Iceland handball team will take on Spain in the semifinal of Beijing Olympic men's handball event on Friday, and they will make history if reaching the final.
Having taken part in Olympic handball tournaments for five times, Iceland's best placing is the fourth in 1996 in Barcelona. Now, the Icelanders have got the chance to make history in Beijing, only if they could grab a win in either of the following two games to welcome their first-ever Olympic handball medal, or maybe the first medal in Beijing Games for their country.
"We don't have any medal plan in the Beijing Olympic Games, but we have a very good handball team and I believe they will at least finish top eight," said Chef de Mission of the Iceland Olympic delegation Einar Thorvardarson in the Olympic Village two days before the opening of Beijing Games.
The Iceland handball team did not turn their Chef de Mission down, beating Athens bronze medallist Russia and world titlist Germany and tying with African champ Egypt and European Champ Denmark in the round-robin stage.
After entering the top eight clash, Iceland continued their solid form and stunned Poland, runner-up of 2007 World Championship, 32-30 in the quarterfinal.
The semifinal against Spain will be a rematch of the 7-8 placement in 2007 WC, when Iceland lost 36-40 to the Spanish. But the determined Icelanders who have taken the whole country's medal hope on their back, will try every means to seek revenge and give their nation a surprise.
The other semifinal will be played between defending gold winner Croatia and France, the third finisher in 2008 European Championship.
(Xinhua News Agency August 21,2008)