Olympic Sprint Champ Pernille Blume Swims Lifetime Best in 100 Free

2017 Danish Open

• April 1-5, 2017
• Bellahoj Swimming Stadium
• Qualifying Standards for Summer Championships
• World Championship Qualifying Standards
• First of two qualifying meets, followed by Stockholm Open in a week.
• Live results

Anton Ipsen and the women’s sprinters have made the first mark on the 2017 Danish Open, which is the first of two selection meets for this summer’s major international championships.

On Saturday, the meet’s opening day, Anton Ipsen swam a 3:47.95 in the men’s 400 free, which cleared by half-a-second the qualifying standard for the World Championships. With no Mads Glaesner or Pal Joensen at the meet, he won the race easily by nearly 10 seconds. Ipsen trains in the United States at NC State.

The biggest story of the day, though, was the return to action of Olympic gold medalist Pernille Blume to domestic action. Blume, who swam at the Edinburgh International, has only raced a few times at minor meets since her Rio triumph in the 50 free. That includes in just a short course relay domestically.

Blume didn’t disappoint the fans – she swam a 53.52 in the 100 free, which is a personal best by .17 seconds.

She will be joined by Signe Bro (55.06), Mie Nielsen (55.64), and Emilie Beckmann (55.95) in Budapest this summer, as the four combined to clear the 3:42.53 relay-qualification time. Sarah Bro (56.09) and 17-year old Julie Jensen (56.57) could join them as relay alternates.

On day 2 of the meet, 3 more swimmers joined them. European Champion Viktor Bromer won the men’s 200 fly in 1:56.47 – winning the race by almost 7 seconds.

One race later, national swimming hero Rikke Moeller Pederson swam 1:07.33 in the 100 breaststroke and earn her qualification. She just made her post-Olympic comeback in early March in Antwerp, Belgium, and in the month since has dropped a second in the event.

And finally, Emilie Beckmann, the 19-year old from Tune I.F. Svommeafdeling put in a 26.13 in the 50 fly to qualify. The runner-up Amalie Mikkelsen swam 26.48, which missed the standard by .05.

Like her spot in the relay, Beckmann’s 50 fly is a contingent one – she must swim at least a FINA “B” time in the 100 fly to validate the spot, even if she’s not invited in that 100 fly.

Other Highlights from days 1 and 2:

• Katrine Bukh Villesen has already broken the Danish Junior Record in the 200 fly (2:13.13) and 400 IM (4:50.04), though she still a ways off from qualifying for Worlds – 4 seconds and 10 seconds respectively. The times also miss qualifying for the World Junior Championships.
• Daniel Skaaning broke the men’s 200 IM senior National Record with a 2:00.80. The old record was done by Chris Christensen in 2009 at 2:01.62.
• Julie Kepp Jensen finished 3rd in the 50 fly but got the Danish Junior Record in 26.92. The old record was set just a month ago by Karoline Barrett at 26.96. Barrett was 3rd on Sunday in 27.07.