One of the hot favourites for the world's best handballer of 2000 is Swedish scoring machine Stefan Lövgren, the reigning titleholder. The 30-year-old THW Kiel player has so far this season scored 59 goals in the German Bundesliga. He also was among the top scorers in Sydney. Tipping the scales at 97 kilogrammes, the 191-centimetre-tall player has the weight and reach to penetrate and score seemingly at will. His prowess has resulted in 724 goals in 182 appearances for the national team and the count can only increase in France. Lövgren's record is impressive: Five-time Swedish champion with Redbergslid Göteborg, twice Swedish player of the year and a member of last year's Bundesliga all-star team.
Russian goalkeeper Andrej Lavrov is probably Lövgren's strongest challenger. Lavrov's poise and lightning reflexes in between the posts played a big role in the Russians winning the gold in Sydney. For Lavrov it was his third Olympic gold medal.