Nineteen-year-old Kazakh national team goalkeeper Damira Zhaparova scored against Norway in front of her idol, 45-year-old handball legend Katrine Lunde. Kazakhstan lost 41-16 in their second-round match of the IHF Women’s Handball World Championship preliminary group stage in Trier, Germany.
A dream moment against a childhood hero
Before the start of the World Championship, Zhaparova — the energetic goalkeeper for Astana and the national team — told the tournament’s press service that Lunde was her role model. Lunde, a three-time Olympic champion, two-time world champion and seven-time European champion, scored only three goals in 365 appearances for Norway.
Zhaparova, who had long dreamed of playing against her idol, watched Lunde sit on the bench as she opened her World Championship scoring account with a precise cross-court shot. Norway, leading 34-12, was playing 7-on-6 without a goalkeeper. Kazakhstan’s No. 44 punished the empty net.
Family impact on the scoresheet
Zhaparova’s older sister, center Aida Zhaparova, added three goals for Kazakhstan.
Crowd support in Trier
The Paris 2024 Olympic champions drew a sold-out crowd at SWT Arena. Most of the 3,153 spectators cheered for the underdogs, applauding every successful play by the Kazakh team.
