The Danish paper Ekstra Bladet paper put together a list of 36 Danish athletes and have asked their readers to vote on the top country’s top athlete. There are still 20 names on the ballot which includes Danish swimming stars Lotte Friis and Jeanette Ottesen.
Friis posted a link to the article on her Facebook page.
Post by Lotte Friis.
Friis had an outstanding 2013 winning double silver in both the World Championships (800 and 1500 freestyle) and the European Short Course Championships (400 and 800 freestyle). She also set a new Danish record in the long course 1500 freestyle (15:38.88) in Barcelona last summer.
The newspaper points out to their readers that they should not only pay attention to an athlete’s earnings, but that “do not be blind to the fact, for example, the country’s top swimmers and badminton players will be at least as large effort in be the best in their fields.”
They do not give their readers any list of criteria allowing them to decide how they will judge each athlete.
Ottesen, who is also on the final list of 20, had an impressive 2013 season. She set in new national records in the long course 50 freestyle (24.54), 50 butterfly (25.24) and 100 butterfly (57.19) as well as the short course 50 freestyle (23.89). In Barcelona Ottesen took home the world title in the 50 butterfly and in Herning at the European Short Course Championships she collected a silver in the 50 butterfly and bronze in the 100 butterfly.