Denmark at the Olympics

Denmark first participated at the Olympic Games at the inaugural 1896 Games, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for the sparsely attended 1904 Games. Denmark has also participated in the Winter Olympic Games several times since 1948, including every Games since 1988.

The top medal-producing sport for Denmark is sailing. Denmark has won only a single medal at the Winter Games, in curling at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

The National Olympic Committee for Denmark was created in 1905.

Medals by individual
According to official data of the International Olympic Committee. This is a list of people who have won one or more Olympic gold medals and three or more Olympic medals for Denmark. Medals won in the 1906 Intercalated Games are not included. It includes top-three placings in 1896 and 1900, before medals were awarded for top-three placings.

Medals by team
Denmark has been successful at the Olympics in team sports like football, handball and team gymnastics. In football Denmark has won four medals. Also team gymnastics has given Denmark four medals. In women's handball Denmark has won three gold medals.

Summer Olympics
All Danish medals are listed.

Winter Olympics
Denmark has won a single medal.

Non-participations
Denmark has participated in most summer sports, but they have yet to participate in: Artistic swimming, Baseball/Softball, Basketball, Cricket, Lacrosse, Rugby football (neither Rugby sevens or the discontinued discipline Rugby union), Sport climbing, Surfing, Volleyball and Water polo.

Denmark never participated in the following discontinued sports: Basque pelota, Croquet, Jeu de paume, Karate, Polo, Rackets, Roque and Water motorsports.

Aquatics
For aquatics disciplines, follow these links: Diving and Swimming.

Denmark has yet to participate in Artistic swimming and Water polo.

Archery
Archery was included in the Olympic programme four times between 1900 and 1920. It returned in 1972 and has remained in the Olympic programme ever since.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 8th by Arne Jacobsen in men's individual in 1972. That result was matched by Carina Christiansen, Maja Jager and Louise Laursen in women's team in 2012.

Athletics
Athletics has been included in the Olympic programme since the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics.

Denmark has won 7 medals in athletics; 4 silver and 3 bronze.

Their most successful athlete in the sport is Wilson Kipketer who competed in men's 800m, winning silver in 2000 and bronze in 2004.

Denmark's most successful female athlete in the sport is Sara Slott Petersen who won silver in women's 400m hurdles in 2016.

Denmark's remaining silver medalists are Henry Petersen who won his medal in men's pole vault in 1920 and Joachim Olsen who won his medal in men's shot put in 2004.

Badminton
Badminton has been included in the Olympic programme since 1992. Denmark has participated in every event held in the sport.

Denmark has been quite successful in the sport, winning 2 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Viktor Axelsen won gold in men's singles in 2020 and bronze in the same event in 2016.

Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen won gold in men's singles in 1996.

Denmark's most successful female athlete is Christinna Pedersen who won silver in women's doubles in 2016 together with Kamilla Rytter Juhl, and won bronze in mixed doubles in 2012 together with Joachim Fischer Nielsen.

Boxing
Boxing has been included in the Olympic programme since 1904 with the exception of 1912.

Denmark has won a total of 12 medals in the sport; 1 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze.

Hans Jacob Nielsen won their only Olympic title in the sport by winning men's lightweight in 1924.

Søren Petersen is their only double medalist in the sport, winning silver in men's heavyweight in both 1920 and 1924.

Denmark has yet to participate in women's events in the sport.

Slalom
Canoe slalom was first included in the Olympic programme in 1972. It returned in 1992 and has remained in the programme since then.

Denmark has yet to participate in the discipline.

Sprint
Canoe sprint (including the discontinued discipline canoe marathon) has been included in the Olympic programme since 1936. Denmark has participated in the discipline every time it has been included in the programme.

Denmark has had some success in the discipline, winning 3 gold, 6 silver and 7 bronze medals.

Their most successful canoeist is Erik Hansen who won gold in men's K1 1000m in 1960 and bronze medals in men's K1x4 500m in 1960 (together with Arne Høyer, Erling Jessen and Helmuth Sørensen) and men's K1 1000m in 1968.

Denmark's remaining Olympic champions are Karen Hoff who won women's K1 500m in 1948 and Finn Haunstoft & Bent Peder Rasch who won men's C2 1000m in 1952.

The female Danish canoeist with most medals is Emma Jørgensen who won silver in women's K1 500m in 2016 and bronze in both K1 200m and K1 500m in 2020.

BMX freestyle
BMX freestyle has been included in the Olympic programme since 2020. Denmark has yet to participate in the discipline.

