RK Olimpija

Last updated

RK Olimpija
RK Olimpija.png
Full nameRokometni klub Olimpija
Nickname(s)Zmajčice (The Dragonesses)
Short nameOlimpija
Founded1949;75 years ago (1949) [1]
(as RK Enotnost)
Arena Tivoli Hall, Ljubljana
Capacity4,050
PresidentAleš Veber [2]
Head coachMarjeta Veber Marton
League1. B SRL
2023–241. B DRL, 4th
Club colours  
Website
Official site
Active sport clubs named
Olimpija Ljubljana
Football pictogram.svg Basketball pictogram.svg Ice hockey pictogram.svg
Football Basketball Ice Hockey
Football pictogram.svg Handball pictogram.svg
Football
(Women's) 		Handball
(Women's)

Rokometni klub Olimpija (English: Olimpija Handball Club), commonly referred to as RK Olimpija or simply Olimpija, is a women's handball club from Ljubljana, Slovenia. The club was established in 1949 as RK Enotnost. [1] It competes in the 1. B SRL, the second tier of Slovenian women's handball.

Contents

History

[1]

1949–1965

In 1949, Mitja Vidic organized a handball tournament between high schools in Ljubljana and invited the best players of the tournament to join the handball section of the sports club Enotnost. After the club disbanded in 1950, its handball section became an independent handball club, which changed its name to Svoboda in 1953. As the Slovenian champions in 1950, Enotnost participated in the finals of the Yugoslavian handball tournament, where they finished in the second place. This achievement made it possible for the team to compete in the federal national league. In their first season in the federal league, Enotnost finished fifth out of six teams. The team made its international debut on 7 July 1951, when Enotnost played against the Austrian team Grazer SV; the result was a 6–4 win for the Austrians.

In 1953, handball team Svoboda surprised with an outstanding second place in the Slovenian national championship. Over the next few years, Svoboda was one of the best Slovenian handball teams and a regular competitor in the national championship final tournaments.

After 1960, the team encountered a setback and was pushed to the middle of the Slovenian league standings. In 1964, Svoboda was relegated from the national league and competed in the Ljubljana regional league. An important milestone for the club was in 1965, when Svoboda enlisted players from the Olimpija handball section and competed under the name Svoboda-Olimpija.

1965–1979

Božo Strman, the president of the club between 1961 and 1968, invited players from the best handball team in Ljubljana at the time, Šiška, to join the club and Olimpija was formed.

In this period, Mitja Vidic organized handball practices in schools and designed meticulously planned training schedules for Olimpija's senior team. Results were soon to be seen and the team finished the 1965–66 season in the third place. The next seasons were spent in the middle of the standings. but in 1972 Olimpija finished in the second place in the Slovenian national league and could therefore compete in the second federal (Yugoslavian) league. Olimpija competed in the second federal league for the next ten seasons.

1979–1989

In 1983, Olimpija became a member of the Yugoslav first handball federal league. The club also formed a new management. The best Slovenian handball players were invited to join Olimpija and in the next seasons some well-established Yugoslav handball players came to Ljubljana as well. In the 1981–82 season, the club's president became Igor Makovec. He managed to persuade individuals such as Vladimir Češnovar, Dare Jelčič, Zoran Tomšič, Ivan Sušnik, Karel Destovnik, Rajko Jauh, Srečko Ivanič, Peter Tevž, Gregor Kit, Milan Knez, Miloš Helmich, Radivoj Stanič and Jaka Jurček to actively contribute to Olimpija. Olimpija's head coach became Leopold Jeras and among new team players were Samardžija, Ivanovič, Černe, Bon, Štrukelj, Čotar and Lušina. Olimpija ended the 1982–83 season in the first place in the second federal league, and thus for the first time in club's history, Olimpija qualified to compete in the first federal league. Olimpija started their first season among the best handball clubs in SFR Yugoslavia (1983–84) with a win against ORK Beograd and ended the season in the ninth place (out of twelve teams). In the same season, Olimpija finished as the runners-up in the Yugoslav Cup. In the next two seasons, Olimpija finished in the fifth place, their standing improved by one position in the 1986–87 season and the following two seasons Olimpija finished in the third place.

