IHF President Dr Hassan Moustafa and Kim Klastrup from IHF partner Grundfos awarded the World Handball Players 2010 after the Bronze final of the World Championship. Cristina Neagu (Romania) and Filip Jicha (Czech Republic) had been voted World Handball Players not only in the first time of their career, but as the first ever players from their countries with this most important individual award in international handball.  The voting was done by three groups – experts, media and fans. Moustafa handed over the official trophy, Klastrup a cheque each worth 10.000 Euro.

Neagu led the Romanian team to the Bronze medal of the European Championship 2010 and she had reached the Champions League final 2010 with her Romanian club Oltchim Valcea, aside she was awarded IHF Rookie of the year 2009.  Filip Jicha’s biggest successes in 2010: He won the Champions League with his German Club THW Kiel, he was top scorer of the Champions League and top scorer of the European Championship in Austria, where he also was awarded Most Valuable Player.

The result of the World Handball Player of the Year 2010 voting:

Women:

1. Cristina Neagu (Romania, 25%)

2. Katrine Lunde-Haraldsen (Norway, 23%)

3. Bojana Popovic (Montenegro,19%)

4. Grit Jurack (Germany 17%)

5. Liudmila Postnova (Russia 16%)

Men:

1. Filip Jicha (Czech Republic, 31%)

2. Nikola Karabatic (France, 28%)

3. Thierry Omeyer (France,17%)

4. Igor Vori (Croatia, 14%)

5. Arpad Sterbik (Spain, 10 %)