Norway's sure-shot women win handball gold

By Sophie Hardach

BEIJING (Reuters) - Norway's women won Olympic handball gold on Saturday after hammering Russia 34-27 thanks to a superbly synchronized defense and drill-like attack.

The triumphant team skipped across the pitch in single file after their victory, waving a huge red, white and blue Norwegian flag. Russia took silver, while Korea won bronze.

Norway raced ahead in the first half, at one point leading 17-9, and their solid defense and relentless attack contrasted with the somewhat hesitant and scattered Russians.

"I think I am the happiest person on earth right now," left back Katja Nyberg said after the match. "I think our speed was the ticket to the gold medal today."

Russia pulled back some ground, with top scorer Irina Bliznova sinking five shots, but Norway still topped the first half 18-13.

To a backdrop of Norwegian fans in red T-shirts, Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth and Else Lybekk led Norway's attack in the first half while powerful scorer Gro Hammerseng came into her own with a signature sure-shot later in the game.

Even an impressive last-minute assault by the Russians -- three goals in the 60th minute -- could not save the day.

"Everything was right for us today. We are much stronger than the Russians. We just ran from them. We did everything right," goalkeeper Kari Aalvik Grimsboe told reporters.

Riegelhuth was the top scorer of the game with nine goals, and Lybekk followed closely behind with seven.

(Additional reporting by Guo Shipeng; Editing by Alex Richardson)