Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk Wins Silver at World Aquatics Championships
Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk secured a silver medal in the women’s 100-meter butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Monday, with US world record holder Gretchen Walsh claiming gold and setting a new championship record.
Vanotterdijk qualified for the final by establishing a new Belgian record of 56.07 seconds during the heats on Sunday, exceeding her previous national best by over a second. In the final, she finished with a time of 55.84 seconds, trailing Walsh, who won gold with a time of 54.73 seconds.
This achievement marks the first medal for Belgium at a World Aquatics Championships long-course swimming event since 1998 and represents Vanotterdijk’s inaugural world championship medal. Walsh’s performance not only earned her gold but also set a new championship record.
On the same day, Vanotterdijk did not qualify for the final in the 100-meter backstroke, finishing with the tenth fastest time among sixteen semi-finalists. She is scheduled to compete later this week in the 50-meter backstroke, the 100-meter freestyle, the 50-meter butterfly, and the 50-meter freestyle.
Previously, in June, Vanotterdijk won gold in the 100-meter butterfly at the European U23 Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, and she captured the European championship title in the same distance at the senior level last year in Belgrade, Serbia.
For further details, reports 24brussels.
