Roos Vanotterdijk Falls Just Shy Of Belgian 50 Back Record Amid Two Medals At Flanders Cup
Roos Vanotterdijk was just 0.01 off her Belgian 50 back record as she made two trips to the podium on the first day of the Flanders Cup 2025 in Antwerp.
The 20-year-old touched in 27.98, a sliver off her 27.97 national standard from the Flemish Championships in February 2023. She was completely dominant, finishing 1.34 ahead of Fleur Verdonck (29.32) with Lotte Vanhauwaert (29.81) third home.
Vanotterdijk returned for the 50 free which concluded the women’s day one programme. Milou van Wijk of the Netherlands claimed the honours in 24.70, 0.07 ahead of Belgian record-holder Florine Gaspard (24.77) with Vanotterdijk taking her second medal of the meet with bronze in 25.02.
John Shortt: Photo Courtesy: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Fellow Belgian Vincent van Hooydonck won the men’s 50 free in 22.64 ahead of Irish pair Shane Ryan (22.72) and Evan Bailey (22.96, the trio the only men inside 23secs.
It was the second trip to the podium for Bailey and Van Hooydonck who filled the top two spots in the men’s 100 fly, Bailey enjoying a clear victory in 54.12 to 55.41.
John Shortt marked his 18th birthday with a resounding victory by more than eight seconds in the 200 back. The Swim Ireland athlete stopped the clock in 1:58.58, 8.03secs ahead of Noah Verreth (2:06.61) with Alexander Van Hoey Billiet third in 2:06.97.
Commonwealth Youth Games champion Ellie McCartney led for all but the first 50m of the 200m breaststroke as the Swim Ireland athlete enjoyed a clear victory in 2:27.10.
Lisa Mamie, the 2022 European champion, followed her home in 2:31.41 with Djanilla Brink of the Netherlands third in 2:33.74.
Eszter Szabo Feltothy of Hungary was in clear water in the 200 fly, clocking 2:15.84 to enjoy a winning margin of 7.79secs over Sam de Bont (2:23.63).
Siri Vanderlinden overtook long-time leader Maria Godden by the final turn of the 400 free to win in 4:18.59 to 4:21.07.
Ivo Kroes won the men’s 100br in 1:02.16, Claudio Buttarelli took the men’s 400IM in 4:32.74 and Bram Loots came from second with 100m remaining to win the men’s 1500 in 15:52.46.
The Flanders Cup runs until Sunday 9 February at the Olympic Swimming Centre in Antwerp.
