Handball at the Summer Olympics facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Handball at the Summer Olympics |
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| Governing body | IHF |
| Events | 2 (men: 1; women: 1) |
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Handball at the Summer Olympics is an exciting team sport. It has been part of the Olympic Games in two different ways. First, there was Field handball, which was played outdoors on a large field. This version was only in the Olympics once for men, at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
Later, the more common (indoor) handball was introduced. This is the fast-paced game played indoors that you see today. Men's indoor handball became an Olympic sport at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. Women's indoor handball joined the Games a few years later, at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Contents
Men's Olympic Handball
A Look at the Tournaments
Men's handball has a rich history at the Olympics. After its first appearance as field handball in 1936, indoor handball became a regular event. Teams from all over the world compete for the gold medal.
Here are some highlights from the men's tournaments:
- In 1936, Germany won the only gold medal in field handball.
- When indoor handball started in 1972, Yugoslavia took the first gold.
- The Soviet Union (now Russia and other countries) won gold in 1976 and 1988.
- France has been very successful, winning gold medals in 2008, 2012, and 2020. They also won silver in 2016.
- Croatia won gold twice, in 1996 and 2004.
- Denmark won their first gold medal in 2016.
Men's Medal Winners
Many countries have won medals in men's Olympic handball. This table shows which teams have earned the most gold, silver, and bronze medals.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  France (FRA) |
3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2 |  Soviet Union (URS) |
2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 |  Croatia (CRO) |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
 Yugoslavia (YUG) |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| 5 |  Germany (GER) |
1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 |  Denmark (DEN) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 |  Russia (RUS) |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 8 |  East Germany (GDR) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Unified Team (EUN) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 10 |  Sweden (SWE) |
0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 11 |  Romania (ROU) |
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 12 |  Austria (AUT) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Iceland (ISL) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 South Korea (KOR) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 16 |  Spain (ESP) |
0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 17 |  Poland (POL) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Switzerland (SUI) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (18 entries) | 14 | 14 | 14 | 42 | |
Women's Olympic Handball
A Look at the Tournaments
Women's indoor handball joined the Olympics in 1976. Since then, many strong teams have competed for the top spots.
Here are some key moments from the women's tournaments:
- The Soviet Union won the first two gold medals in 1976 and 1980.
- South Korea has been a very strong team, winning gold in 1988 and 1992, and several silver medals.
- Denmark had a golden era, winning three gold medals in a row from 1996 to 2004.
- Norway has also been very successful, winning gold in 2008 and 2012, and multiple bronze medals.
- Russia won gold in 2016.
- France won their first women's handball gold medal in 2020.
Women's Medal Winners
This table shows the countries that have won medals in women's Olympic handball.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark (DEN) |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | South Korea (KOR) |
2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 |  Norway (NOR) |
2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Soviet Union (URS) |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | France (FRA) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Russia (RUS) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| Yugoslavia (YUG) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 8 |  Hungary (HUN) |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | East Germany (GDR) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 |  Montenegro (MNE) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Russia (RUS) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 12 |  China (CHN) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Spain (ESP) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Ukraine (UKR) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Unified Team (EUN) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (15 entries) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 36 | |
Overall Medal Table
This table combines the medals won by both men's and women's teams in Olympic handball. Some teams, like the Soviet Union (URS) and the Unified Team (EUN), are now different countries or groups of countries. For example, the Soviet Union's medals are now often linked to Russia.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France (FRA) |
4 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 2 | Soviet Union (URS) |
4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | Denmark (DEN) |
4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Yugoslavia (YUG) |
3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | South Korea (KOR) |
2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 6 | Norway (NOR) |
2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 | Russia (RUS) |
2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 8 | Croatia (CRO) |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 9 | East Germany (GDR) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Germany (GER) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 11 | Unified Team (EUN) |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | Sweden (SWE) |
0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 13 | Romania (ROU) |
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 14 | Hungary (HUN) |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 | Austria (AUT) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Czechoslovakia (TCH) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Iceland (ISL) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Montenegro (MNE) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Russia (RUS) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| West Germany (FRG) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 21 | Spain (ESP) |
0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 22 | China (CHN) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Poland (POL) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Switzerland (SUI) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Ukraine (UKR) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (25 entries) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 78 | |
See also
In Spanish: Balonmano en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños
- List of Olympic venues in handball
