Name Aleksander Donner | ||
Died 24 August 2013
Funchal, Portugal | ||
Aleksander Donner (Ukrainian: Олександр Доннер; first name also transliterated as Oleksandar, Oleksander or Oleksandr) (1948 – 24 August 2013) was a Ukrainian handball coach, best known as a former coach of the Portuguese handball league team ABC Braga (1991-2004). Donner is considered the most accomplished coach of Portuguese handball and is credited with the success of growing the nation's handball in the 1990s.
Donner's career started in the 1980s, when as a player in Lviv's "CKA" and Astrakhan's "Zari," he helped Vladimir Gladchencko build famed Astrakhan's "Dinamo.". Before signing for ABC Braga, Donner was the assistant coach of the Russia national handball team, whose main coach at the time, Vlatschenko, recommended him to the board of directors of the Portuguese team. Donner left Russia for Portugal in 1992.
At ABC Braga, Donner gained 8 National Titles, 7 Portuguese Handball Cups, 5 Super Cups and one Portuguese League Opening Cup. Under his guidance, in 1993-1994, ABC Braga reached the final of EHF Champions League, but lost in a dramatic match against the Spanish team Teka Cantabria. From 1996 to 2000, Donner coached Portugal national handball team. After leaving ABC Braga, he coached other Portuguese league teams, such as Madeira Andebol SAD and Benfica. Overall, teams coached by Donner gained eleven National Championship titles.
Aleksander Donner died of a heart attack on 24 August 2013, at the age of 65.