04.08.2014, 02:59
Pregnant Katrine Lunde misses Women's EHF EURO 2014

NEWS REPORT: EHF EURO record winners Norway will have to play the Women's EHF EURO 2014 in Hungary and Croatia without their experienced goalkeeper who announced a pregnancy break from handball

Pregnant Katrine Lunde misses Women's EHF EURO 2014

Norway's hopes ahead of the Women's EHF EURO 2014 have suffered a further blow. As reported previously, line player Heidi Loke has announced a break from the national team and is not likely to play at the championship in Hungary and Croatia this December.

On Monday goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, Loke's teammate in the Norwegian national team as well as at Women's EHF Champions League winners Györi Audi ETO KC, announced that she is pregnant and being due to give birth in March 2015.

It means that she will be following the European Championship from the stands.

This is not only a blow to the EHF EURO record winners chances at the final tournament, but also to Györ's hopes of winning the Women's EHF Champions League for the third year in a row.

"I am happy and looking forward to forming my own family.

"However, handball will still be an important part of my everyday life, and I hope to be back at top level soon after having given birth," Katrine Lunde, who has been engaged to the Serbian Nikola Trajkovic since June this year, told the Norwegian Handball Federation's website.

Coach putting his faith in strong reserves

Norway's national coach Thorir Hergeirsson finds consolation in the fact that he has pretty strong substitutes at his disposal for the goalkeeper position.

"In the coaching team we are happy for Katrine and her fiancé and we wish them the best of luck in the time to come.

"She has been part of the national team for many years, and for the past decade she has been among the absolutely best goalkeepers in the world.

“At the same time we are happy to have Kari Aalvik Grimsbo back from maternity leave. Along with Silje Solberg she will be a solid goalkeeper duo towards the (EHF) EURO in Croatia and Hungary in December," Hergeirsson said.

34-year-old Katrine Lunde has played 241 internationals for Norway since her debut in 2002.

Media reaction

Grimsbo's return was also something that was pointed out as positive in the Norwegian media. However, TV 2 commentator Harald Bredeli also highlighted on Twitter that Lunde's absence is a loss for the team.

Håndballjentene mister verdens beste målvakt før EM. Og jeg som syntes det så spinkelt ut fra før.. Bra at Kari Aalvik Grimsbø er tilbake.

— Harald Bredeli (@TV2Bredeli) August 4, 2014

TEXT: Peter Bruun / ts