Irina Bliznova
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Krasnodar, Russia
| Irina Bliznova | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Bliznova in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Irina Yuryevna Bliznova | ||
| Born |
6 October 1986 Krasnodar, Russia | ||
| Nationality | Russian | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Right back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Lada Togliatti | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Senior clubs | |||
| Years | Team | ||
2004-2012 | Lada Togliatti | ||
2014-2016 | Lada Togliatti | ||
2019-2020 | Lada Togliatti | ||
| National team | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2005–2016 | Russia | 124 | (369) |
Irina Yuryevna Bliznova (Russian: Ирина Юрьевна Близнова, born 6 October 1986) is a Russian former handball player, who played for Lada Togliatti her entire career.[1] She won the gold medal at the 2005 and 2007 world championships and 2016 Rio Olympics, placing second in 2008 and eighth in 2012.[2][3] She announced her retirement shortly after the 2016 Olympics,[4] but unretired for the 2019-20 season.[5] After the season she retired for good.[5] She won the 2005, 2006 and 2008 Russian championships,[6] and reached the final of the 2007 EHF Champions League.
In April 2021 she became the director at her former club.[7] At the same time she also works as a youth coach at the club.[8]
Bliznova is married to Alexander and has a daughter Arina (born 2010) and a son Arkhip (born 2014).[3]
