Karin Pettersen was part of the Norwegian team that surprisingly won a bronze medal in the 1986 World Championship in the Netherlands. This would turn out to be the start of Norwegian handball success. In addition to Pettersen’s two silver medals at the Olympics, she also played in two other World Championships, placing sixth in 1990 in Korea and winning a second bronze medal in her hone country in1993.
Pettersen played back and playmaker, and in 250 appearances for Norway between 1984 and 1993 she scored 546 goals. She started her career at Frosta IL and helped them get promoted from the fifth to second league, before a move to Byåsen in 1987, whom she helped to win three league titles, three cup titles and three play-offs between 1987-91. Known for her great breakthrough power and stamina, Pettersen was forced to retire because of problems with her knees. In 2012 she was named “Trøndelags best ever female handball player”.
Norway