Lithuanian handball player (1956–2022)
Valdemaras Novickis (22 February 1956 – 31 January 2022) was a Lithuanian handball player who competed in the 1980 Summer Olympics and in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Club career
The 1.86 m tall right-hander, who weighed 103 kg when he was playing, began his professional career in his hometown near Žalgiris Kaunas by playing handball. After moving to city rivals Granitas Kaunas, he was 1981 and 1985 Soviet runner-up and 1979 and 1986 third. In 1986/87 he led Granitas as captain to win the IHF Cup with two draws (23:23, 18:18) against Atlético Madrid.[2] Just one year later he lost to HC Minaur Baia Mare (21:20, 20:23) in the final of the 1987/88 IHF Cup. He then moved to Spain to BM Puleva Málaga in the 1988/89 season and from there to Germany to VfL Bad Schwartau, with whom he became champion of the 2nd Bundesliga in 1990. He did not accept a subsequent offer in Denmark and returned to Lithuania.[3] He ended his career at Granitas Kaunas.[4]
National teams
With the Soviet junior selection he was junior world champion in 1977. At the World Championship 1978 he lost with the Soviet men's national handball team to the west German team. Also at the Olympic Games 1980 in Moscow he had to be content with silver; here the Soviet team lost to the East German selection. Novickis' participation was in doubt, having broken his leg just two weeks earlier. At the World Championship 1982 he won his first major title. He became world champion with a 30:27 after extra time against Yugoslavia. For the title he received the award Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. In 1985 he defeated the GDR selection in the final of the Supercup in Germany, where he continued to play despite injuries to his hand and leg.[1] In 1986 he was awarded a ban from the national team for half a year, after his return he was then elected captain. At the Olympic Games 1988 in Seoul he became Olympic Champion with the Soviet Union.
He died from cancer in Kaunas on 31 January 2022, at the age of 65.[2][3]
