Nielsen Just Misses World’s Top Ranking In The Women’s 100 Backstroke

The final day of the Danish Open in Copenhagen saw three athletes put up world’s top ten times.

Mie Nielsen of Denmark was the first to do so winning the women’s 100 backstroke in impressive fashion, recording a time of 59.83. Her time puts her second in the world rankings, only three one-hundredths of a second behind Australian Emily Seebohm. She was also only 14 one-hundredths of a second away from her lifetime best of 59.69, which is the Danish record which she posted at this meet in 2012.

This competition was a great success for Nielsen who has shown that after a year of injury she is ready to compete for the podium in Berlin at the European Championships this summer. Earlier in the meet she recorded a Nordic record in the 50 backstroke posting a 27.96, which is the fourth fastest time done in the world this year.

Using this meet as preparation for the Swim Cup in Eindhoven Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark continued to show that we may be in for some incredible performances in two weeks time. Ottesen won the women’s 50 butterfly with ease recording a time of 25.62, which ties her season’s best, a time that currently ranks second in the world with only Sarah Sjostrom (25.53) of Sweden having swum faster.

Ottesen’s lifetime best is a 25.24 which she recorded to win the event at the World Championships last summer in Barcelona.

Pal Joensen of the Faroe Islands also put up a world’s top ten time winning the men’s 1500 freestyle in a 15:12.20. Joesen was never challenged in the race and was followed by Pawel Furtek of Poland who finished in second with a time of 15:19.68.

Louise Hansson of Sweden took the women’s 200 freestyle in a time of 1:58.86, she was followed by 100 freestyle champion Pernille Blume of Denmark who hit the wall in a time of 2:00.47. At the half way point Blume had a slight lead over Hansson, who broke away in the third 50 and continued to extend that lead in the final length of the race.

Danish swimmers Daniel Skaaning and Viktor Bromer had an exciting battle for the crown in the men’s 200 IM. Skaaning came away with the win posting a 2:01.87 followed by Bromer who touched in a time of 2:02.08.

Magnus Westermann of Denmark took the men’s 100 freestyle in a time of 50.19. He was followed closely by both Alan Madeira Da Vitoria of Brazil and Sebatian Szczepawski of Poland who tied for second hitting the wall in a time of 50.33.

Magnus Jakupsson of Denmark won a close race with Petter Fredriksson of Sweden in the men’s 50 backstroke, taking the event in a time of 26.32 with Fredriksson finishing in a time of 26.35.

Chris Christensen of Denmark won the men’s 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:15.54.

Full results can be found here