Sport in Denmark

Legendary former players include Poul "Tist" Nielsen, Peter Schmeichel, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Allan Simonsen and Michael Laudrup.Denmark has won the Speedway World Cup four times in 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2014 and came second in 2007 missing only two points to Poland.There are seven Danish ice hockey players currently in the National Hockey League (NHL): Lars Eller of the Colorado Avalanche, Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes, Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, Alexander True of the Seattle Kraken, Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Seattle Kraken, Mads Søgaard of the Ottawa Senators and Jonas Røndbjerg of the Vegas Golden Knights.Other Danes who have played in the NHL include Frans Nielsen, Mikkel Bødker, Jannik Hansen, Peter Regin, Philip Larsen and Oliver Lauridsen.The Danish national hockey team scored two historic, unexpected upsets in Tampere, Finland, defeating the United States 5-2 on 26 April 2003 and tied Canada 2-2 six days later on 2 May 2003.Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen's victory at the 1996 Olympic Games is one of three gold medals for Europe men's singles.Lene Køppen and Camilla Martin have won singles titles at the World Championships and All-England.Other well-known Danish riders are Matti Breschel, Nicki Sørensen, Bo Hamburger, Jesper Skibby, Jakob Fuglsang and Lars Michaelsen.In addition Cancellara won two World Road Time Trial Championship titles whilst riding for the team.Golf has become a highly popular sport in recent years in Denmark with more than 180 courses across the country.The national teams both youth and senior level has competed in the European Championship of American football.The Bakken Bears currently hold the attendance record for a single basketball game in Denmark.Former great boxers include Johnny Bredahl a former WBO and WBA champion and Brian Nielsen who fought Mike Tyson in 2001.The active boxer Ahmed Khaddour who was in the American reality TV show The Contender also comes from Denmark.Kampmann fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a 170-pound welterweight and was considered one of the best fighters in the division.Other Danish fighters that have competed in the UFC include Anna Elmose, Nicolas Dalby, Joachim Christensen, Christian Colombo, and Mads Burnell.The driver with the most 24 Hours of Le Mans wins so far is Denmark's Tom Kristensen with nine first places.Franz Nachtegall was influential in the introduction of physical education and gymnastics into schools of Denmark.Nielsen and his partner Marray, who had only played three tournaments together previously, also became the first wild card ever to win the Wimbledon men's doubles.