Vanotterdijk Hits 58.97 Belgian Record In 100 Back At Flanders Cup

2025 FLANDERS SWIMMING CUP

• Friday, February 7th – Sunday, February 9th
• Olympic Swimming Centre, Antwerp, Belgium
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Entries
• Day 1 Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream

This year’s edition of the annual Flanders Swimming Cup entered day two from Antwerp with the 3-day competition representing a qualification opportunity for the 2025 World Championships, European Junior Swimming Championships and European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).

Following up on her victory in the women’s 50m backstroke on day one, 20-year-old Roos Vanotterdijk of the host nation upped the ante with a new national record in the 100m back.

Vanotterdijk fired off a new lifetime best of 58.97 to handily defeat the field, with teammate Fleur Verdonck next to the wall over 3 seconds later in 1:02.11. Turkey’s Zulal Zeren rounded out the podium in 1:03.33.

Vanotterdijk opened her new PB in 28.82 and closed on 30.15 to score the first sub-59-second result of her young career.

Entering this competition, Vanotterdijk’s career-quickest and national record rested at the 59.62 notched at this same meet two years ago. That means she hacked over half a second off that time to check in with the 58.97 this time around.

The Belgian ace now takes over the #1 ranking slot in the world this season, dethroning Aussie Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan.

Later in the session, Vanotterdijk earned another gold, courtesy of the 25.95 she posted in the women’s 50m fly.

That was enough to keep Lithuania’s Patricija Kondraskaite at bay, hitting 26.98 for silver while Belgium’s Pauline Zeller clocked 27.80 for bronze.

Additional Notes

• Belgium’s Stan Franckx struck gold in the men’s 50m back, posting 25.62 for the victory. He owns a PB of 25.20 in this event, the national record he registered last year.
• Dutch swimmer Milou Van Wijk got on the board in the women’s 200m free, clocking 2:02.23 to beat the field.
• The men’s 100m free saw two athletes delve under the 50-second territory, led by Ireland’s Evan Bailey. Bailey turned in 49.53 for gold followed by teammate Shane Ryan who logged 49.90. Franckx collected bronze in 50.86.
• Ireland’s Ellie McCartney got the job done in the women’s 100m breast, registering 1:08.94 for the gold.