It has been a regular final in the women’s European and World Championships in the past years, but when the sides met on Saturday afternoon to decide the Paris 2024 title it was the first time Norway and France clashed in an Olympic final. The gold-medal match in Lille was ultimately a clear matter for the record and defending EHF EURO champions Norway. Thanks to an incredible defensive performance they beat hosts France — the previous Olympic and current world champions — 29:21 (15:13) to win their third Olympic gold medal, after Beijing 2008 and London 2012. It was also the third different opponent Norway had beaten to take Olympic gold, after Russia and Montenegro.