Grâce Zaadi

{{Infobox handball biography

| name = Grace Zaadi

| fullname = Grâce Zaadi Deuna

| image = Grace Zaadi 20151129 3.JPG

| image_size = 240px

| caption = Zaadi in 2015

| nationality = French

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|7|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Courcouronnes, France

| height = 1.71 m

| position = Centre back

| currentclub = RK Krim

| clubnumber = 7

| youthyears1 = 2003-2006

| youthclubs1 = Villepinte

| youthyears2 = 2006-2010

| youthclubs2 = Issy-les-Moulineaux

| years1 = 2013–2020

| clubs1 = Metz HB

| years2 = 2020–2022

| clubs2 = Rostov-Don

| years3 = 2022

| clubs3 = Metz HB

| years4 = 2022–2024

| clubs4 = CSM București

| nationalyears1 = 2013–

| nationalteam1 = France

| nationalcaps1 = 192

| nationalgoals1 = 374

| ntupdate = 12 November 2024

| medaltemplates =

|clubs5=RK Krim|years5=2024–}}

Grâce Zaadi Deuna (born 7 July 1993) is a French handball player for RK Krim and the French national team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurohandball.com/en/player/JcgrMD-GjbXCidB287YTeQ/grace-zaadi-deuna/|title=GRACE ZAADI DEUNA - Career & Statistics | EHF|website=www.eurohandball.com}}{{Cite web |url=https://livecache.sportresult.com/node/binaryData/HBL_PROD/HBEC18W/PDF_ROSTER_FRA.PDF |title=2018 European Women's Handball Championship roster |access-date=2018-11-30 |archive-date=2019-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430080925/https://livecache.sportresult.com/node/binaryData/HBL_PROD/HBEC18W/PDF_ROSTER_FRA.PDF |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |last=JureD |date=2023-12-29 |title=V Krim Mercator prihaja Grace Zaadi, aktualna svetovna prvakinja |url=https://rkkrim.com/v-krim-mercator-prihaja-grace-zaadi-aktualna-svetovna-prvakinja/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=RK Krim Mercator |language=sl-SI}}

Her achievements with the national team include winning one Olympic gold medal and two silver medals, two world championship titles, and one European title.

Career

=Club career=

Zaadi started okaying handball in 2003 at Villepinte. Three years later she joined Issy-les-Moulineaux at the age of 16.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mosellesport.fr/actus-sportif/metz-handball/zaadi-grace |publisher=www.mosellesport.fr|title=Actualités de Zaadi GRACE|access-date=21 December 2017|language=fr}} In 2010 she joined Metz Handball.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mosellesport.fr/articles-metz-handball/handball-elan-de-grace.html |publisher=www.mosellesport.fr|title=Handball : élan de Grace|access-date=21 December 2017|language=fr}} Here she won the French Championship in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the League Cup in 2014 and the French Cup in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. In 2013 she reached the final of the EHF European League.

In 2020 she joined the Russian club Rostov-Don.{{Cite web |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Handball/Actualites/Transferts-grace-zaadi-metz-signe-a-rostov/1098734|publisher=lequipe.fr|title=Grâce Zaadi (Metz) signe à Rostov|date=14 January 2020|access-date=19 July 2020|language=fr}} Following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in March 2020 she signed a contract to return to Metz Handball.{{Cite web |url=https://metz-handball.com/grace-zaadi-is-back/ |publisher=Metz Handball|website=metz-handball.com|title=Grâce Zaadi is back !|access-date=19 March 2022}} She once again one the French championship and the French cup in 2022. The following summer she signed for Rumanian team CSM București.{{Cite web |url=https://www.gsp.ro/sporturi/handbal/csm-bucuresti-grace-zaadi-handbal-transfer-666350.html |publisher=gsp.ro|title=Al patrulea transfer al verii la CSM București » O campioană olimpică a semnat cu „tigroaicele”|access-date=13 June 2022|language=Romanian}} Here she won the Romanian league and Romanien cup in 2023 and 2024.

