ZURICH – Gunilla Andersson is the new record holder among female players for most games played for the senior national team. The 35-year-old defender has represented Sweden in 288 games.

Andersson reached the 288-game mark by playing four games at the six nations tournament MLP Nations Cup in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, earlier this month, surpassing Christina Fellner (-Oswald), who represented Germany on 287 occasions before retiring in 2009.

31-year-old Swedish forward Erika Holst is chasing Fellner, having reached the 285-mark in Kreuzlingen where Sweden finished in second place behind Canada.

The United States’ Angela Ruggiero is leading among North American female players with 251 games. Hayley Wickenheiser is the Canadian record-holder in games, having played for the women’s national team on 225 occasions.

With 288 games Gunilla Andersson has reached a magic number among female players – one also reached by legendary Soviet goalkeeper Vladislav Tretyak in men’s hockey. The record among male players is the 330 games Raimo Helminen played for Finland.

Andersson also leads in categories participations (10) and games (49) in IIHF World Women’s Championships where she has won two bronze medals along with one silver and one bronze medal at the Olympics.

She also participated in all four Olympic women’s ice hockey tournaments – an accomplishment only reached by 11 players: Jennifer Botterill, Jayna Hefford, Becky Kellar, Hayley Wickenheiser (Canada), Emma Laaksonen, Karoliina Rantamäki (Finland), Gunilla Andersson, Erika Holst, Maria Rooth (Sweden), Jenny Potter and Angela Ruggiero (USA).

The next World Women’s Championship takes place in Zurich and Winterthur, Switzerland, April 16-25.

MARTIN MERK