The Croats, who were also shortlisted for the "Recognition for an exceptional result in a non-Olympic sport" award, won the World Championship gold in Greece and took the top prize at the Birmingham 2022 World Games.

The men's national beach handball team is also nominated for the "The World Games Team of the Year 2022" award.

"The recognition of the Olympic award is huge for us and meant we were visible nationwide throughout Croatia," captain Ivan Jurić was quoted as saying by ihf.info.

"Our friends and acquaintances saw what we've been doing for the past years; they are always asking us about the Olympic Games.

"Now we can say we are getting to it.

"I hope it won't last just for five minutes, and we will get more recognisable, first in Croatia and then in the world."

National team coach Mladen Paradžik was happy to receive award with Jurić saying that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach visiting the beach handball venue during the World Games "was a very good sign" for the sport's ambitions to be part of the Olympic family.

"Our main job was done on the court last summer as in games we can say a lot," Paradžik said.

"However, it is nice to see that others recognised our results.

"The Croatian Olympic Committee recognised our results and nominated us for the best Croatian male team of the year, which put us up with the football team - who finished third in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the water polo team - who won the 2022 European Championship and the tennis team - who finished fourth in the Davis Cup.

"It is a great thing to be side by side with such great teams."