BMX racing
BMX racing has been included in the Olympic programme since 2008.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 6th by Simone Christensen in women's BMX racing in 2020.

Denmark's best placement in a men's event in the discipline was 19th by Morten Therkildsen in men's BMX in 2012. Henrik Baltzersen ranked similarly in the men's BMX in 2008, but cyclists eliminated in the heats weren't given an overall ranking then.

Mountain biking
Mountain biking has been included in the Olympic programme since 1996.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 7th by Lennie Kristensen in men's cross-country in 1996.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the discipline was 11th by Annika Langvad in women's cross-country in 2016.

Road cycling
Road cycling was included in the Olympic programme in 1896. It returned in 1912 and has remained in the Olympic programme ever since. Denmark has participated in the discipline every Games since 1912.

Denmark has won 2 gold, 5 silver and 1 bronze medal in the discipline.

Their most successful road cyclist was Henry Hansen who won gold in men's individual time trial and men's team time trial (together with Orla Jørgensen and Leo Nielsen) in 1928, and silver in men's team time trial in 1932 (together with Leo Nielsen again but also Frode Sørensen).

Leo Nielsen is the second most successful Danish cyclists in the discipline with his 1 gold and 1 silver mentioned above.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the discipline was 5th by Linda Villumsen in women's individual road race in 2008.

Track cycling
Track cycling was included in the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympic programme and has been included in all Summer Games except for 1912.

Denmark has obtained 21 medals in the discipline, 6 gold, 6 silver and 9 bronze.

Their most successful track cyclist is Lasse Norman Hansen with 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. He won his Olympic titles in men's omnium in 2012 and men's Madison in 2020, the latter together with Michael Mørkøv.

Denmark has two more track cyclists with 3 medals. Willy Falck Hansen won 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze. His Olympic title came in men's time trial in 1928. Niels Fredborg also won 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze. His Olympic title came in men's time trial in 1972.

Denmark's most successful female track cyclists are Amalie Dideriksen and Julie Leth who won silver together in women's Madison in 2020.

Diving
Diving has been included in the Olympic programme since 1904.

Denmark has won two medals in the sport, a gold and a bronze. Stefanie Clausen won gold in women's 10m platform in 1920. Birte Christoffersen won bronze in women's 10m platform in 1948.

Denmark's best placement in a men's event in the sport was 6th, a record shared between Herold Jansson in men's plain high diving in 1920 and Thomas Christiansen in men's 10m platform in 1948.

Dressage
Dressage had one event included in 1900. It returned to the Olympic programme in 1912 and has remained in the Olympic programme ever since.

Denmark has won 4 medals in the sport; 3 silver and 1 bronze.

Lis Hartel won silver in the individual event both in 1952 and 1956. Anne Grethe Jensen also earned silver in the individual event, in 1984.

Their bronze medal was won by Andreas Helgstrand, Anne van Olst and Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg in the team event in 2008.

Eventing
Eventing has been included in the Olympic programme since 1912.

Denmark has won two medals in the discipline, a silver and a bronze. Frode Kirkebjerg won silver in individual eventing in 1924 and Hans Lunding won bronze in the same event in 1936.

Denmark has yet to send female riders to compete in the discipline.

Show jumping
Show Jumping was included in the Olympic programme in 1900. It returned in 1912 and has remained in the Olympic programme ever since.

Denmark's best placement in the discipline was 8th by Merethe Jensen in the individual event in 1992.

Denmark's best placement by a male rider in the discipline was shared 10th by Thomas Velin in the individual event in both 2000 and 2004.

Discontinued disciplines
Equestrian driving was conducted during the 1900 Summer Olympics and equestrian vaulting during the 1920 Summer Olympics. Denmark did not participate in the disciplines.

Fencing
Fencing has been included in the Olympic programme since the inaugural 1896 Games.

Denmark has won six medals in the sport, 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze.

Their Olympic gold was won by Ellen Osiier in women's foil in 1924. Grete Heckscher won bronze in the same event.

Karen Lachmann is the Danish fencer with most medals as she won silver in women's foil in 1948 and bronze in the same event in 1952.

Two Danish men have earned medals. Ivan Osiier won silver in men's épée in 1912 and Holger Nielsen won bronze in men's sabre in 1896.

Field hockey
Field hockey was first included in the Olympic programme in 1908. It returned in 1920 before becoming a permanent Olympic sport in 1928.

