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VILLE LÅNG
* February 14, 1985 Lahti
Present residence: Helsinki
177 cm, 75 kg
Club: Östersundom Idrottsförening
Coaches: Veli-Markus Melleri, Jyri Aalto
Event: Singles
Ville Lång gave up football at 14 to concentrate solely on his badminton career. Four years later he won bronze at the European Junior Championships in Esbjerg, Denmark. Since 2005 Ville has been ranked as Finland’s best male badminton player. In the spring of 2008 he won tournament titles in Croatia and Romania to gain enough ranking points for an Olympic debut in Beijing. Ville’s favourite hobby is poker playing.
ACHIEVEMENTS (all in singles):
2003 EurJunCh bronze.
2005 WCh 17–32nd.
2006 WCh 33–64th. EurCh 9–16th.
2007 WCh 33–64th.
2008 EurCh 9–16th.
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ANU NIEMINEN
* December 16, 1977 Helsinki
Present residence: Copenhagen (Denmark)
170 cm, 61 kg
Club: Helsingfors Badminton Club
Coach: Nadia Lyduch
Event: Singles
Beijing will be Anu Nieminen’s third Olympic Games. She competed in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 under her maiden name Weckström. Anu has dominated the Finnish women’s badminton scene for more than ten years. Her best domestic opponent has been her sister Nina, who has also been her doubles partner at the international circuit. Anu has lived and trained for many years in Denmark. She began serious badminton training at 10 but used to competed in figure skating at national level as well until the age of 14. Anu is married to the tennis player Jarkko Nieminen. Beijing will be their second Olympic Games together.
PREVIOUS OLYMPIC GAMES:
2000 1st round (17–32nd) singles.
2004 1st round (17–32nd) singles.
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS (all in singles):
1996 EurCh 2nd round.
1997 WCh 1st round.
1998 EurCh 9–16th.
1999 WCh 1st round.
2000 EurCh 1st round.
2001 WCh 1st round.
2002 EurCh 5–8th.
2003 WCh 9–16th.
2004 EurCh 33–64th.
2005 WCh 33–64th.
2006 WCh 33–64ths. EurCh 9–16th.
2007 WCh 33–64th.
2008 EurCh 9–16th.
