2019 DANISH OPEN
- Friday, April 5th – Tuesday, April 9th
- Taastrup Swimming Center
- LCM
- Meet Site
- World Championships Selection Criteria
- Start List
- Live Results
The 2019 Danish Open kicks off on Friday, where the competition serves as the primary qualifying meet for this summer’s World Championships. Danish swimmers also have an opportunity to qualify for Gwangju with times performed at the Stockholm Open, which starts on April 12th.
The younger set here in Denmark will also be vying for spots on the European Junior Championships roster and World Junior Championships rosters. In fact, a new structure is being introduced to this year’s edition of the Danish Open, where the junior swimmers’ competition is being held intermingled with the seniors, thus the meet extension from 4 to 5 days.
Another change is the fact that the competition moved from Bellahøj Swimming Stadium to Taastrup Swimming Center after discovery of mold and bacteria at the former meet site. The new location only had a couple of weeks’ notice to make this meet happen.
The Danish Open serve as another comeback meet for Jeanette Ottesen, the Olympic medalist who gave birth to a daughter in December 2017 and has just recently gotten back into international racing. Ottesen competed at the International Swim Meet in Edinburgh, where the 31-year-old won the 50m fly in an impressive 26.15.
As long as she’s able to replicate that same performance, Ottesen should make the Danish squad for Gwangju.
Distance ace Anton Ipsen is set to compete this weekend, entered in the 200m/400m/800m/1500m free, as well as the 400m IM.
A glaring talent missing from the entry lists is 2016 50m freestyle Olympic champion Pernille Blume. Blume underwent heart surgery in January to fix a ‘small hole’ in her heart. The 24-year-old was entered in the South African Grand Prix in Stellenbsosch in February, but wound up not competing.
We have reached out to the Danish Swimming Federation for comment.
Meanwhile, below are the QT’s listed on the Danish selection criteria for the World Championships.
