 2004 success at the 2006 European Championship
in Sweden
. She received her second gold medal and was again named MVP and member of the All-Star Team of the tournament. At the 2007 World Championship
, Norway was defeated by Russia
in the final match, marking the third silver medal for Hammerseng. She was voted into the All-Star Team as best left back.
The 2008 Summer Olympics
gave the Norwegians an opportunity for revenge, as they met Russia in the final match. After a comfortable 34–27 win, Hammerseng received her first Olympic gold medal.
As of 22 December 2010, she has played 167 games for Norway, scoring 631 goals.
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
relationship with fellow Larvik HK
and Norwegian national team
player Katja Nyberg
. In August 2010, they announced that they had split up even though they would continue to play together for Larvik.. Gro and Katja's relationship lasted 5 years (2005–2010).
In the lead-up to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
Hammerseng joined other Norwegian athletes in an Amnesty International
campaign for human rights in the People's Republic of China
.
World Championship
European Championship
Danish Cup
Cup Winners' Cup
EHF Cup
Norwegian Cup (NM)
Norwegian Play-off
Champions League
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
handballer
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
playing for the Norwegian national team
Norway women's national handball team
The Norway women's national handball team is the national team of Norway. It is governed by the Norwegian Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions....
and Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
club Larvik HK
Larvik HK
Larvik Håndballklubb, is a women's handball club from Larvik, Norway. They play in the Norwegian top league for women and they have won the Norwegian Championship thirteen times.- History :...
. She has been the captain of the national team for several years, and in 2007 she was voted female World Handball Player of the Year
IHF World Player of the Year
-Men:-Women:-External links:* *...
.
Club career
Hammerseng started her handball career in 1990 at Gjøvik HK (1990–1995). She later played one year for Raufoss IL (1995–1996) and one year for Vardal IF (1996–1997) before starting her senior career in 1997 for Gjøvik og Vardal HK (1997–2003). Hammerseng was Gjøvik og Vardal's captain during her six seasons with the club. In 2003, after serious economic problems at her hometown club, Hammerseng signed with Danish top club Ikast-Bording, since November 2008 called FC Midtjylland HåndboldFC Midtjylland Håndbold
FC Midtjylland Håndbold is a Danish women's handball club based in Ikast. They play in the Dame Håndbold Ligaen since 1991. In 1998, FCM won the Danish Championship...
. Gro stayed 7 years in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
playing for the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club FC Midtjylland Håndbold
FC Midtjylland Håndbold
FC Midtjylland Håndbold is a Danish women's handball club based in Ikast. They play in the Dame Håndbold Ligaen since 1991. In 1998, FCM won the Danish Championship...
, but on 17 February 2010 she signed under a 2-year contract with the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
handball club Larvik HK
Larvik HK
Larvik Håndballklubb, is a women's handball club from Larvik, Norway. They play in the Norwegian top league for women and they have won the Norwegian Championship thirteen times.- History :...
. Gro has played for Larvik since the 2010/11 season.
National team
Hammerseng made her debut with the Norwegian national teamNorway women's national handball team
The Norway women's national handball team is the national team of Norway. It is governed by the Norwegian Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions....
on 29 November 2000 against Poland in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway. Her first major tournament was the 2000 European Championship
2000 European Women's Handball Championship
-Final ranking:...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, where Norway finished sixth. She received a silver medal at the 2001 World Championship
2001 World Women's Handball Championship
The 2001 World Women's Handball Championship, the 15th of its kind, was held between December 4 and December 16, 2001, and was hosted by Italy, with the final being played in Merano.-Final standings:Source:...
and at the 2002 European Championship
2002 European Women's Handball Championship
The 2002 EHF European Women's Handball Championship was held in Denmark from 6–15 December. It was won by Denmark after beating Norway 25–22 in the final match.-Venues:The European Championships was held in the following cities:...
.
In December 2003, coach Marit Breivik
Marit Breivik
Marit Breivik is a former Norwegian team handball player, and former head coach for the Norwegian women's national handball team...
made Hammerseng captain of the team, replacing fellow Gjøvik
Gjøvik
is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
native Else-Marthe Sørlie Lybekk
Else-Marthe Sørlie Lybekk
Else-Marthe Sørlie Lybekk is a Norwegian team handball player, world champion from 1999, gold medalist from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, and bronze medalist from the 2000 Olympics...
. The 2003 World Championship
2003 World Women's Handball Championship
-Final ranking:-All Star Team:*Goalkeeper: *Left wing: *Left back: *Pivot: *Centre back: *Right back: *Right wing: -Top goalscorers:-References:...
was her first competition as captain, but Norway was not successful and finished the championship in sixth place, thus missing the opportunity to participate in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. The 2004 European Championship
2004 European Women's Handball Championship
The 2004 EHF European Women's Handball Championship was held in Hungary from 9–19 December, it was won by Norway after beating Denmark 27–25 in the final match.-Venues:The European Championships will be held in the following cities:...
brought her first gold medal with the team. Hammerseng saw her performance recognized as she was voted MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
and member of the All-Star Team of the tournament.
