Marit Breivik

Norwegian handball player and coach (born 1955)

Marit Breivik
Marit Breivik as reading ambassador for Nord-Trøndelag county library
Credit: Inga Frøseth Rossing / Nord-Trøndelag fylkesbibliotek, 2013
Personal information
Born (1955-04-10) 10 April 1955 (age 69)
Levanger, Norway
Nationality Norwegian
Senior clubs
Years Team
SK Nessegutten
Nordstrand IF
Skogn IL
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1983
Norway 140 (286)
Teams managed
SK Nessegutten
1988–1992
Byåsen IL
1992–1994
Larvik HK
1994–2009
Norway

Marit Breivik (born 10 April 1955) is a former Norwegian team handball player, and former head coach for the Norway women's national handball team. As coach, she led the national team to victory in the 2008 Olympic tournament, the World Championship in 1999, and the European Championship in 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2008.[1][2] Breivik won a total of thirteen championship medals with the Norwegian national team during a fifteen-year reign as head coach.

Playing career

Breivik began her playing career for local team SK Nessegutten and later played for Nordstrand IF.[3] During the 1970s and 1980s, she played for Skogn IL, where she won three Norwegian national championships and two league titles.[3]

Breivik was capped 140 times and scored 286 goals for the Norwegian national team from 1975 to 1983.[4][5]

Coaching career

Breivik began her coaching career for SK Nessegutten, before becoming the coach of Byåsen IL in 1988.[3] She moved to Larvik HK in 1992 and won the league title in her second year with the club.[6] Breivik became the head coach for the Norwegian women's national team in 1994.[1] She is appointed at the Olympiatoppen where she is responsible coach for team sports.[7] Among her achievements with the national team are one Olympic gold and one bronze medal, one World Championship win and two silver medals, four European Championship wins, two silver medals and one bronze medal.[8] In January 2009, Breivik announced her decision to step down as national coach after 15 years in charge of the team.[9]

Breivik is known for her calm, controlled coaching style, knowledge of the sport and tactical innovations. She is considered a pioneer of the tactical maneuver of swapping the goalkeeper for an extra outfield player during attacks.[10]

Achievements

Olympic Games
  • 1996: 4th
  • 2000: 3rd
  • 2008: 1st
World Championships
  • 1995: 4th
  • 1997: 2nd
  • 1999: 1st
  • 2001: 2nd
  • 2003: 6th
  • 2005: 9th
  • 2007: 2nd
European Championships
  • 1994: 3rd
  • 1996: 2nd
  • 1998: 1st
  • 2000: 6th
  • 2002: 2nd
  • 2004: 1st
  • 2006: 1st
  • 2008: 1st

Awards and recognitions

On 16 March 2009, King Harald V of Norway appointed Breivik Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for her efforts as a role model in Norwegian sports.[11]

Personal life

Breivik was born in Levanger. She was married to Niels Hertzberg, the former secretary general of the Norwegian Handball Federation, until his death during a holiday in Brazil on 2 March 2013. The couple had no children, although her husband had a child from a previous marriage.[4][12] Breivik studied at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and worked as a high school teacher during her playing and early coaching career.[13][6]

Breivik represented the Socialist Left Party in Levanger municipal council from 1987 to 1991, but has stated that she votes Labour in national elections.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Expert Column: Marit Breivik on the CL final – part 3". 2006/2007 EHF Women's Champions League. Retrieved 16 December 2007.
  2. ^ Norwegian News Agency (30 November 2007). "Fakta om Marit Breivik" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 16 December 2007.
  3. ^ a b c Hasselberg, Per Kristian Johansen (29 October 2007). "Marit Breivik". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Lorentzen, Ludvig (6 December 2003). "Storesøster med baller". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 19 December 2003. Retrieved 16 December 2008.
  5. ^ Zander, Ines Margot (26 June 2021). "Marits Metode". Dagsavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Suksessrik lagbygger". LederNytt (in Norwegian). 29 March 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Olympiatoppen – Fagansvarlige Coaching" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 16 December 2007.
  8. ^ "Håndballjentenes plasseringer i mesterskap" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Handball Federation. Retrieved 16 December 2007.
  9. ^ "Handball coach Breivik steps down". The Norway Post. Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation & Aftenposten. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  10. ^ Hole, Arne (5 August 2016). "Presidentene mener Norden frykter nyvinninger". www.aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Utnevnelse til St. Olavs Orden" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  12. ^ "Niels Hertzberg er død". NRK (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  13. ^ Bugge, Mette (5 September 2008). "40 år og fortsatt full fart". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 20.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Norway women's national handball team head coach
1994 – 2009
Succeeded by
Norway squads
  • v
  • t
  • e
Norway squadWomen's handball – 2008 Summer Olympics (1st title)
Norway
Head coaching positions
  • v
  • t
  • e
Larvik HK – head coaches
  • Berthelsen (1990–92)
  • Breivik (1992–94)
  • Pettersen (1994–96)
  • Halldórsson (1996–98)
  • Gjekstad (1998–2005)
  • Bøhn (2005–11)
  • Gjekstad (2011–15)
  • Moen (2015–18)
  • Oustorp (2018–2019)
  • Rantala (2019)
  • Ruud (2020–2021)
  • Haugdal (2021–present)