Is Aron Palmarsson already as good as Olafur Stefansson?

Despite being only 25 years old, Aron Palmarsson is a name that has been on the lips of Icelandic handball experts for a decade. As one of the Iceland’s biggest sports heroes in present days, he is a clear example that only the sky is the limit if you work hard to reach your potential.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in his case. His mother, Arndís Heiða Einarsdóttir, also played handball. His father, Palmar Sigurðsson, is one of the biggest names in Icelandic basketball history with 74 games for the national team. So it’s no coincidence that their son had “talent” written all over him.

Palmarsson broke into the first team of FH in the Icelandic league at the tender age of 15, and people were soon aware of his potential. In the 2008/2009 season his performance at FH caught the attention of his fellow countryman and THW Kiel coach Alfred Gíslason, who convinced him to join the German champions in the summer of 2009.

In August that year, Palmarsson was a vital part of Iceland’s team that won silver at the Youth World Championship in Tunisia – Iceland’s biggest success at this level and Palmarsson was also voted into the All-star team of the tournament.

In Germany Palmarsson did not give the fans any reason to be disappointed either and was voted the most promising player of the Bundesliga during his first year with Kiel.

The season proved to be a great success for Gíslason’s side, who became German champions and also won the EHF Champions League in 2010.

On top Palmarsson won bronze with the Icelandic national team at the EHF EURO 2010.

He wanted to be great in all areas

Sverre Andreas Jakobsson, former team mate of Palmarsson in the Icelandic national team and a silver medalist at the 2008 Olympics, says he saw his potential from the very first practice with the national team.

“It‘s not hard to describe him as a handball player; he is a natural talent. For me it was remarkable when he came to the national team, how determined he was about all areas of the sport.

“He wanted us to let him know what he should do and what he could do better in all areas. Some other twenty-year-olds would have just thought about scoring goals, but he wanted to be great all-round,” says Jakobsson.

After the World Championship 2011 in Sweden – Iceland finished sixth – handball experts were extremely excited about Palmarsson’s future. “Remember the name, he is going to be one of the best,” they said.

And Palmarsson was just getting out of the blocks. At the end of the 2011/2012 season, Kiel had won the national championship as well as the German Cup and the VELUX EHF Champions League.

Gislason’s side had won every single Bundesliga match, Palmarsson played better than ever – and people clearly noticed.

At the 2012 London Olympics – Iceland came fifth – he was voted inot the All-star team after where Iceland finished 5th. Palmarsson then finished a successful year by being voted Iceland’s athlete of the year.

“He has always gone that extra mile and also is aware of other factors in the sport than just the handball part.

“He knows how important it is to be both mentally and physically healthy,” says Sverre Jakobsson, who not only played with but also against Palmarsson in the Bundesliga when taking to the court for TV Grosswallstadt.

“He always had so many aces up his sleeve and was a really difficult player to be up against. You always knew that when you were able to stop him, you were doing something right,” says Jakobsson, who compares Palmarsson to the Icelandic legend Olafur Stefansson; one of the all-time best.

“His shots are his trademark, he has incredible wrist-movements and his balance is remarkable. He is a player that can take the final shot, but also has a great eye for his teammates.

“You have to think of many things at once when you’re up against him as a defender. He always seems to make the right decisions, which is something Olafur Stefansson could do as well,” says Jakobsson.

Time came for a new challenge

However, despite amassing title after title on the national level with THW Kiel time came for a change and shortly after being voted MVP at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2014 he signed a contract with MVM Veszprem in Hungary whom he joined in 2015.

“He always wants to do better and never settles for what he has already accomplished. His achievements have never gotten to his head, he is a really focused and down to earth individual.

“It’s great to see how he has developed as a player and into the person he is today. You can’t help but to be fond of him,” says Sverre Jakobsson.

Palmarsson has settled well in Veszprem and it can be expected that he will be on top of his form at the EHF EURO 2016 in Poland.

If everything goes right, his name is likely to continue to be on the expert’s lips for another decade to come.