In 2024 she joined Slovenian top club RK Krim.{{Cite web |url=https://rkkrim.com/en/the-reigning-world-champion-takes-up-the-position-of-centre-back-in-the-new-season/ |publisher=RK Krim|website=rkkrim.com|title=The reigning world champion takes up the position of centre back in the new season|access-date=3 January 2024}}

=National team=

In 2012 Zaadi won a silver medal at the U-20 Women's world championship. She played her first match for the senior national team on October 24th 2013 against Slovakia in a qualification match for the 2014 European Women's Handball Championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.femmesdedefis.com/femmes-de-defis/les-joueuses-de-lequipe-de-france-feminine/portrait/nom/zaadi.html |publisher=www.femmesdedefis.com|title=Grâce ZAADI n° 10|accessdate=21 December 2017|language=fr}} She represented France at the 2013 and 2015 World Women's Handball Championship.{{cite web|url=http://handball.sportresult.com/HBEM14W/PDF/FRA-R.pdf|title=2014 European Championship Roster|publisher=EHF|access-date=7 December 2014|archive-date=6 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106052325/http://handball.sportresult.com/HBEM14W/PDF/FRA-R.pdf|url-status=dead}} At the 2016 Olympics she won gold medals with the French team.[http://results.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=zaadi-deuna-grace-1152762/index.html Grace Zaadi Deuna]. nbcolympics.com At the 2016 European Women's Handball Championship she won bronze medals.{{cite web|url=http://www.eurohandball.com/ech/women/2016/player/538172/Grace+Zaadi+Deuna |publisher=European Handball Federation|website=www.eurohandball.com|title=Grâce Zaadi|access-date=21 December 2017}} She won gold medals at the 2017 World Championship in Germany,{{cite web|url=http://ihf.info/files/CompetitionData/b7fe36bb-2a18-4340-a6e0-6b148a154448/pdf/FRATOTAL.PDF |publisher=International Handball Federation|website=ihf.info|title=23rd Women's World Championship 2017|access-date=21 December 2017}} where she was part of the tournament all star team.{{cite web|url=http://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-23-32734.html |publisher=handball-world.news|title=Im Video: Medaillengewinner dominieren All-Star Team der WM|access-date=21 December 2017|language=de|trans-title=Medal winners dominates the WC all star team}} At the 2018 European Championship at home she won gold medals.{{cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/handball/equipe-de-france-feminine/handball-euro-feminin-2018-zaadi-s-est-vraiment-senti-en-osmose-avec-le-public-6132988 |publisher=ouest-france.fr|title=Handball. Euro féminin 2018. Zaadi: « On s’est vraiment senti en osmose avec le public »|access-date=17 December 2018|language=fr}} At the 2020 Olympics she once again won golds medals with the French team, beating Russia in the final 30:25.{{cite web|url=https://www.handball-world.news/o.red.r/news-1-2-26-43298.html |publisher=handball-world.news|title=Doppel-Gold in Tokio: Frankreich holt sich auch bei den Frauen den Olympiasieg|access-date=8 August 2021|language=de|trans-title=Double goal in Tokyo: France also takes the women's victory}} Zaadi was selected for the tournament all star team, scoring 33 goals.{{cite web|url=https://www.ihf.info/sites/default/files/competitions/d163d492-68ad-402e-b701-50c0c75a6136/pdf/FRATOTAL.PDF?n=1628415058 |publisher=International Handball Federation|website=ihf.info|title=Cumulative Statistics: France|access-date=8 August 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ihf.info/competitions/women/307/olympic-games-tokyo-2020---womens-tournament/20353/news/65481 |publisher=International Handball Federation|website=ihf.info|title=Tokyo 2020 Women’s All-Star Team|access-date=8 August 2021}} At the 2023 World Championship she once again won gold medals with the French team.{{cite web|url=https://www.ihf.info/sites/default/files/competitions/29fa120a-f09a-4648-8ce7-963c3618fc5f/pdf/FRATOTAL.PDF?n=1703004988 |publisher=International Handball Federation|website=www.ihf.info|title=Team cumulative statistics France|date=17 December 2023|accessdate=23 December 2023}} At the 2024 Olympics at home she won silver medals.[https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/HBL/OG2024_HBL_C92C_HBLWTEAM7-------------------------.pdf olympics.com: Paris 2024: Medallists], read 11. August 2024

Personal life

Born in France, Zaadi is of Cameroonian descent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lasemaine.fr/zaadi-en-etat-de-grace/|title=Zaadi en état de Grâce|first=Arnaud|last=Demmerlé|date=16 November 2012}}

Individual awards

Championnat de France Best Playmaker: 2018
All-Star Team as Best Playmaker at the Olympic Games: 2020{{Cite web|title=Tokyo 2020 Women's All-Star Team|url=https://www.ihf.info/competitions/women/307/olympic-games-tokyo-2020---womens-tournament/20353/news/65481|access-date=8 August 2021|website=International Handball Federation}}
All-Star team as Best Playmaker at the World Championship: 2017, 2021