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Anna Vyakhireva

Russian handball player From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anna Vyakhireva
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In this name that follows East Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Viktorovna and the family name is Vyakhireva.

Anna Viktorovna Vyakhireva (Russian: Анна Викторовна Вяхирева, IPA: [ˈanːə ˈvʲæxʲɪrʲɪvə]; born 13 March 1995) is a Russian female professional handballer, who plays for French club Brest Bretagne Handball and the Russian national team.[1]

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Biography

She started playing handball at her sister's training sessions at the age of six. Anna's older sister is Polina Kuznetsova,[2] 2007 world champion and a member of the All-Star team at the 2012 European Women's Handball Championship. Her father, Victor Vyakhirev, was a women's handball coach, he in 2013 was on duty with the Zvezda Zvenigorod youth team.[3]

Career

In 2011 Vyakhireva signed her first professional contract at Zvezda Zvenigorod.[4] Here she won the Russian cup in 2014.

She then joined HC Astrakhanochka.[5] Here she won the 2016 Russian Championship, and was selected for the league all star team.[6]

Right after she joined league rivals Rostov-Don.[7] Here she won the 2017 EHF Cup and the 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Russian Championships. She also won the Russian Cup 5 times in a row from 2017 to 2021 and the Russian Super Cup 5 times in a row from 2016 to 2020. In August 2021 she took a break from professional handball.[8]

On March 15, 2022 she made her comeback against CSKA Moscow.[9] Back at the court she won the 2022 Russian championship, scoring 21 goals in the 2 games finals.[10][11]

For the 2022-23 season she joined Norwegian top team Vipers Kristiansand.[12] Here she won the Norwegian Championship in both 2023 and 2024 and the 2023-24 Champions League. Vyakhireva was chosen as the MVP for the final four.[13]

For the 2024-25 season she joined French team Brest Bretagne Handball.[14]

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National team

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Youth national teams

Already at the age of 14 in 2009 Vyakhireva participated in the 2009 U17 European Championship, where she won silver medals and was selected for the all star team.[15] Two years later she won the 2011 U17 European Championship,[16] and was once again part of the all star team.[17]

She also won silver medals at the 2012 U18 World Championship, losing to Denmark in the final 26-27.[18] She was selected as the Tournament MVP.[19] The same year she also participated in the U20 World Championship, where she was selected for the All star team.[20]

At the 2013 U19 European Championship she once again won gold medals and was named the tournament MVP.[21]

At the 2014 U20 World Championship she won silver medals, and was included in the all star team.[22][23]

A year later she won gold medals at the 2015 Summer Universiade. In the final against South Korea she scored 12 goals.[24]

Senior National team

On 23 October 2013 in a qualification game for the 2014 European Championship, Vyakhireva made her debut for the Russian national team against Germany.[25]

At the 2015 World Championship she represented Russia for the first time at a major international tournament. With 52 goals she was the third best scorer at the tournament, tied with Polish Karolina Kudłacz-Gloc.[26]

A year later she won gold medals at the 2016 Olympics. With 36 goals and 23 assists, she was one of the best players on the Russian team and was selected as the tournament MVP.[27][28]

The same year she played at the 2016 European Championship, where Russia finished 7th. Vyakhireva was the top scorer on the Russian team.[29]

At the 2017 World Championship she was once again a part of the Russian team, which this time went out in the quarterfinals against Norway.[30]

A year later she won silver medals at the 2018 European Championship, losing to France in the final.[31] Once again Vyakhireva was the MVP of the tournament, scoring 43 goals in the process.[32][33]

A year later she won bronze medals at the 2019 World Championship.[34]

She missed the 2020 European Championship due to a back injury.[35]

At the 2021 Olympics she won silver medals, once again losing to France in the final.[36] With 43 goals Vyakhireva was selected tournament MVP for the second Olympic tournament in a row.[37][38]

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Achievements

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Individual awards

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MVP

All Star Team

Other

  • EHF Excellence Awards: Right Back of the Season 2023/24[45]
  • Handball-Planet.com Young World Female Player of the Year: 2015/2016, 2016/2017
  • Handball-Planet.com All-Star Young Right Back of the year: 2015/2016, 2016/2017
  • Handball-Planet.com World Female Player of the Year: 2019[46]
  • Handball-Planet.com All-Star Right Back of the Year: 2018, 2019[47]
  • EHF player of the month (5): June 2018, October 2018, December 2018, September 2019, December 2019
  • REMA 1000-ligaen’s «public favorite»: 2022/2023[48]
  • Topscorer of the EHF Champions League: 2023–24 (113 goals)
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References

External links

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