The Danish Swimming Federation has announced 15 swimmers for the 2014 European Championships, which is the biggest meet of the summer for most of the continent, after the Danish Open qualifying meet last weekend.
As has become the standard, the women’s roster of 10 athletes dwarfs the men’s list of 5, despite a continued push to bring the men’s roster up-to-speed.
The women’s roster includes most of the well-known swimmers: Rikke Moeller Pedersen. Lotte Friis, Jeanette Ottesen, Pernill Blume, and Mie Nielsen. Friis will be a favorite in the 800 and 1500 freestyles, and the other four in that group should make a downright-scary medley relay.
There’s also some new blood in this group, including 17-year old Maj Howardsen, a middle-distance freestyler.
In addition to the 15 announced after the Danish Open, the federation also specifically gave just University of Michigan-based Anders Nielsen a special pass to qualify at the Canadian championships. He swam a 1:48.89 in the 200 free and a 3:51.78 in the 400 free. Those times were both under the mandated selection times, and though the federation has not put out an official announcement yet, Nielsen confirmed to us late Sunday that he was qualified.
The federation has also left a loophole for any standout performances at the Bergen International or at the Mare Nostrum series.
Denmark is coming off of a 2012 long course meet where they didn’t send a team, though they were wildly-successful at their hosted 2013 short course meet. Leaning heavily on their women’s team (their best male swimmer, Pal Joensen, represents the Faroe Islands at this meet), they typically finish in the top 10 of the medal standings at the long course championship, They took 2 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals in 2010.
The Roster
2014 European Long Course Championships, Berlin, Germany
August 13-24
Women
Rikke Møller Pedersen, Herning/NTC
Lotte Friis, Sigma Swim Allerød/USA
Jeanette Ottesen, Lyngby/NTC
Pernille Blume, Sigma Swim Birkerød/NTC
Mie Ø. Nielsen, Aalborg
Louise Dalgaard, Aalborg
Julie Levisen, Aalborg
Sarah Bro, Lyngby/NTC
Julie Aglund Lauridsen, Sigma Swim Allerød/NTC
Maj Howardsen, Sigma Swim Allerød
Men
Daniel Steen Andersen, Horsens/NTC
Mads Glæsner, Sigma Swim Allerød/USA
Anton Ø. Ipsen, Sigma Swim Birkerød
Viktor B. Bromer, Aalborg
Daniel Skaaning, STT/VAT CPH/NTC
Anders Lie Nielsen*
(*pending official announcement)
Coaches for the meet:
Shannon Rollason, NTC
Stefan Hansen, NTC
Carles Subirana, Sigma
Eyleifur Jóhannesson,Aalborg Svømmeklub.
Lead coach: Nick Juba
European Junior Championships Roster
The Danish Federation has also announced 8 swimmers for the 2014 European Junior Championships. That includes three girls who earned the way, three boys who earned their way, plus two bonus male entries to take part in the 400 free relay.
Denmark won two medals, one gold and one bronze, at the 2013 European Junior Championships.
Included in this staff will be one Chris DeSantis, a former assistant coach at Georgia Tech and a former SwimSwam contributor. He put a swimmer Signe Bro onto the European Juniors squad in the 800 free, and will be taken as part of the staff as a result.
