Ivano balić wiki

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Croatian handball player (born )

Ivano Balić (pronounced[ǐʋanobǎːlitɕ,-bǎ-]; born 1 April ) is a Croatian former professional handballer who is currently part of the coaching staff at RK Split. Renowned for his speed, creativity, movement and charisma as a player, Balić won the World Championship and the Olympic gold medal in with the Croatian national team, and thirteen titles playing for clubs in Croatia, Spain and Germany. He also earned two World Championship silver medals (, ), two European Championship silver medals and one bronze medal (, , ), and one Olympic bronze medal () with the national team.

Regarded as one of the greatest players in handball history, Balić was voted the most valuable player in five consecutive major international competitions and is one of only four male handball players to receive the IHF World Player of the Year award on more than one occasion (, ). In , he was voted the best handball player in history in an online poll organized by the International Handball Federation (IHF). Balić was inducted into the European Handball Hall of Fame in

Early life

Born in Split, Ivano was the only child of handball players, mother Stjepanka and father Žarko Balić. After the first three months of his birth, Balić moved with his parents to Italy because of his father's professional career. During his time in Italy, Balić lived in Rovereto and Prato. Aged seven, Balić and his mother returned to Split. When his father came back to play for RK Split in the Yugoslav Second League, Balić was always in attendance of the games.

Balić started playing basketball for KK Split due to him being a big fan of the club, which at the time was three time European champion. He played basketball until when his father's friend and then-coach of RK Split, Mate Bokan, suggested he play handball.

Club care

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Photographer: Armin Kübelbeck, CC-BY-SA, Wikimedia Commons

Fotograf: Armin Kübelbeck, CC-BY-SA, Wikimedia Commons