1990–2007

First few seasons in an independent Slovenia were, judging by the results, successful, but the results were increasingly overshadowed by financial difficulties. Olimpija managed to sustain minimal financial and organizational structure but nothing more. New ambitions, plans and strategies were presented in 1995, when Olimpija was taken over by the company Robit ltd and its CEO Robert Žitnik became the club's new president.

Olimpija thus gained a new momentum and the players quality was proved by results in the national league and cup competitions. Before 2000, Olimpija never finished lower than in the second place in the league, behind RK Krim. They have also reached the finals of the Slovenian Cup five times and the semifinals three times. In the 1994–95 season, Olimpija competed in the EHF Women's Champions League, reaching the top 8. In the 1996–97 season, Olimpija won the Women's EHF Cup, defeating Borussia Dortmund Handball in the final. [3]

Before the next season, Tivoli Hall hosted the Europe Top Four Robit Cup – the 4. European Cup Winners Tournament (1997). The winning team was the Spanish side Mar Valencia, Istočnik from Russia took the second place, Robit Olimpija came third, and Frankfurter Handball Club from Germany finished fourth.

2008–present

Olimpija entered the 2008–09 season with a new management and the team's head coach, Robert Beguš. Besides perspective young Slovenian players, Olimpija has rounded the team up with Slovenian internationals Miša Marinček, Katja Čerenjak and Nina Jeriček.

In 2009, Olimpija celebrated its 60th anniversary. In 2012, the club was relegated from the Slovenian First League. Between 2013 and 2018, Olimpija competed only with youth selections. [4]

Arena

Olimpija play their home matches at Tivoli Hall with a capacity for 4,050 spectators. [5]

Honours

Domestic

Winners (3): 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94
Runners-up (6): 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000
Winners (2): 1991–92, 1997–98
Runners-up (6): 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2002–03, 2004–05

European record

1994–95 – Top 8
1987–88 – Semifinals
1989–90 – Quarterfinals
1996–97 – Winners

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Branko Oblak</span> Slovenian footballer (born 1947)

Branko Oblak is a Slovenian football coach and former international player. He usually played as an attacking midfielder or deep-lying playmaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KK Olimpija</span> 1946–2019 basketball club in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Košarkarski klub Olimpija was a men's professional basketball club based in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RK Bosna Visoko</span>

RK Bosna Visoko is a handball club from Visoko, founded on 9 February 1954. RK Bosna competes in the Handball Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Handball Cup of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RK Celje</span> Slovenian handball team

Rokometni klub Celje or simply RK Celje, currently named Celje Pivovarna Laško due to sponsorship reasons, is a professional handball club from Celje, Slovenia. They were the winners of the Champions League in the 2003–04 season, becoming European club champions by defeating German side SG Flensburg-Handewitt in the final. Celje play their home games at Zlatorog Arena with a capacity for 5,191 spectators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RK Gorenje Velenje</span> Handball club in Velenje, Slovenia

Rokometni klub Gorenje Velenje, commonly referred to as RK Gorenje Velenje, is a Slovenian handball club from Velenje that competes in the Slovenian First League, the top tier of Slovenian handball. They play their games at the Red Hall. The club has won five Slovenian Championships and three Slovenian cup titles. Gorenje also participated in the EHF competitions for many seasons, including the EHF Cup, the EHF Cup Winners' Cup, and the EHF Champions League. Together with Celje, they are the only club that have participated in every season of the Slovenian First League since its formation in 1991.

Rukometni klub Lovćen is a Montenegrin handball club from Old Royal Capital Cetinje, that plays in Montenegrin First League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montenegrin Men's Handball First League</span>

The Montenegrin Men's Handball First League is the top men's team handball league in Montenegro. It is organized by the Handball Federation of Montenegro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HDD Olimpija Ljubljana</span> Ice hockey team in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Hokejsko drsalno društvo Olimpija Ljubljana, commonly referred to as HDD Olimpija or simply Olimpija, was a Slovenian professional ice hockey club from Ljubljana. They played their home games at the Tivoli Hall. Olimpija has won 13 Yugoslav championships and 15 Slovenian championships. They won ten consecutive titles between 1995 and 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zvonimir Serdarušić</span> Croatian handball player