Denmark only medal so far is the silver Denmark men's national field hockey team won in 1920.

Denmark has yet to participate in women's events in the sport.

Football
Football has been included in the Olympic programme since 1900 with the exception of 1932.¨

Denmark has won four medals so far, Denmark men's national football team won silver medals in 1908, 1912 and 1960 and a bronze medal in 1948.

Six Danish footballers won two silver medals, Charles Buchwald, Harald Hansen, Nils Middelboe, Oscar Nielsen, Sophus Nielsen and Vilhelm Wolfhagen were all part of the teams in both 1908 and 1912.

Denmark women's national football team's best placement is 8th in 1996.

Denmark also won the gold medal in football at the 1906 Intercalated Games. IOC has retroactively decided to no longer recognize those games as official Olympic games.

Golf
Golf was included in the Olympic programme in 1900 and 1904. It returned in 2016 and has remained in the Olympic programme ever since.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was shared 5th by Emily Pedersen in women's individual in 2020.

Denmark's best placement in a men's event in the sport was shared 21st by Søren Kjeldsen in men's individual in 2016.

Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics has been included in the Summer Olympic programme since the inaugural 1896 Games.

Denmark has won four medals in the discipline. They won gold in gold in men's team free system in 1920, silver in men's team Swedish system in 1912 and 1920 and a bronze in men's team free system in 1912.

The only multi medalists were Steen Olsen who participated in the free system in both 1912 and 1920 (winning bronze and gold respectively) and Hans Pedersen who participated in the Swedish system in both 1912 and 1920, winning silver both times.

Their best placement in a women's event in the sport was shared 62nd by Else Trangbæk in women's balance beam in 1968.

Denmark also won a silver medal in artistic gymnastics at the 1906 Intercalated Games. IOC has retroactively decided to no longer recognize those games as official Olympic games.

Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics has been included in the Olympic programme since 1984.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 34th by Malene Franzen in women's rhythmic individual all-around in 1988.

No men's events are held in the discipline.

Trampoline
Trampoline has been included in the Olympic programme since 2000.

Denmark's best placement in the discipline was 10th by Peter Jensen. He obtained that placement in men's trampoline in both 2008 and 2012.

Denmark has yet to participate in women's events in the discipline.

Handball
Handball was included in the Olympic programme in 1936. It returned in 1972 and has remained in the Olympic programme ever since.

Denmark has won 5 medals in the sport, 4 gold and 1 silver. Denmark women's national handball team won gold in the women's events in 1996, 2000 and 2004. Denmark men's national handball team won gold in the men's event in 2016 and silver in 2020.

12 Danish handballers are double Olympic champions; Camilla Andersen, Tina Bøttzau, Anette Hoffmann, Tonje Kjærgaard, Janne Kolling and Lene Rantala won gold with the women's team in 1996 and 2000, while Karen Brødsgaard, Katrine Fruelund, Lotte Kiærskou, Karin Mortensen, Rikke Petersen-Schmidt and Mette Vestergaard won gold in 2000 and 2004.

Denmark's most successful male handballers are Henrik Toft Hansen, Mikkel Hansen, Niklas Landin, Mads Mensah Larsen, Henrik Møllgaard, Morten Olsen and Lasse Svan Hansen who won gold in 2016 and silver in 2020 with the men's team.

Judo
Judo has been included in the Olympic programme since 1964 with the exception of the 1968 Games.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 11th by Tommy Mortensen in men's 65 kg in 1988.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport was shared 17th by Lærke Olsen in women's 63 kg in 2020.

Modern pentathlon
Modern pentathlon has been included in the Olympic programme since 1912.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 5th by Marius Christensen in men's individual in 1920.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport was 19rd by Pernille Svarre in women's individual in 2000.

Rowing
Rowing has been included in the Olympic programme since 1900.

Denmark has won 7 gold, 5 silver and 13 bronze medals for a total medal count of 25 in the sport.

Denmark's most successful rower is Eskild Ebbesen who won three gold medals and two bronze medals in men's lightweight coxless four. He won his Olympic titles in 1996 (together with Victor Feddersen, Niels Henriksen and Thomas Poulsen), 2004 (together with Thomas Ebert, Stephan Mølvig and Thor Kristensen) and 2008 (together with Mads Andersen, Thomas Ebert and Morten Jørgensen).

Thomas Ebert who was present for two of those Olympic titles, and also won a bronze medal, is Denmark's second most successful rower.

Denmark's most successful female rower is Fie Udby Erichsen who won silver in women's single sculls in 2012.

