Svali Hrannar Björgvinsson (born 24 May 1967) is an Icelandic business man, sportscaster and former basketball player.

Svali Björgvinsson
Personal information
Born (1967-05-24) 24 May 1967 (age 56)
NationalityIcelandic
Career information
High schoolNelson
Playing career1984–1994
PositionGuard
Coaching career1992–1999
Career history
As player:
1984–1985Valur
1986–1993Valur
1993–1994ÍS
As coach:
1992–1993Valur (men's)
1994Valur (men's)
1994–1995Valur (women's)
1995Iceland (women's)
1996–1997KR (women's)
1997–1999Valur (men's)
Medals
Head Coach for  Iceland
women's national basketball team
Games of the Small States of Europe
Silver medal – second place 1995 Luxembourg Team

Basketball career edit

Club career edit

Svali played his first senior game with Valur in the Úrvalsdeild karla during the 1984–1985 season. He spent the following season with Nelson High School in the United States[1][2] before returning to Valur in 1986. He played 99 games for Valur in the Úrvalsdeild before retiring.[3]

National team career edit

Svali played two games for the Icelandic men's national basketball team in 1990.[4][5]

Coaching career edit

Svali coached Valur men's team for several seasons in Úrvalsdeild karla while also coaching Valur women's team and KR women's team for one season each in Úrvalsdeild kvenna.[6]

He was the head coach of the Icelandic women's national basketball team during the 1995 Games of the Small States of Europe in Luxembourg.[7]

Broadcasting career edit

Svali works as a play-by-play broadcaster of Úrvalsdeild karla games at Stöð 2 Sport[3] and is well known for his lively phrases.[8][9][10]

Outside of basketball edit

Svali worked at Kaupþing from 2003 until 2009 when he joined Icelandair.[11][12] In 2018, he joined Sjóvá.[13]

References edit

  1. ^ Þorgrímur Þránsson (1 May 1989). "Svali Björgvinsson, leikmaður með meistaraflokki í körfubolta". Valsblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Russ SNyder Invitational" (PDF). meridianmustangs.org. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  3. ^ a b Óskar Ófeigur Jónsson (2 December 2014). "Svali raðaði niður þristum í Madison Square Garden". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Spennandi mót framundan". Fréttablaðið (in Icelandic). 8 October 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  5. ^ "A-landslið". kki.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic Basketball Federation. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Svali ræddi við Hauka". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 30 April 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Svali búinn að velja". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 27 May 1995. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  8. ^ Tómas Þór Þórðarson (27 March 2015). "Sjáðu allar galdrakörfur Bonneau í lýsingu Svala: "Hann er bara skyr og massi"". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  9. ^ "ÁHUGAVERT Tólf bestu lýsingar Svala í úrslitakeppninni: "Þetta er eins og innbrotsþjófur með hóstakast"". Nútíminn (in Icelandic). 29 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  10. ^ Anton Ingi Leifsson (3 April 2015). "Þetta er lögreglumál! - Arnar og Svali fara á kostum". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  11. ^ Stefán Ó. Jónsson (4 January 2018). "Svali Björgvins hættir hjá Icelandair". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. ^ Kristín Sigurðardóttir (25 January 2016). "Háskólagráðan ofmetin". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Svali stýrir stefnumótun hjá Sjóvá". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 23 February 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2018.

External links edit