{{short description|Danish handball player (born 1989)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox handball biography | name = Sandra Toft | fullname = Sandra Toft | image = Sandra Toft 2 20181118.jpg | caption = Toft in 2018 | nationality = Danish | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|10|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Gribskov, Denmark | height = 1.76 m | position = Goalkeeper | currentclub = Győri ETO KC | clubnumber = 89 | years1 = 2006–2007 | clubs1 = Virum-Sorgenfri HK | years2 = 2007–2014 | clubs2 = TTH Holstebro | years3 = 2014–2017 | clubs3 = Larvik HK | years4 = 2017–2019 | clubs4 = Team Esbjerg | years5 = 2019–2022 | clubs5 = Brest Bretagne HB | years6 = 2022– | clubs6 = Győri ETO KC | nationalyears1 = 2008– | nationalteam1 = Denmark | nationalcaps1 = 195 | nationalgoals1 = 2 | ntupdate = 5 January 2025 | medaltemplates = {{MedalOlympic}} {{MedalBronze|2024 Paris|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championship}} {{MedalBronze|2021 Spain|}} {{MedalBronze|2023 Denmark/Norway/Sweden|}} {{MedalCompetition|European Championship}} {{MedalSilver|2022 Slovenia/North Macedonia/Montenegro|}} {{MedalSilver|2024 Austria/Hungary/Switzerland|}} {{MedalCompetition|Junior World Championship}} {{MedalSilver|2008 Macedonia|}} {{MedalCompetition|Youth World Championship}} {{MedalGold|2006 Canada|}} {{MedalCompetition|European Junior Championship}} {{MedalGold|2007 Turkey|}} }} '''Sandra Toft''' (born 18 October 1989) is a Danish professional handball goalkeeper for Győri ETO KC and the Danish national team.<ref>[https://www.eurohandball.com/en/player/zQC-fDmHOy3dG1gy-tZB2A/sandra-toft/ EHF profile]</ref> She is the fifth most capped player ever on the Danish national team with 195 appeances.
== National team == She made her debut on the Danish national team on 27 March 2008, against Czech Republic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dhf.dk/landsholdsinfo/spiller/419001_1|title=Sandra Toft – Statistik – Håndbold.dk|publisher=Danish Handball Federation|language=Danish|accessdate=27 December 2021|archive-date=27 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227131820/https://dhf.dk/landsholdsinfo/spiller/419001_1|url-status=dead}}</ref>
She participated for the first time in a major international at the 2011 World Women's Handball Championship in Brazil, where she was the third choice keeper behind Karin Mortensen and Christina Pedersen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/haandbold/article4065475.ece|title=Pytlick med VM-overraskelse |publisher=Ekstra Bladet|date=17 November 2011|access-date=27 December 2021}}</ref>
She missed the 2013 World Cup in Serbia due to illness.
At the 2014 European Championship she finished 7th with the Danish team. The year after she was on the Danish team that finished 6th at the 2015 World Cup.
At the 2016 European Championship Denmark reached the semifinal but would ultimately only get a 4th place. Toft was selected for the tournament all star team. At the 2020 European Championship they finished 4th again and again Toft was selected for the all star team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-20-41342.html|publisher=handball-world.news|title=Handball-EM der Frauen: Kroatien sichert sich mit nächstem Coup über Dänemark Bronze|access-date=31 December 2020|language=de|archive-date=11 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111222435/https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-20-41342.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-20-41341.html|publisher=handball-world.news|title=Norwegen mit drei Spielerinnen im All-Star-Team der Handball-EM der Frauen, Frankreich stellt MVP|access-date=31 December 2020|language=de|archive-date=21 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021181942/https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-20-41341.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
At the 2021 World Cup she won her first medals with Denmark when they took bronze medals. Once again she was in the all-star team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvmidtvest.dk/midt-og-vestjylland/haandboldkvinder-slaar-spanien-og-tager-vm-bronze |publisher=tvmidtvest.dk |title=Håndboldkvinder slår Spanien og tager VM-bronze|access-date=23 December 2021|language=da}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-23-44338.html|publisher=handball-world.news|title=All-Star Team der Handball-WM der Frauen: Kreisläuferin wird MVP|access-date=21 December 2021|language=de|archive-date=13 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613103413/https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-23-44338.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
At the 2022 European Women's Handball Championship she won silver medals with the Danish team, losing to Norway in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ehfeuro.eurohandball.com/women/2022/teams/details/IJNvA_wR3b04jsFty8VaJw/denmark/ |publisher=European Handball Federation|website=ehfeuro.eurohandball.com |title=Denmark - Team report 2022 European Championship|access-date=21 December 2022}}</ref>
At the 2024 Olympics she won bronze medals with the Danish team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/HBL/OG2024_HBL_C92C_HBLWTEAM7-------------------------.pdf |publisher=olympics.com|title=Paris 2024: Medallists|access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>
At the 2024 European Women's Handball Championship Danish head coach Jesper Jensen surprisingly chose to leave her out of the team in favour of Anna Kristensen.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dr.dk/sporten/seneste-sport/sandra-toft-saetter-ord-paa-em-fravalg-blev-enormt-ked-af-det|publisher=Danmarks Radio|title=Sandra Toft sætter ord på EM-fravalg: 'Blev enormt ked af det'|date=15 November 2024 |access-date=5 December 2025|language=da|author=Emil Halkier}}</ref> Following an injury to Althea Reinhardt midway through the tournament, she did however enter the team and went on to win silver medals.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2025-02-13-odense-giver-status-paa-althea-reinhardt|publisher=TV2 Danmark|title=Odense giver status på Althea Reinhardt|author1=Stine Bjerre Mortensen|author2=Joachim Glenthøj|date=13 February 2025|accessdate=14 February 2025|language=da}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://danskhaandbold.dk/nyheder/handboldkvinderne-vinder-em-solv |publisher=Dansk Håndbold|title=Håndboldkvinderne vinder EM-sølv|access-date=5 January 2025|language=da}}</ref>
