Breaking record after record. That should probably be the opening line of Katrine Lunde’s CV. But at 44 years old, the Norway goalkeeper is still not done with entering her name into the history books. Even in an event such as prestigious as the Olympic Games.

Lunde was the first choice for coach Thorir Hergeirsson in Norway’s opener in the women’s competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games against Sweden. And, once again, she broke a few records just by entering the court.

Not only Lunde is one of the four players – alongside Korea’s Seong-Ok Oh and Yeong-Ran Oh and Angola’s Azenaide Carlos – to ever take part in five editions of the Olympic Games.

The goalkeeper also became the player with the largest number of matches played in the competition, 33, breaking the tie with fellow Norwegian player Marit Malm Frafjord, Seong-Ok Oh and Brazilian right wing Alexandra do Nascimento.

She is now also the oldest player to ever don the court in the handball competition at the Olympic Games. And provided Norway win a medal at Paris 2024, she will be the only player in history with five Olympic medals in the women’s handball competition at the Olympics.

“I heard that I set that record here, in Paris, today. I know that I have been in this circus for a long time and in that way I'm just happy to be a part of this. I really enjoy playing for Norway and it's an honour to play here in Paris and the other Olympics and I'm happy for this performance,” says Lunde.

Her adventure in the Olympics started in Beijing, 16 years ago, when she was the All-Star goalkeeper of the competition, with a 42% overall saving efficiency. She was also named in the All-Star team three years ago, at Tokyo 2020. And she won a medal in each edition of the Olympic Games she featured in – twice gold, at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and bronze at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Now, Lunde is setting her eyes towards her 19th medal with Norway, completing her cabinet with eight medals at the EHF EURO and six at the IHF Women’s World Championship. She is also the player with the largest number of titles in the EHF Champions League Women, with seven.

“I have a pure passion for this sport and I love to train, to watch all the details. I feel the positive energy when I am coming to the training with all these amazing girls that I have been playing with,” said Lunde in 2022, back when she was on her way to the gold medal at the EHF EURO with Norway.

The most capped player in Norway women’s national team’s history, with 357 appearances, Lunde will also have the honour to be her nation’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony, due to take place on Friday, 26 July, in Paris, on the River Seine, one of the six handball players in the Olympics to carry the flag.

“I'm so very proud. It's a big honor to go with the flag for Norway and I'm really looking forward to it. Thank you very much,” adds Lunde.

Indeed, the goalkeeper has earned that honour with her performances over the decades she has been playing for the national team, with 22 years of service, making her debut back in 2002, being basically synonymous with Norway’s golden era in women’s handball.

Of course, another gold medal at Paris 2024 would certainly cement her already legendary status, especially at this age, with none of the players who were playing back then still active, and former back Tonje Larsen currently the assistant coach for Norway.

But until that gold medal, Norway will have to reset and rehash their play, after a tough 28:32 loss against Sweden in the opener in the South Paris Arena 6, in a match where they led by as many as three goals, but uncharacteristically dropped their level, and conceded a loss and the precious two points.

“Of course we are disappointed. First half was also okay, it was also a lot of running and almost no attack. Just running, running. I felt that we had control, so I'm actually a bit surprised at how the second half was going. Now we will go back to the Olympic Village, rest and start work tomorrow and how we can come back. And of course we are coming back,” says Lunde.

Because, of course, if somebody can come back from a disappointment like that, it is Norway. And with Lunde, who has seen it all, the Scandinavian powerhouse still has a chance to reset.