Handball: Norway take bronze to end Korean run

Sydney: World champions Norway beat Korea 22-21 to take the bronze medal in women's handball on Sunday and deny the South Koreans a place on the Olympic podium for the first time in 20 years.

Winger Mia Hundwin scored Norway's dramatic winner a minute and 24 seconds from the final hooter, leaping into the Korean goalmouth from the left and unleashing an unstoppable angled shot.

Hundwin was accidentally kicked in the head by the Korean goalkeeper as she fell to ground and needed medical attention before play resumed.

The Koreans managed two further desperate attacks but Norway's inspirational goalkeeper Heidi Tjugum blocked the first and winger Monica Sandve intercepted the second.

Norway's bronze added to their silver medals from Seoul and Barcelona and went some way to atoning for their surprise semi-final defeat to Hungary, who were due to face defending champions Denmark in the gold medal match later.

It also ended South Korea's remarkable run in the Olympics, dating back to their debut in the women's competition in Los Angeles in 1984.

They surprised everyone by taking silver in those Games and then won the gold medal on home soil in 1988. They won gold again in Barcelona and silver in Atlanta four years ago.

The Koreans led 13-12 at the interval and twice opened up a three-point lead in an eventful match.

But the Asians paid a high price for indiscipline. They picked up six two-minute suspensions to Norway's one and had playmaker Huh Soon-Young sent off with three minutes 46 seconds left on the clock for clattering Hundvin.

"There are many reasons why we lost the match but obviously a lack of discipline was one of them," Korean coach Koh Byung-Hoon acknowledged.

"We had six players suspended to their one. That's a whole 10 minutes in which we had to play with one women less on court than the Norwegians."

(c) Reuters Limited.