OTTESEN Jeanette

General
EXTRA YEAR
She says the postponement of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo gave her extra time to prepare after giving birth to daughter Billie-Mai in December 2017. "My competitors had four years to train for the 2020 Olympic Games, I had just had a year-and-a-half after my pregnancy and birth. Now I get one whole more year to get even better. I know that is another year of intense training, which can be a challenge for my body. I'm not 20 years old anymore. At the same time, I was really looking forward to retiring in August 2020 and starting a new chapter in my life. Now it will happen a year later." (alt.dk, 01 Oct 2020)

RETIREMENT THOUGHTS
She considered retiring from the sport following the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. However, after taking time away from the sport to give birth to her daughter Billie-Mai, she decided to continue with the aim of competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I'm going for a fifth Olympic Games, and I want my daughter to know I continued on after I gave birth to her. My coach [Marco Loughran], who is also my husband, has put big importance on making this comeback journey enjoyable and fun. I have a different perspective now when it comes to training and competing, which I view as a positive. By having a child you begin to realise that there's more to just swimming, and you start to enjoy the little things about the sport. I definitely don't train the nine times a week that I used to, but the sessions that I do now all have key focuses, without all the fluff." (themagic5.com, 19 Sep 2019; dr.dk, 15 May 2018, 03 Nov 2017; tv2.dk, 17 Jul 2017; fina.org, 26 Oct 2016; ekstrabladet.dk, 09 Aug 2018)

VETERAN SWIMMER
She believes her age and experience means she can offer guidance to younger Danish swimmers. "I don't particularly see myself as a leader of the Danish team, but if anyone would like to vent or ask for advice, I'm always available. I've seen the highs and lows that the sport has to offer so my view can cover a broad spectrum of questions. I perceive my role in Danish swimming as that of someone who wants to prove the doubters wrong, and to inspire the swimmers, especially the girls, that age is experience and motherhood is a blessing." (themagic5.com, 19 Sep 2019)