She missed the 2025 World Championship due to pregnancy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2025-12-11-thomsen-gentager-pointe-om-dansk-niveau-ekspert-koeber-den-ikke-helt|publisher=TV2|title=Thomsen gentager pointe om dansk niveau – ekspert køber den ikke helt|date=12 December 2025|accessdate=12 December 2025|language=da}}</ref>
==Club career== ===Pre-professional career=== Toft started playing handbold at Team Helsinge, before joining Virum-Sorgenfri Håndboldklub in 2002 at the age of 14. In 2007, she joined Team Tvis Holstebro for her first professional contract.
===Team Tvis Holstebro=== At TTH Holstebro, she was part of the team that reached the 2010/2011 Women's EHF European League final, where they lost to league rivals FC Midtjylland Håndbold.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2011 |title=FCM vandt EHF-trofæ med et nederlag |url=https://politiken.dk/sport/haandbold/art5008924/FCM-vandt-EHF-trof%C3%A6-med-et-nederlag |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=Politiken |language=da-DK}}</ref> In 2012/2013, TTH Holstebro with Toft in goal manage to reach the final once again and win it this time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Jan |date=12 May 2013 |title=Vildt comeback: Team Tvis vinder Europa Cup-finale |url=https://www.bt.dk/content/item/177602 |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=www.bt.dk |language=da}}</ref> Toft almost missed the match due to an injury in her left knee in January 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Sandra Toft knæskadet |url=https://www.tvmidtvest.dk/holstebro/sandra-toft-knaeskadet |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=TV MIDTVEST |language=da}}</ref>
====Car crash in 2009==== In 2009, Toft was driving back home from North Zealand when she lost control over her vehicle. At 10 pm, north of the city Give, the car spun off the road, flew 50 metres across a field and made four rollovers. Toft survived the car crash, but suffered a severe neck vertebra collapse. Only five months later, she was back on court for Team Tvis Holstebro.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=27 April 2009 |title=Håndboldtalent kvæstet i bilulykke |url=https://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/haandbold/article4277716.ece |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=ekstrabladet.dk |language=da}}</ref>
===Larvik=== In the summer 2014, Toft signed with Norwegian club Larvik HK.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Officielt: Sandra Toft til Larvik |url=https://www.tvmidtvest.dk/holstebro/officielt-sandra-toft-til-larvik |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=TV MIDTVEST |language=da}}</ref> Here, she won the Norwegian Championship and the norwegian cup three times each in the four years she played for the club.
She also reached the EHF Champions League final in 2015 where Larvik HK lost to Montenegrin side ŽRK Budućnost. After the tournament She was a part of the tournament all star team as the Best EHF Goalkeeper 2014/2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 May 2015 |title=Sandra Toft udtaget til Champions League-Allstar-hold |url=https://www.dr.dk/sporten/haandbold/championsleague/sandra-toft-udtaget-til-champions-league-allstar-hold |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=DR |language=da-DK}}</ref>
===Team Esbjerg=== Toft returned to Danish handball in 2017/2018 on a two-year contract.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 March 2017 |title=Sandra Toft skifter til Team Esbjerg |url=https://europamester.dk/sandra-toft-skifter-team-esbjerg |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=Håndbold nyheder om dansk og udenlandsk håndbold, VM og EM |language=da}}</ref> She won the Danish Cup in 2017 and the 2018–19 Danish League with the club.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 May 2019 |title=Team Esbjerg er dansk mester – TV 2 |url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2019-05-21-team-esbjerg-er-dansk-mester |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=sport.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref> In 2019, Toft once again reached the Women's EHF European League final, but this time her club lost to Hungarian side Siófok KC.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 May 2019 |title=Team Esbjerg taber finalen i EHF Cuppen – TV 2 |url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2019-05-11-team-esbjerg-taber-finalen-i-ehf-cuppen |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=sport.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref>
===Brest=== In 2019, she joined the French top club Brest Bretagne Handball,<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 January 2019 |title=Sandra Toft forlader Danmark – skifter til Champions League-klub – TV 2 |url=https://sport.tv2.dk/haandbold/2019-01-31-sandra-toft-forlader-danmark-skifter-til-champions-league-klub |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=sport.tv2.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref> where she reached the final of the 2020–21 Women's EHF Champions League. Once again, Toft lost a European final, this time to Norwegian Vipers Kristiansand.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ehfcl.eurohandball.com/women/2021-22/news/en/superb-vipers-celebrate-first-champions-league-title/ | title=Superb Vipers celebrate first Champions League title }}</ref> The same season she won the domestic double with the club.
