Lene Rantala (born 10 August 1968 in Copenhagen) is a former Danish handball player, two times Olympic champion and a World champion. Rantala is currently assistant coach for Vipers Kristiansand in the Norwegian REMA 1000-ligaen.

Lene Rantala
Personal information
Born (1968-08-10) 10 August 1968 (age 56)
Gladsaxe, Denmark
Nationality Danish
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Retired
Senior clubs
Years Team
00000000
FIF
0000–1994
Brabrand
1994–1996
Toten HK
1996–1997
IK Junkeren
1997–2014
Larvik HK
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–2007
Denmark 226 (0)
Teams managed
2014–2019
Larvik HK (Team manager)
2018–2019
Netherlands (GK coach)
2019
Larvik HK (Head coach)
2019–2023
Vipers Kristiansand (GK coach)
2023–
Vipers Kristiansand (Assistant coach)
Medal record
Women's handball
Representing  Denmark
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1996 Atlanta Team
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Team
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 1997 Germany Team
Silver medal – second place 1993 Norway Team
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Austria/Hungary Team
European Championship
Gold medal – first place 1994 Germany Team
Gold medal – first place 1996 Denmark Team
Gold medal – first place 2002 Denmark Team
Silver medal – second place 1998 Netherlands Team

She debuted on the Danish national team on 14 February 1991, and has since played 226 matches for Denmark. This makes her the 3rd most tenured player on the Danish Women's national team ever behind fellow goalkeeper Karin Mortensen and Janne Kolling.[1] She also has the record for the oldest player on the Danish national team ever with 42 years and 307 days.[2] She has won numerous medals with the team, notably including two Olympic gold medals at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta[3] and at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.[4]

Personal life

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Rantala is of Finnish descent through her paternal grandmother.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "KVINDE A-LANDSKAMPE RANGLISTE 1947 - 2023" (in Danish). Håndbold Info.
  2. ^ "KVINDE A-LANDSHOLDSPILLERE ÆLDST PÅ LANDSHOLDET" (in Danish). Håndbold Info.
  3. ^ "1996 Summer Olympics – Atlanta, United States – Handball" Archived 2007-12-08 at the Wayback Machine databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on 12 February 2008)
  4. ^ "2000 Summer Olympics – Sydney, Australia – Handball" Archived 2008-04-07 at the Wayback Machine databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on 12 February 2008)
  5. ^ "Rantala torjui Tanskalle kultaa". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2 October 2000. Retrieved 26 August 2020. suomalaistaustainen (isän äiti oli suomalainen) maalivahti Lene Rantala
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