Miko Kongstad

Miko Kongstad
Born (1989-08-19) August 19, 1989
Qaqortoq, Greenland
Occupationsbadminton player and coach
AwardsNational junior champion
  • Women's singles: 2004–2006
  • Women's doubles: 2004, 2005
  • Mixed doubles: 2006

National champion

  • Women's singles: 2007–2010, 2013
  • Women's doubles: 2007–2010, 2013

Miko Schiøtt Kongstad (formerly Mille Kongstad; born 19 August 1989) is a Greenlandic badminton coach[1][2] and a former competitive player.[3][4][5] A dominant domestic athlete in the 2000s and 2010s, Kongstad is a multitime national champion across women's singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories.[6] A trans rights advocate, he has criticized Greenland's lack of gender-affirming healthcare services.[7]

Born to a Danish father and Greenlandic mother, who later divorced, Kongstad grew up in Qaqortoq and began playing badminton at the age of six.[8] As a child, he came to recognize his male gender identity, but during puberty experienced severe gender dysphoria.[7] Kongstad's first success was at the national junior championships when he won consecutive ladies' singles titles from 2004 to 2006, and doubles titles in 2004 and 2005 together with Maria Lyberth.[6][8]

Kongstad was the official national flagbearer for the Greenlandic athletic delegation at the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Arctic Winter Games.[9] He moved to Denmark at 18 and began training at the international coaching program of the TopDirect Danish Badminton Academy in Hillerød.[10]

At the national championships, Kongstad won the singles titles from 2007 to 2010, and again in 2013. Kongstad also won the ladies' doubles titles in 2007 together with Else Høegh Møller, and four more titles (2008–2010, 2013) with Aviaaja Geisler.[11][6] In 2011, he participated in the Turkey International Challenge, but failed to qualify for the main tournament after losing to Romina Gabdullina of Russia.[12] After suffering consecutive ligament tears in 2011[13] and 2013,[14] Kongstad retired from his professional career.

At the age of 31, Kongstad underwent gender-affirming surgery and publicly came out as a trans man. He underwent top surgery at a clinic in Malmö, Sweden, as it did not require prior hormone therapy. Although anxious, he was supported by his father. He started hormone therapy eight months later.[7]

In the 2023 Greenlandic Championships, he symbolically competed in the men's category.[5] In 2023, Badminton Kalaallit Nunaat, the Greenland national badminton team, appointed him as the team coach for Arctic Winter Games 2024, alongside Victoria Rafaelsen.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Badminton udtager spillere til Arctic Winter Games". KNR (in Danish). Archived from the original on 1 December 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "RSL BEC Shuttle Time Tutors/Trainers - Miko Kongstad" (Interview). 9 February 2023 – via YouTube.
  3. ↑ "Competitors | Mille Kongstad". Island Games Results Bermuda 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Kongstad MILLE | Profile". bwfbadminton.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 Dohm, Henriette (13 December 2025). "Rejsen mod at blive sig selv". sermitsiaq (in Danish). Archived from the original on 28 January 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Greenland National Championship Records Document" (PDF). Greenland national badminton team. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 Johannesen, Sven (3 September 2025). "Grønland svigter transpersoner: "Jeg måtte rejse væk for at blive mig selv" | Globalnyt". globalnyt.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 Goslett, Adam (6 September 2025). "Miko - Jeg er stavnsbundet til DK". Helt Igennem Trans – via Spotify.
  9. ↑ "Arctic Winter Games skudt i gang". KNR (in Kalaallisut). Archived from the original on 6 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Badminton Kalaallit Nunaat - Oktober". www.badminton.gl. Archived from the original on 15 January 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "BadmintonRanks - Professional Badminton Data Statistics". www.badmintonranks.com. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  12. ↑ "Mille Kongstad spillede i Tyrkiet". KNR (in Danish). Archived from the original on 6 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Badminton Kalaallit Nunaat - IG 2011". Badminton Kalaallit Nunaat. Archived from the original on 17 January 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Badminton Kalaallit Nunaat - Juli". Badminton Kalaallit Nunaat. Archived from the original on 20 May 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Badminton udtager flere landshold". KNR (in Danish). Retrieved 7 June 2026.
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