Sailing
Sailing has been included in the Olympic programme since 1900 with the exception of 1904.

Denmark has been highly successful in the sport, winning 31 medals of which 13 are gold.

Their most successful athlete in the sport is Paul Elvstrøm who won four Olympic titles; Firefly in 1948 and Finn in 1952, 1956 and 1960.

Denmark also has four double Olympic champions. Valdemar Bandolowski, Erik Hansen and Poul Richard Høj Jensen won the Soling class together in 1976 and 1980.

Jesper Bank won the Soling class in 1992 with Steen Secher and Jesper Seier and again in 2000, then with Henrik Blakskjær and Thomas Jacobsen.

Their most successful female athlete in the sport is Anne-Marie Rindom who won gold in Laser Radial in 2020 after earning bronze in the same event in 2016.

Shooting
Shooting was included in the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympic programme and has been included in all Summer Games except for 1904 and 1928. Denmark has participated in the sport every time except for 1932.

Denmark most successful shooter was Lars Jørgen Madsen who won 5 medals; 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze. His Olympic titles came in standing military rifle in 1900 and in men's 300m team military rifle standing, the latter together with Niels Larsen, Anders Peter Nielsen, Anders Petersen and Erik Sætter-Lassen.

Anders Peter Nielsen mentioned above is Denmark's second most successful shooter, as he also won three silver medals on top of his gold.

Denmark's remaining Olympic champion in the sport is Kjeld Rasmussen who won gold in mixed skeet in 1980.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport is 6th by Anni Bissø in women's 50m rifle 3 positions in 2000.

Skateboarding
Skateboarding has been included in the Olympic programme since 2020.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 19th by Rune Glifberg in men's park in 2020.

Denmark has yet to participate in women's events in the sport.

Long course swimming
Long course swimming has been included in the Olympic programme since the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics.

Denmark first competed in swimming in 1900. They have won 15 medals in all, 3 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze.

Denmark's most successful swimmer is Karen Harup who won gold in women's 100m backstroke and silver in both women's 400m freestyle and women's 4x100m freestyle relay (the latter together with Greta Andersen, Eva Arndt and Fritze Carstensen), all in 1948.

Aside from winning a silver medal in that relay, Greta Andersen also won gold in women's 100m freestyle in 1948.

Denmark's remaining gold medal was won by Pernille Blume in women's 50m freestyle in 2016. She also won bronze in the same event in 2020 and in women's 4x100m medley relay in 2016 (together with Rikke Møller Pedersen, Mie Nielsen and Jeanette Ottesen).

The most successful male Danish swimmer were Ludvig Dam who won silver in men's 100m backstroke in 1908 and Benny Nielsen who won silver in men's 200m butterfly in 1988.

Marathon swimming
Marathon swimming has been included in the Olympic programme since 2008. Denmark has yet to participate in the discipline.

Table tennis
Table tennis has been included in the Olympic programme since 1988.

Denmark has won one medal in the sport; Michael Maze and Finn Tugwell won bronze in men's doubles in 2004.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport was shared 33rd by Mie Skov in women's singles in 2012.

Taekwondo
Taekwondo has been included in the Olympic programme since 2000.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 4th by Hanne Høegh Poulsen in women's 49 kg in 2000.

Denmark's best placement in a men's event in the sport was shared 9th by Jesper Roesen in men's 68 kg in 2004.

Tennis
Tennis was originally included in the Olympic programme between 1896 and 1924. Tennis returned to the games in 1988 and has remained in the programme since then.

Denmark has won one medal in the sport; Sofie Castenschiold won silver in women's indoor singles in 1912.

Denmark's best placement by a male athlete in the sport is 4th, which Erik Tegner accomplished together with Amory Hansen in mixed doubles in 1920.

Triathlon
Triathlon has been included in the Olympic programme since 2000.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 7th by Rasmus Henning in men's individual in 2004.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport was 23rd by Line Jensen in women's individual in 2012.

Tug of war
Tug of war was included in the Olympic programme between 1900 and 1920.

Denmark never participated as a separate team, but in 1900, three Danish and three Swedish athletes teamed up and won the gold medal as a mixed team.

The three Danish Olympic champions in tug of war were Edgar Aabye, Eugen Schmidt and Charles Winckler.

Weightlifting
Weightlifting was first included in the Olympic programme at the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics. It was excluded from the 1900, 1908 and 1912 Games but have been included every other time.

