Olympics Rio 2016: Delighted Denmark beat French champions to win first gold
ByReuters
Updated 21/08/2016 at 19:27 GMT
A delighted Denmark won their first gold medal in men's handball on Sunday, overcoming the defending French champions to win 28-26 in a thrilling Olympic final.
Denmark beat France to take gold in the handball tournament at Rio
Image credit: Reuters
The score was tight throughout the game at Rio's Future Arena, where a mostly France-leaning crowd chanted for their "Bleus", but the Danes managed to pull ahead in part thanks to brilliant saves by 2.01 metre-tall keeper Niklas Landin.
When the breakneck game was finally over, the Danish team poured onto the court hugging, high-fiving, and clasping their hands on their heads in disbelief.
For the French, who won gold in London 2012 and Beijing 2008, defeat to the Danish underdogs was bitter. It came a day after the French women also lost the final, settling for silver against Russia.
Earlier on Sunday, Germany's men's team overcame Poland 31-25 to win bronze.
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