Team Denmark - Profile

Highlights:

@ PYEONGCHANG 2018 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES

Denmark competed at PyeongChang 2018 with a team of 16 athletes (nine men, seven women) who competed in five sports/disciplines - alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, curling, freestyle skiing, and speedskating. Their best finish was fifth by Viktor Hald Thorup in men鈥檚 mass start speedskating.

PYEONGCHANG 2018 FLAGBEARERS
Opening Ceremony: Elena Moller Rigas (SSK)
Closing Ceremony: Viktor Hald Thorup (SSK)

OLYMPIC GAMES HISTORY

Denmark鈥檚 connection with the Olympic Movement began in 1894 when Fredrik Bajer, a member of the Danish Parliament, was an honorary member of the International Congress in Paris at which the Olympic Games were revived. After Denmark had participated in the 1896 Olympic Games, the first Danish International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, Niels Holbeck, was co-opted in 1899 but it was not until 29 October 1905 that a Danish National Olympic Committee (NOC) was formed. In 1993 the Danish NOC merged with the Dansk Idraets-Forbund to become the Danmarks Idraets-Forbund. Denmark has competed at every summer Olympic Games except 1904.

Danish athletes have won 206 Olympic medals, 48 of them gold. Two shooters from the early 20th century won the most Olympic medals for Denmark with five 鈥� Lars Jorgen Madsen and Niels Larsen, and at London 2012 rower Eskild Ebbesen also won his fifth Olympic medal for Denmark. But their greatest Olympian has likely been sailor Paul Elvstrom who won four gold medals, winning the monotype class consecutively from 1948-60.

Denmark鈥檚 attendance at the Olympic Winter Games has been less consistent. Since making their winter debut in 1948, they have missed the Olympic Winter Games of 1956, 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984, but have participated in all Winter Games since Nagano1988, giving them 14 appearances.

Denmark has won one medal in the Olympic Winter Games, a silver in women鈥檚 curling in 1998.

The nation has had 67 Winter Olympians, 35 men and 32 women, that have competed in eight disciplines - alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, biathlon, snowboarding, and speedskating.

A few athletes from Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, have competed for Denmark. There have been six Danish Winter Olympians born in Greenland, the first being Apollo Lynge in 1968 cross-country skiing.

Additional Information:

http://www.dif.dk/

Anthem Title: Der er et yndigt land (There is a Lovely Land)

Anthem Composer: Music: Hans Ernst Kroyer, Lyrics: Adam Gottlob Oehlenschlager

Anthem Inducted: 1844

Founding Date: 1905

IOC Recognition Date: 1905

Delegation President: Mr Niels Nygaard

Delegation Secretary General: Mr Morten Moelholm Hansen

IOC Members: Current:Mr Poul-Erik Hoyer (entry into IOC: 2014)Former:Mr Niels Holbeck (Individual) (1899-1906)Mr Torben Grut (Individual) (1906-1912)Mr Fritz Hansen (Individual) (1912-1921)Mr Ivar Nyholm (Individual) (1922-1931)HRH Prince Axel (Individual) (1932-1958)Mr Ivar Vind (Individual) (1958-1977)Mr Niels Holst-Sorensen (Individual/Honorary) (1977-2002)Mr Kai Holm (Individual) (2002-2008)HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark (Individual) (2009-2021)Mr Niels Holst-Sorensen (IOC member from 1977 to 2002, Honorary Member since 2002)

IOC Executive Board: HRH Prince Axel (1952-1955) (Member [1952-1955])Mr Ivar Vind (1963-1966) (Member [1963-1966])

First OG/PG Appearance: 1948

Number OG/PG Appearances: 14

Summary: