Þórir Hergeirsson

Þórir Hergeirsson (; ; born 27 April 1964) is an Icelandic handball coach and former player. He is one of the most decorated national team coaches in handball history and won seventeen championship medals with the Norwegian women's national team during a fifteen-year reign, including two Olympic gold medals, three World Championships titles and six European Championships titles. Þórir coached clubs Elverum, Gjerpen and Nærbø, before becoming the assistant coach of the Norwegian national team in 2001 and succeeding Marit Breivik as head coach in 2009. He stepped down from the national team in December 2024.

Early life Born on 27 April 1964,

Playing career Þórir played for Selfoss handball team until 1986, when he moved to Norway to study at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. He continued playing for a short while in Norway before fully focusing on his coaching career.

Coaching career Þórir's first coaching experience was with Selfoss junior teams. Shortly after moving to Oslo in 1986 to further his education he was hired as the head coach of Elverum men's team.

Þórir has been part of the Norway national coaching team since 2001, succeeding former head coach Marit Breivik.

He led the Norwegian team to bronze medals at the 2009 World Women's Handball Championship, gold medals at the 2010 European Women's Handball Championship, gold medals at the 2011 World Women's Handball Championship, and gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics. In December 2016, he guided the team to gold at the 2016 European Women's Handball Championship despite losing his mother the day before the tournament started.

Þórir has been awarded the title Norwegian Sports Coach of the Year at Idrettsgallaen twice. His first win in 2007 was shared with Marit Breivik. In 2023, he won the award again.

Achievements Olympic Games 2012 – 1st 2016 – 3rd 2020 – 3rd 2024 – 1st

World Championship 2009 – 3rd 2011 – 1st 2013 – 5th 2015 – 1st 2017 – 2nd 2019 – 4th 2021 – 1st 2023 – 2nd

European Championship 2010 – 1st 2012 – 2nd 2014 – 1st 2016 – 1st 2018 – 5th 2020 – 1st 2022 – 1st 2024 – 1st

Personal life Þórir's daughter Maria Thorisdottir is a Norwegian international footballer. Þórir's brother is Grímur Hergeirsson, himself a handball coach and former player.

He is the uncle of the Icelandic national team player Janus Daði Smárason.

On 21 March 2017, Þórir was made a Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. In January 2025, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Falcon.