Nascimento and Narcisse announced World Handball Players of the Year

8 January 2013 will forever remain in the mind of Daniel Narcisse, for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, the Frenchmen announced his transfer from THW Kiel to Paris Saint-Germain next season, this was followed by the news he received in the French national team camp that he was voted World Handball Player of the Year 2012.

Narcisse, who is currently preparing with the French national team for the upcoming World Championship in Spain, beat Mikkel Hansen to the title and succeeds the Dane as World Handball Player of the Year.

In Vienna, the joy was even bigger, when Alexandra do Nascimento received the news that she is the new “queen of handball” during a training session with her club Hypo Niederösterreich.

“I was surprised and very pleased when I was among the five nominees, but I never ever expected to become World Handball Player of the Year.

I thank my coach, my club, and my family for all their support. I am absolutely delighted,” the Brazilian right wing said to eurohandball.com.

Just like the men’s voting, Nascimento was ahead of the previous award holder, Norwegian Heidi Löke, who plays for Hungarian club Györi Audi ETO KC.
Fans, media representatives, and an expert group of the International Handball Federation casted votes for the award, with both male and female decisions quite close.

Alexandra do Nascimento is the first Brazilian World Handball Player of the Year, while Daniel Narcisse is the sixth Frenchman to win this award since the first vote in 1988, and the fourth player from German club and defending VELUX EHF Champions League winners THW Kiel to become World Handball Player of the Year since 2007 after Nikola Karabatic (2007), Thierry Omeyer (2008), and Filip Jicha (2010).

Alexandra do Nascimento obtained 28% of votes, ahead of Löke and Montenegrin Bojana Popovic (Buducnost Podgorica, 24 % each).

Andrea Penezic (Croatia, Krim Mercator Ljubljana/Slovenia) and Katarina Bulatovic (Montenegro, Oltchim Valcea/Romania) each earned 12% of votes to both rank fourth.

Daniel Narcisse obtained 25% of votes to win out over Hansen (21%).

Filip Jicha (Czech Republic, THW Kiel/Germany), Kim Andersson (Sweden, KIF Kolding/Denmark) and Julen Aguinagalde (Spain, Atletico Madrid/Spain) shared third place with 18% each.

The awarding ceremony will take place prior to the 2013 Men’s World Championship final in Spain on 27 January in Barcelona.

Narcisse and do Nascimento will receive both a precious trophy and a cheque for 10,000 euros.

Portraits of the 2012 World Handball Players of the Year:

Alexandra do Nascimento (Brazil)
Born on 16 September 1981 in Sao Paolo
Position: right wing
Club: Hypo Niederösterreich (since 2003)
Top scorer of 2011 World Championship
Sextuple Pan-American champion
Olympic participations in 2004, 2008, 2012
All-star team member at the Olympic Games in London
5th place at 2011 World Championship
EHF Champions League finalist in 2008 and 10 Austrian championship and Cup winner titles with Hypo Niederösterreich
Alexandra do Nascimento was the outstanding player and top scorer of the Brazilian team at the Olympic Games in London where she had been elected to the all-star team. But even 37 goals (fourth ranked in the overall top scorer list) could not avoid Brazil’s dramatic elimination in the quarter-finals by later gold medallist Norway although Brazil had been in the lead 15:9. do Nascimento is a brilliant counter-attack specialist and as cold as ice from the penalty spot.

Daniel Narcisse (France)
Born on 16 December 1979 in Saint Denis, La Reunion
Position: left back
Club: THW Kiel (since 2009)
Olympic champion in 2008, 2012
World champion in 2001, 2009
European champion in 2006, 2010
VELUX EHF Champions League winner in 2010 and 2012, German champion in 2010, 2012, German Cup winner in 2010, 2011, 2012
IHF Super Globe winner in 2011, IHF Super Globe finalist in 2012
Daniel Narcisse is nicknamed ‘Air France’, as hardly any other backcourt players is able to jump like he does. In more than 200 matches for the French team the left back became one of the keys to success in the past decade. And the year 2012 was a tremendously successful one for Narcisse in every respect: His goals paved the way to Olympic gold in London with France. Then he won all possible titles with THW Kiel – VELUX EHF Champions League, German championship with 34 victories in 34 matches and the German Cup.