The "good old" Danish national team in women's handball [Mette's Handball Corner]

The "good old team" from the golden period

The image below is from the Olympic Games in 1996 (the gold winners, of course!) the unique team that will never be forgotten (even though the "new" team can also win gold!). So, it's the good old gals on display here. Too many of the core players have stopped their career. Who is to blame? They themselves say that too many matches and bad planning create fatal injuries and that this is to blame for the sad development.

The players from 1996 will be presented below from left to right:

See also the team that won the Olympics in 2000 and who is now on the national team.


Name: Bottom Row (from the left):	D.O.B.	Active years	Debut on the national team	Comment

Susanne Munk Lauritsen	12/10-1996	93 - 98, Pre-OL, 2000 171 matches 3 goals	1987 (Goalkeeper)	After a break due to maternity leave, she never was allowed back on the team again. Now she has quit handball alltogether but still works behind the lines for her club Viborg. Married to Ulrik Wilbek.
Merete Møller	7/5-1978	97 - ?	1996	I have the feeling she will not return? Many injuries has kept her away for a long time.
Lene Rantala	10/8-1968	94 -	1991 (Goalkeeper)	Untill 2000 she was overshadowed by Susanne and Gitte (eg. did not get much time on court in Atlanta) but later she got to be our keeper number one. Left 2001. One of my real favourites! Plays for Larvik in Norway. Persuaded to return just one time for the EC in 2002.
Anja Andersen	5/2-1969	93 - 97	1989	Without her, there is no more golden days! But now trainer for Slagelse. Have a look around my site for data about this all time favourite of mine, who made me interested in handball in the first place in 93, when she thundered across our tv screens and changed women's handball forever.
Janne Kolling	12/7-1968	93 - 98, 2000 250 matches 756 goals	1988	Had a period with injuries, returned for a while (just in time to get her second Olympic medal in Sydney) and has now quit. Works as assisting trainer for Anja Andersen's team Slagelse.
Anja Byrial Hansen	1/11-1973	93, 94, 96 88 matches 122 goals	1992	Found her boyfriend's football career in England to be more important, and followed him there when she got injuries..
Anne Dorthe Tanderup	6/2-1972	93, 94, 96, 97 88 matches 180 goals	1991	Left 1998 due to knee injuries. Now lives in Italy selling Scandinavian design.
Gitte Sunesen	11/12-1971	93 - 2000	1991 (Goalkeeper)	Injury stopped this long term guardian of the goal. Still plays for GOG.
Top row:
Heidi Astrup	31/5-1972	94, 95, 96	1990	God knows why she left (after 99 nt matches) - the trainers still try to convince her to return. Played for Viborg handball club from the age of six to the age of 30, apart from a few months in a Japanese club.
Gitte Madsen	24/3-1969	93 - 97 120 matches 288 goals	1991	Left the nt for club handball, fearing more injuries. Had to stop two years later due to just that.
Camilla Andersen	5/7-1973	93 - 2000	1992	One of my favourites but not on the national team anylonger after the much media attention during the Olympics in Sydney.. Learn more about Camilla here. Now playing for Slagelse.
Conny Hamann	16/9-1969	93 - 96 70 matches 158 goals	1989	Left the national team for the sake of motherhood. Played in Germany for a while, later back playing for GOG.
Tonje Kjærgaard	11/6-1975	94 - 2000	1994	Left after Sydney 2000. Still plays for Ikast/Bording, strong as always and a real fighter. Awesome pivot - and the best!
Marianne Florman	1/6-1964	93 - 96	1990	Being made redundant by Ulrik, she later wrote books, lectured and once worked as a speaker on the tv sports news. Quit handball for motherhood.
Anette Hoffmann	5/5 1971	93 - 98, 2000 183/641	1990	A short break due to an injury, back for a while, never was better and won Olympic gold once more in Sydney, just to quit afterwards - a big loss. Works with children.
Tina Bøttzau	29/8-1971	93 - 97, 2000	1990	Lost interest for the national team for a while, back for while just to get her second Olympic medal in Sydney, then stopped along with seven others shortly after. Teacher.

You can find more details on these players on my site.
Let's go on to have a look at the new team - fairly unknown, but the stars of tomorrow have begun to rise.

The team of today (and their substitutes) and their data.
The many players who quit after the Olympics in Sydney 2000 - which stripped the team of the last of the "veterans" and star players, leaving only Lene Rantala - for a while.. Now she is gone as well.

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