Zvonimir Serdarušić is a Croatian former professional handball coach and player who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics for Yugoslavia. In May 1998, he also acquired German citizenship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvaro Načinović</span> Croatian handball player (born 1966)

Alvaro Načinović is a former Croatian handball player who competed for Yugoslavia and Croatia respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RK Maribor Branik</span> Slovenian handball club

Rokometni klub Maribor Branik, commonly referred to as RK Maribor Branik or simply Branik, is a handball club from Maribor, Slovenia. As of the 2024–25 season, the club competes in the Slovenian Second Handball League, the third tier of Slovenian handball. They play their home games at Tabor Hall, a 3,261 capacity multi-purpose sports venue in Maribor. Between 2004 and 2010, the team was known as RK Klima Petek Maribor due to sponsorship reasons. Their biggest success is reaching the final of the Slovenian Handball Cup twice and reaching the quarter-finals of the EHF Cup in the 2012–13 season.

Patrik Ćavar is a retired Croatian handball player. The legendary left wing played in Croatia for Mehanika Metković, Badel 1862 Zagreb and Agram Medveščak, in Bosnia and Herzegovina for Borac Banja Luka, in Spain for FC Barcelona, BM Granollers, and in France for Saint-Marcel Vernon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iztok Puc</span> Slovenian and Croatian handball player (1966-2011)

Iztok Puc was a Croatian-Slovenian handball player, who was one of the world's top players of the 1980s and 1990s. During his career he played professionally for Borac Banja Luka, Zagreb, Celje and Prule 67. He won a total of 18 domestic trophies. He has won the elite EHF Champions League in 1992 and 1993, both times with Zagreb. He is one of very few handball players who represented three different countries at the Summer Olympics, winning bronze with Yugoslavia in 1988 and gold with Croatia in 1996. In 2009, he was named the best overall player in the history of Slovenian handball. After his death an award named in his honour was introduced and is awarded annually to the most promising young handball players in Slovenia and Croatia, given alternately one year to Slovenian and another year to Croatian player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NK Olimpija Ljubljana (1945–2005)</span> Football club

Nogometni klub Olimpija Ljubljana, commonly referred to as NK Olimpija Ljubljana or simply Olimpija, was a Slovenian association football club based in Ljubljana. The club was founded in 1945 as NK Enotnost and adopted the name Olimpija in 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HK Olimpija</span> Slovenian ice hockey club

Hokejski klub Olimpija Ljubljana is a professional ice hockey club from Ljubljana, Slovenia. The club competes in the ICE Hockey League and the Slovenian Championship. Founded in 2004 as a farm team of HDD Olimpija, the club turned professional in 2017 after HDD Olimpija folded. Olimpija won the Slovenian Championship four times, in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and the Alps Hockey League twice, in 2019 and 2021. They play their home games at Tivoli Hall.

Basketballin Slovenia is governed by the Basketball Federation of Slovenia. Slovenia has participated in international basketball as an independent nation since 1991, when the country gained independence from SFR Yugoslavia.

Željko Tomac is a former Croatian handball player. He is currently assistant coach of the Norway men's national handball team.

Ivica Rimanić is a former Croatian handball player.

Vinko Kandija was a Croatian handball player and coach. Kandija won over 40 titles and trophies in the game with male and female teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KK Cedevita Olimpija</span> Basketball club in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Košarkarski klub Cedevita Olimpija, commonly referred to as KK Cedevita Olimpija or simply Olimpija, is a men's professional basketball club based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The club competes in the ABA League and the Slovenian First League.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Kratka zgodovina" (in Slovenian). RK Olimpija. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  2. ↑ "Vodstvo kluba" (in Slovenian). RK Olimpija. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  3. ↑ "European Handball Federation – 1996/97 Women's EHF Cup / finals". www.eurohandball.com. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "RK Olimpija po petih letih spet s člansko ekipo". rokometna-zveza.si (in Slovenian). Handball Federation of Slovenia. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  5. ↑ "Dvorana Tivoli" [Tivoli Hall] (in Slovenian). RK Olimpija. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.