Irina Bliznova
| Irina Bliznova | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
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. She won the gold medal at the 2005 and 2007 world championships and 2016 Rio Olympics, placing second in 2008 and eighth in 2012. She announced her retirement shortly after the 2016 Olympics, but unretired for the 2019-20 season. After the season she retired for good. She won the 2005, 2006 and 2008 Russian championships, and reached the final of the 2007 EHF Champions League.
In April 2021 she became the director at her former club. At the same time she also works as a youth coach at the club.
Bliznova is married to Alexander and has a daughter Arina (born 2010) and a son Arkhip (born 2014).