Norway through to handball final

Heidi Loke scored eight goals and Norway stayed on course for a second successive Olympic Games gold medal in women’s Handball as they reached Saturday’s final with a 31-25 victory over the Republic of Korea. The Scandinavians, who topped the podium in Beijing four years ago, have not been at their best at London 2012, but they are finding form at the right time and are guaranteed at least a silver medal when they meet Spain or Montenegro in two days’ time. Korea, who have won a Handball medal in six of their previous seven Olympic Games, will have to settle for bronze if they are to add to that tally when they come up against tonight’s losing semi-finalist. If this game was going to be anything like the Group B preliminary clash between these two sides, then a raucous crowd in the Basketball Arena were going to be in for a treat after it ended 27-27 last Wednesday. Norway were not playing their best Handball then, and only qualified out of the group in fourth place, but they saw off an in-form Brazil in the quarter-final, at which stage Korea beat Russia. The Norwegians found their groove early this afternoon, and three goals from Goril Snorroeggen inside the opening 10 minutes gave them an 8-4 lead. That advantage was stretched to five goals 10 minutes later but Korea, inspired almost single-handedly by Gwon Han Na’s six goals, ensured the deficit was brought down and the first half ended 18-15 to Norway. Norway showed no sign of letting the Asian champions back into the game and a strong opening to the second half allowed them to rebuild their cushion and they stretched it to six for a 26-20 lead. Backed by thousands of Norway supporters wearing red, Thorir Hergeirsson’s side were never going to let it slip from there, as star player Loke completed her impressive goals haul.