Denmark win gold at Women's Junior World Championship
Denmark win gold at Women's Junior World Championship
Ahead of Friday's final at the Women's Junior World Championship in Moscow, the circumstances looked promising for Russia. They had not lost a single game yet at this championship and they were playing at home, with the vast majority of the 1,000 spectators cheering for them.
However, it was not enough. Denmark led 15:12 at half-time and even though Russia had levelled the result at 28:28 after 60 minutes, equalising the game on the buzzer with a goal scored by Elizaveta Malashenko, they were not able to take this psychological momentum into extra time.
In the additional ten minutes that were played, Denmark netted four times while Russia scored zero. The final result: 32:28 for Denmark.
Just ahead of the final, Romania had beaten Germany 26:25 in the match for third place to take bronze.
Boegelund on fire in extra time
While Denmark's Mai Kragballe scored eight times during the regular 60 minutes, it was in particular right back Pauline Boegelund who helped her team to victory. The 20-year-old scored three of her overall seven goals in extra time.
It was the second time Denmark beat Russia in the final of a women's younger age category event within a year's time. The first victory had come at the Women's 19 EHF EURO 2015 Final which they won 29:26.
Russia's best scorer was Antonina Skorobogatchenko who netted seven times.
At the end of the Women's Junior World Championship not only the medals were awarded but also the tournament's all-star team was named.
Russia's Yaroslava Frolova was named Most Valuable Player. The silver medallists also had the best right back, Skorobogatchenko, and the best left back, Yulia Golikova, in her ranks. Goalkeeper Rebecca Reinhardt and left wing Laerke Pedersen were the all-stars in the Danish team.
Furthermore Romania's Cristina Laslo (centre back), Germany's Annika Ingenpass (line player) and Norway's Mathilde Rivas Toft (right wing) made the cut. Song Jieun from Korea became top scorer.
