The team’s celebration of their history-making win happened to coincide with Nyberg’s 29th birthday.

"I don’t care about my birthday right now, but it was nice of the other girls to give me this gold as birthday present."

Nyberg and Hammerseng celebrate the gold medal win

Hammerseng and Katja (top row, second and third from right)
celebrate their gold medals with their team

Hammerseng shows off her gold medal

The two officially came out as a couple in 2005, and have been casually public about their relationship ever since. After Norway won the European Handball Championship in 2006, Hammerseng drew an imaginary heart in the air directed towards Nyberg (who was sitting in the stands), and Nyberg reciprocated.

Hammerseng and Nyberg

The two officially came out as a couple in 2007, when Hammerseng told a Norwegian newspaper, “If girls can see me and Katja and know that it is possible to be a known athlete and still live openly [gay], that is really good.”

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