After a serious knee injury kept her out of the court in the 2005/06 season, Gro Hammerseng repeated her 2004 success at the 2006 European Championship
2006 European Women's Handball Championship
The 2006 EHF European Women's Handball Championship was held in Sweden from 7–17 December. It was won by Norway after beating Russia 27–24 in the final match....
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She received her second gold medal and was again named MVP and member of the All-Star Team of the tournament. At the 2007 World Championship
2007 World Women's Handball Championship
The 2007 World Women's Handball Championship took place in France from 2 December to 16 December 2007. It was the 18th team handball world championship for women. A total of 24 teams participated in the tournament...
, Norway was defeated by Russia
Russia women's national handball team
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 team handball competitions...
in the final match, marking the third silver medal for Hammerseng. She was voted into the All-Star Team as best left back.
The 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
gave the Norwegians an opportunity for revenge, as they met Russia in the final match. After a comfortable 34–27 win, Hammerseng received her first Olympic gold medal.
As of 22 December 2010, she has played 167 games for Norway, scoring 631 goals.
Awards and recognition
2004- MVP - European Championship 2004 (Awarded in December 2004)
- All-Star Team: European Championship 2004 - Best Playmaker - (Awarded in December 2004)
2005
- All-Star Team: Danish League 2004/05 - Best Playmaker - (Awarded in May 2005)
2006
- MVP - European Championship 2006 (Awarded in December 2006)
- All-Star Team: European Championship 2006 - Best Playmaker - (Awarded in December 2006)
- ‘Role model’ of the year, Norwegian Sports Gala (Awarded in January 2007)
- ’Team Player’ of the year, Norwegian Sports Gala (Awarded in January 2007)
2007
- ‘Snill Pike Statuetten’ - Norwegian media photographers (Awarded in March 2007)
- World Handball Player of the YearIHF World Player of the Year-Men:-Women:-External links:* *...
- Readers of World Handball Magazine and the International Handball FederationInternational Handball FederationThe International Handball Federation, often referred to by the acronym IHF, is the administrative and controlling body for International team handball.- Championships :*World Men's Handball Championship*World Women's Handball Championship...
web site visitors. (Awarded in September 2008) - All-Star Team: World Championship 2007 - Best Left Back - (Awarded in December 2007)
2008
- Casparprisen - Gjøvik City (Awarded in August 2008)
2009
- ’Player of the Year’ voted by the Ikast-fans (Awarded in May 2009)
2010
- All-Star Team: European Championship 2010 - Best Playmaker - (Awarded in December 2010)
- ’Team Player’ of the year, Norwegian Sports Gala (Awarded in January 2011)
Personal life
Hammerseng was in a long-term cohabitingCohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
relationship with fellow Larvik HK
Larvik HK
Larvik Håndballklubb, is a women's handball club from Larvik, Norway. They play in the Norwegian top league for women and they have won the Norwegian Championship thirteen times.- History :...
and Norwegian national team
Norway women's national handball team
The Norway women's national handball team is the national team of Norway. It is governed by the Norwegian Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions....
player Katja Nyberg
Katja Nyberg
Katja Johanna Alice Nyberg , is a naturalized Norwegian handball player, currently playing for Norwegian club Larvik HK as well as the Norwegian national team.- Early years :...
. In August 2010, they announced that they had split up even though they would continue to play together for Larvik.. Gro and Katja's relationship lasted 5 years (2005–2010).
In the lead-up to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
Hammerseng joined other Norwegian athletes in an Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
campaign for human rights in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
Norwegian National Handball Team
Olympic GamesHandball at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament
The women's handball tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics is being held from August 9 to August 23, at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium and National Indoor Stadium in Beijing...
- Gold: 2008
World Championship
World Women's Handball Championship
The World Championship in team handball for women has been organized by the International Handball Federation since 1957.- Championships :- Overall medal count :- Participation history :-Largest winning margin:Source: - External links :*...
- Silver: 2001, 2007
European Championship
European Women's Handball Championship
The European Women's Handball Championship is the official competition for senior women's national handball teams of Europe, and takes place every two years. In addition to crowning the European champions, the tournament also serves as a qualifying tournament for the World Championship...
- Gold: 2004, 2006, 2010
- Silver: 2002
With: FC Midtjylland Håndbold
Danish ChampionshipDanish Women's Handball League
The Danish Women's Handball League is the top professional league for Danish women's handball clubs. It is administered by the Danish Handball Federation, and the winners are recognized as Danish champions. Since January 2009, the league is officially called GuldBageren Ligaen for sponsorship...
- Silver: 2007/08
- Bronze: 2003/04, 2004/05
Danish Cup
- Silver: 2003, 2004
Cup Winners' Cup
- Gold: 2003/04
EHF Cup
Women's EHF Cup
The Women's EHF Cup is an official competition for women's handball clubs of Europe. It takes place every year, from September to May. It was first organized by the European Handball Federation in 1993...
- Silver: 2006/07
With: Larvik HK
Norwegian League- Gold: 2010/11
Norwegian Cup (NM)
- Gold: 2010
Norwegian Play-off
- Gold: 2010/11
Champions League
- Gold: 2010/11