Croatia Crowned 2018 World Deaf Handball Champions

Croatia – World Champs (Photo: Photo: Edson Luiz Correa/World Deaf Handball Championships)

Croatia becomes 2x World Champions.

Croatia is the word deaf handball champions after winning the 2018 World Deaf Handball Championships which was held in Brazil.

Croatia beat Russia in the final on Sunday 29-22 to claim the gold medal and their second world title.

Croatia line up before the final (Photo: Hrvatski sportski savez gluhih)

Nicknamed ‘Tihi pakleni’, the Croatian team was too good for Russia in the final thanks to some tremendous goalkeeping from Dean Šagovac, and great play from Tomislav Bošnjak and Oliver Lušić, who scored 8 goals.

As well as winning the world title, Šagovac was named goalkeeper of the tournament, whilst Bošnjak won player of the tournament.

Croatia taking on Cameroon (Photo: Edson Luiz Correa/World Deaf Handball Championships)

Croatia, who last won the world championships in 2014, beat Russia (36-22), Ecuador (36-14) and Cameroon (47-16), before beating Brazil to make the final.

Croatia celebrates (Photo: Hrvatski sportski savez gluhih)

The gold meal winners were: Marko Prošenski, Antonio Rozić, Ilija Perak, Oliver Lušić, Kristijan Živković, Dominik Žmirić, Tomislav Bošnjak, Pero Jukić, Mario Bašić, Bojan Crnojević, Teo Glumac, Ivan Pajić, Mateo Perak, Dean Šagovac, Nemanja Damjanić, Marjan Turković & Vedran Jakovljević – coach Marijo Sirotić, sign translator Marijo Lušićo.