Denmark has won three medals in the sport, 1 gold and 2 silver. They first competed in weightlifting at the inaugural 1896 Games, with one lifter competing. Viggo Jensen won gold in the men's two-hand lift (based on a style tie-breaker), but was injured in the attempt and placed second for silver in men's one-hand lift.

Denmark's remaining silver medal was won by Svend Olsen in men's 82.5 kg in 1932.

Denmark has yet to participate in women's events in the sport.

Wrestling
Wrestling was included in the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympic programme and has been included in all Summer Games except for 1900.

Denmark has won 9 medals in the sport, 3 silver and 6 bronze.

Their silver medals were won by Poul Hansen in men's Greco-Roman heavyweight in 1920, Abraham Kurland in men's Greco-Roman lightweight in 1932 and Mark Madsen in men's Greco-Roman 75 kg in 2016.

The Danish wrestler with most Olympic medals is Søren Marinus Jensen who won 2 bronze medals, in men's Greco-Roman super heavyweight in 1908 and heavyweight in 1912.

Denmark has yet to participate in women's events in the sport.

Denmark also won two gold medals, one silver medal and one bronze medal in wrestling at the 1906 Intercalated Games. IOC has retroactively decided to no longer recognize those games as official Olympic games.

Non-participations
Denmark has participated in most winter sports but has yet to participate in Bobsleigh, Luge, Nordic combined, Short track speed skating, Skeleton and Ski jumping.

Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing has been included in the Olympic programme since 1936.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 27th by Tejs Broberg in men's giant slalom in 1998.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport was 28th by Tine Kongsholm in women's slalom in 1992.

Biathlon
Biathlon events were conducted at the 1924 Winter Olympics under the designation Military patrol. Biathlon arrived as its own sport at the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 53rd by Ukaleq Slettemark in women's individual in 2022.

Denmark's best placement in a men's event in the sport was 86th by Øystein Slettemark in men's sprint in 2010.

Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing has been was included in the Olympic programme since the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 32nd by Kirsten Carlsen in women's 10 km in 1968.

Denmark's best placement in a men's event in the sport was 41st by Michael Binzer in both men's 15 km pursuit in 1998 and men's 50 km freestyle in 1998.

Curling
Curling was included in the Olympic programme during the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics. It didn't return until 1998, but has remained in the Games since then.

Jane Bidstrup, Helena Blach Lavrsen, Dorthe Holm, Margit Pörtner and Trine Qvist won Denmark's only Winter Olympic medal so far when they earned silver in the women's event in 1998.

Denmark's best placement in a men's event is 6th, which Johnny Frederiksen, Troels Harry, Mikkel Poulsen and Rasmus Stjerne got in the men's event in 2014.

Figure skating
Figure skating was first included in the Olympic programme in the 1908 and 1920 Summer Olympics. It was moved to the Winter Olympics with the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics and has been included in every Winter Olympic Games.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 9th by Michael Tyllesen in men's singles in 1998.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport was 15th by Anisette Torp-Lind in ladies' singles in 1992.

Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing has been included in the Olympic programme since 1992.

Denmark's best placement in the sport is 13th by Anja Bolbjerg in women's moguls in 1998.

Denmark has yet to participate in men's events in the sport.

Ice hockey
Ice hockey was first included in the Olympic programme in the 1920 Summer Olympics. It was moved to the Winter Olympics with the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics and has been included in every Winter Olympic Games.

Denmark men's and women's ice hockey teams have competed once each, both in 2022. Denmark men's national ice hockey team finished 7th in the men's tournament while Denmark women's national ice hockey team finished 10th in the women's tournament.

Snowboarding
Snowboarding has been included in the Olympic programme since 1998.

Denmark has competed in two snowboarding events. Mike Kildevæld finished 15th in men's giant slalom 1998. Julie Lundholdt finished 15th too, but in women's snowboard cross in 2010.

Speed skating
Speed skating has been included in the Olympic programme since the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics.

Denmark's best placement in the sport was 5th by Viktor Hald Thorup in men's mass start in 2018.

Denmark's best placement in a women's event in the sport was 14th by Cathrine Grage in women's 5000m in 2010.

Medals at subsequently de-recognized competitions
Art competitions held at Summer Olympics between 1912 and 1948, and the 1906 Intercalated Games are no longer recognized as official Olympic medal competitions by the IOC.

Denmark won 5 silver and 4 bronze medals in art competitions, and 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal at the Intercalated Games.