Denmark had four women represent them in Barcelona at the World Championships last summer, three of them had a very busy weekend at the Denmark East Regional Championships. Jeanette Ottesen, Rikke Moller Pedersen and Pernille Blume all competed in Ballerup.
On the first day of competition Ottesen broke the Danish national record in the 50 freestyle posting a 24.54, beating her own record of 24.61. Her time in the event puts her second in the world rankings behind Cate Campbell who put up a 24.21 BHP Billiton Super Series.
On the same evening, in fact in the very next event, Ottesen recorded a 25.62 in the 50 butterfly, which puts on the top of the world rankings for the event. She also posted a 58.17 to win the 100 butterfly, which ranks fourth in the world.
Ottensen did also swim the 100 and 200 freestyle in the prelims, but scratched from the final in both events.
Pedersen had a packed schedule over the weekend swimming nine events in total; the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke, the 200 and 400 freestyle, the 50 and 100 backstroke and the 200 and 400 IM. Out of the nine events she put up three swims that ranked in the top five in the world; 31.20 in the 50 breaststroke (4th), 1:07.45 in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.45) and 2:23.51 in the 200 breaststroke (2nd).
Blume won the 100 freestyle (55.15) and the 200 freestyle (2:01.04). She also finished second to Ottesen in the 50 freestyle (25.63).
Mie Nielsen, who should have also represented Denmark in Barcelona, but had to withdraw because of injury, was also in action at the Denmark Western Regional Championships. Nielsen won the 400 freestyle (4:16.93), 50 butterfly (27.53), 50 backstroke (29.71), 200 freestyle (2:02.19), 100 backstroke (1:01.37) and the 200 backstroke (2:15.71).
Nielsen’s 50 backstroke time of 29.71 places her sixth in the world rankings.
Along with her individual swims Nielsen was a member of the Aalborg Swim Club’s 4 x 100 medley relay team that broke the Danish club record in the event. In that relay Nielsen put up a 1:00.69 which ranks eighth in the world.
West regional results available here.
East regional results available here.
Worthy to watch is Youngster Julie Kepp Jensen (2000) who clocks a 29,70 in the 50 back! Beating Mie nielsen with 1/100
And 25.79 in the 50 free.
Not bad for a 13-year-old girl.