===Győr=== In 2022, she signed with Hungarian side Győri ETO KC, where she won the Hungarian Championship in her first season.
She then won the 2023–24 and 2024–25 Women's EHF Champions League.
==Achievements== *'''EHF Champions League:''' **''Winner:'' 2024, 2025 **''Silver:'' 2015, 2019, 2021 *'''Women's EHF European League''' **''Winner:'' 2013 **''Silver'': 2011 *'''Norwegian Championship''' **''Winner:'' 2015, 2016, 2017 *'''Norwegian Women's Handball Cup''' **''Winner:'' 2015, 2016, 2017 *'''Danish Championship''' **''Winner:'' 2019 *'''Danish Women's Handball Cup''' **''Winner:'' 2017 *'''LFH Division 1 Féminine''' **''Winner:'' 2021 *'''French Cup''' **''Winner:'' 2021 *'''Hungarian Championship''' **''Winner:'' 2022, 2023, 2025
==Individual awards== * IHF World Player of the Year – Women: 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ihf.info/media-center/news/danish-delight-2021-ihf-world-players-and-coaches-year-awards?fbclid=IwAR14Unne9fW_NGlvrXp-3G7qv5EZYsrCQR9IvWpeHc-Z1Ytbzyj3Veo38dA|title=DANISH DELIGHT IN THE 2021 IHF WORLD PLAYERS AND COACHES OF THE YEAR AWARDS|publisher=International Handball Federation|date=28 March 2022}}</ref> * All-Star Goalkeeper of the World Championship: 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ihf.info/competitions/women/307/-25th-ihf-womens-world-championship/66403/news/83111|title=Spain 2021 All-Star Team |date=19 December 2021|work=ihf.info}}</ref> * All-Star Goalkeeper of the European Championship: 2016, 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://women2020.ehf-euro.com/news/news/ehf-euro-2020-all-star-team-unveiled/|title=EHF EURO 2020 All-star Team unveiled|publisher=European Handball Federation|work=women2020.ehf-euro.com|date=20 December 2020|access-date=20 December 2020|archive-date=20 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220113933/https://women2020.ehf-euro.com/news/news/ehf-euro-2020-all-star-team-unveiled/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * EHF Excellence Awards: Goalkeeper of the Season 2023/24<ref>{{Cite web |title=EHF Excellence Awards 2024: These are the season's best players |url=https://www.eurohandball.com/en/news/en/ehf-excellence-awards-2024-these-are-the-season-s-best-players/ |access-date=8 September 2024 |website=EHF}}</ref> * All-Star Team Best Goalkeeper of the EHF Champions League: 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ehfcl.com/women/2014-15/article/22184/All-stars+take+to+the+court+at+the+2015+MVM+EHF+FINAL4 |title=EHF Champions League 2014/15 – All-stars take to the court at the 2015 MVM EHF FINAL4 |publisher=Ehfcl.com |date= |accessdate=4 June 2015}}</ref> * Handball-Planet.com All-Star Goalkeeper of the Year: 2019<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-planet.com/world-female-handball-best-8-in-2019/|title=World Female Best 8 in 2019!|publisher=handball-planet.com|date=20 January 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons}} *{{Sports links}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111004070138/http://www.teamtvisholstebro.dk/pages.aspx?id=70&spiller=159 Player info at Team Tvis Holstebro] {{in lang|da}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100727151645/http://dhf.dk/DHF/Landshold/Spillerstatistik.aspx National game stats at Danish Handball Federation (search for Sandra Toft)]
{{Győri ETO KC squad}} {{Navboxes |title = Denmark squads |titlestyle = background:#e11b22;color:white; |list1= {{Denmark squad 2011 World Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2012 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2014 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2015 World Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2016 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2017 World Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2018 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2019 World Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2020 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2021 World Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2022 European Women's Handball Championship}} {{Denmark squad 2023 World Women's Handball Championship}} {{Danmark Women Handball squad 2024 Summer Olympics}} {{Denmark squad 2024 European Women's Handball Championship}} }} {{IHF World Player of the Year Women}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toft, Sandra}} Category:Danish women's handball players Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:People from Gribskov Municipality Category:Handball players from the Capital Region of Denmark Category:TTH Holstebro players Category:Team Esbjerg players Category:Győri Audi ETO KC players Category:Brest Bretagne players Category:Handball players at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic handball players for Denmark Category:Danish expatriate handball players in Norway Category:Danish expatriate handball players in Hungary Category:Danish expatriate handball players in France Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Denmark Category:Olympic medalists in handball Category:21st-century Danish sportswomen