Christinna Pedersen

Christinna Pedersen (born 12 May 1986) is a Danish badminton player. Known for her smart play, exceptional defensive skills, consistency, and strong cooperation with her partners, she represented Denmark for many years at the highest level of international badminton and became a dominant figure in both European and World competitions. Throughout her illustrious career, she became one of the few players to achieve world-class status in two different categories simultaneously, reaching a career-high ranking of world number 1 in the mixed doubles and number 2 in the women's doubles. Pedersen officially announced her retirement from international competition in March 2019, leaving behind a legacy as one of Europe's most successful badminton athletes.

Pedersen formed a formidable and long-standing partnership with Kamilla Rytter Juhl. Together, they achieved historic milestones, most notably winning the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which made them the first European pair to reach an Olympic women's doubles final. Their dominance was also evident in Europe, where they secured four consecutive European Championships titile. Additionally, they were regular contenders on the global stage, winning the season ending-finale in 2013 and earning multiple medals at the BWF World Championships, including a silver in 2015 and two bronze medals in 2013 and 2017.

Pedersen's career in the mixed doubles was equally spectacular, primarily through her partnership with Joachim Fischer Nielsen. The duo was a powerhouse on the BWF Superseries circuit, capturing ten titles and winning the World Superseries Finals three times. Their greatest achievement together was winning the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, a feat that solidified Pedersen's reputation as a big-match player. She also claimed two European mixed doubles titles and two bronze medals at the World Championships with Fischer Nielsen in 2009 nad 2014, eventually reaching the pinnacle of the BWF World Rankings as the number one mixed doubles pair in the world.

In recognition of Pedersen impact on badminton, she was honored at the Badminton Europe Gala with induction into the BEC Hall of Fame in 2023, and Badminton Denmark Player of the Year in 2011 with Fischer Nielsen and again in 2013 with Rytter Juhl. Beyond her achievements on the court, Pedersen is also known for her longstanding personal and professional partnership with Rytter Juhl, with whom she publicly came out as a lesbian couple after many years and later married in 2020. Pedersen has transitioned into a performance coach for Badminton England since 2025.

Born on 12 May 1986, in Aalborg, Pedersen lived in her hometown until 2006, where her childhood was deeply connected to the local sports community. She began playing badminton at the age of six, a path she chose because her parents were already active players in the sport. Her early development took place at the Gug Badminton Klub, where she is remembered for having her "badminton upbringing" before moving to Copenhagen to join the national training center. During her teenage years, she achieved significant national recognition by winning the Danish U-15 girls' doubles title in the 2000/2001 season.

Pedersen emerged as a rising star in Danish badminton by dominating the junior circuit before transitioning to senior competition. In 2005, she achieved a major breakthrough by winning the gold medal in the team and mixed doubles and a silver medal in the girls' doubles at the European Junior Championship. Her talent was further recognized at the club level, where she helped her team, Vendsyssel Elite Badminton (VEB), win the promotion play-offs to enter the top-tier Badmintonligaen for the 2005-2006 season. By 2006, her performance on the international stage continued to ascend, as she secured a second-place finish in mixed doubles at the Portugal International. This successful transition was formalized when she officially became a member of the Danish national team in 2006, marking the start of her elite professional career.

From 2008 onwards, Pedersen paired with Joachim Fischer Nielsen in mixed doubles. The pair gained two European mixed doubles titles, won bronze at the 2009 Hyderabad World Championships and at the 2014 World Championships, and came third at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Pedersen and Fischer Nielsen also produced strong results on the BWF Super Series circuit, winning a total of three World Superseries Finals and ten Superseries titles, and reaching a career high World Ranking of number 1.

Viewed by Badminton Denmark as a medal contender for the 2020 Olympics, Pedersen will compete in the mixed doubles with Mathias Christiansen as of the end of the 2016/17 season, after Joachim Fischer Nielsen broke his left ankle at the BWF World Championships 2017 in Glasgow.