EHF Excellence Award 2024 in Vienna unite legends and TOP stars
Norwegian centre back Stine Oftedal Dahmke and Danish goalkeeper Emil Nielsen have been announced as the ‘Most Valuable Players’ of the 2023/24 season at the EHF Excellence Awards 2024 in Vienna on Saturday.
The two MVPs were chosen from an exclusive shortlist, published in September, which also included Chloé Valentini and Line Haugsted on the women’s side, as well as Dika Mem and Magnus Saugstrup on the men’s side.
In June this year, Oftedal as best centre back and Nielsen as best goalkeeper had been voted by players, coaches, fans and the media to the 2023/24 ‘Team of the Season’ – the first step of eventually becoming the MVP.
Stine Oftedal Dahmke
One of the most successful Norwegian handball players, Stine Oftedal Dahmke retired from handball after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, following an illustrious career that included multiple trophies in club competitions and with the national team. Together with Norway, Oftedal Dahmke grabbed five EHF EURO titles — in 2010, 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2022 — and three IHF World Championship trophies — in 2011, 2015 and 2021.
The 2023/24 season was the last one for Oftedal Dahmke, who finished her club career on a high after winning her third EHF Champions League title with Györi Audi ETO KC. At the EHF FINAL4 in Budapest, she proved to be one of the key players, helping her teammates with a series of crucial assists and scoring three goals in the semi-final against Team Esbjerg. The Norwegian received the MVP award for her outstanding performance during the final weekend of the top-flight competition.
On her last international appearance, Oftedal managed to finally add an Olympic gold medal to her collection — at the Paris 2024 Olympics — after two previous bronze medals, in 2016 and 2020. She scored 25 times in eight matches and played an important part in Norway’s success in the tournament.
Emil Nielsen
At 27 years of age, Emil Nielsen has established himself as one of the most prominent goalkeepers in handball, proving pivotal for his teams’ success both on club and on national team level.
In January, at the Men’s EHF EURO 2024, Nielsen ended the tournament with an overall 39.5 per cent save efficiency, including a stunning performance in the final against France. Even though Denmark lost this match, Nielsen received the Player of the Match award. Only seven months later, Nielsen was part of the team that won gold at the 2024 Olympic Games.
On club level, Nielsen is currently in his third season with one of the most successful teams in history, Barça. In 2023/24, the Danish goalkeeper won his first EHF Champions League title, after having to settle for a third place in the previous season.
Handball superstars celebrated on stage
The Excellence Awards started by honouring the legends of the sport with the induction of 21 new names into the EHF Hall of Fame. Seven players on the women’s side and 14 on the men’s side were celebrated for their achievements and their undisputed contribution to handball.
The evening continued with the awards for ‘Beach Handball MVPs’, received by Ricardo Castro and Meike Kruijer, who were then followed on stage by Petra Simon and Martim Costa as the winners of the ‘Young Players of the Season’ award.
A newly introduced category this year, the ‘European Olympic Excellence Award’, rewarded the players who stood out during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Danish right back Mathias Gidsel and Norwegian goalkeeper Katrine Lunde were the recipients of this new award.
List of legends inducted to the EHF Hall of Fame
Goalkeepers
- Andreas Thiel / Germany
- Mats Olsson / Sweden
- Dejan Perić / Serbia
- Luminița Hutupan-Dinu / Romania
Left wing
- Gergő Iváncsik / Hungary
Left backs
- Nikola Karabatic / France
- Mikkel Hansen / Denmark
- Carmen Amariei / Romania
- Anja Andersen / Denmark
Centre backs
- Ljubomir Vranjes / Sweden
- Andy Schmid / Switzerland
- Mia Hermansson-Högdahl / Sweden
- Stine Oftedal Dahmke / Norway
Right backs
- Volker Zerbe / Germany
- Staffan Olsson / Sweden
- Indira Kastratović / North Macedonia
- Marta Mangué / Spain
Right wings
- Luc Abalo / France
- Ivan Čupić / Croatia
Line player
- Igor Vori / Croatia
Defender
- Viran Morros / Spain
PHOTO: EHF/Kolektiff
