The Most Famous
SWIMMERS from Denmark
Top 9
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Danish Swimmers of all time. This list of famous Danish Swimmers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Greta Andersen (1927 - 2023)
With an HPI of 48.91, Greta Andersen is the most famous Danish Swimmer. Her biography has been translated into 20 different languages on wikipedia.
Greta Marie Andersen (married names Jeppesen and Sonnichsen and Veress, 1 May 1927 – 6 February 2023) was a Danish swimmer who won a gold and a silver medal in 100 m freestyle events at the 1948 Summer Olympics. In the mid-1950s she moved to the United States, where she set several world records in marathon swimming in the distances up to 50 miles.
2. Ragnhild Hveger (1920 - 2011)
With an HPI of 43.39, Ragnhild Hveger is the 2nd most famous Danish Swimmer. Her biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Ragnhild Tove Hveger (later Andersen, 10 December 1920 – 1 December 2011) was a Danish swimmer, who became famous when she won silver medal in the women's 400 m freestyle at the 1936 Summer Olympics. From 1936 to 1943 she set 44 world records, and at one time she held 19 world records in different distances and disciplines. In 1938 she won three gold medals at the European championships. Being the daughter of a Nazi, sister of an east front volunteer, married to a German officer, she became very unpopular after the war, and was barred from the Danish team for the 1948 Olympics. She competed at the 1952 Olympics and finished fourth in the 4 × 100 m and fifth in the 400 m freestyle events. Hveger retired in 1954 after ending fifth in the 100 m freestyle at the European Championships. In 1966 she was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and 30 years later declared sportswoman of the century by Danmarks Idræts-Forbund.
3. Pernille Blume (1994 - )
With an HPI of 35.29, Pernille Blume is the 3rd most famous Danish Swimmer. Her biography has been translated into 27 different languages.
Pernille Blume (born 14 May 1994) is a Danish former swimmer specializing in sprint freestyle events. She competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics. At the 2016 Summer Olympics she was the gold medalist in the women's 50 metre freestyle and won a bronze medal in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay where she swam the freestyle leg of the relay in both the prelims and the final. She also competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the 50 metre freestyle.
4. Lotte Friis (1988 - )
With an HPI of 29.64, Lotte Friis is the 4th most famous Danish Swimmer. Her biography has been translated into 26 different languages.
Lotte Friis (born 9 February 1988) is a Danish competitive swimmer from Allerød Municipality.
5. Jeanette Ottesen (1987 - )
With an HPI of 29.36, Jeanette Ottesen is the 5th most famous Danish Swimmer. Her biography has been translated into 21 different languages.
Jeanette Ottesen (born 30 December 1987) is a Danish competitive swimmer who participated at the 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics. In total, she has won 50 international medals.
6. Rikke Møller Pedersen (1989 - )
With an HPI of 27.53, Rikke Møller Pedersen is the 6th most famous Danish Swimmer. Her biography has been translated into 21 different languages.
Rikke Møller Pedersen (born 9 January 1989) is a Danish competitive swimmer specialising in breaststroke and from 2013 to 2021 world record holder in the 200 m breaststroke (2:19.11).
7. Mads Glæsner (1988 - )
With an HPI of 20.22, Mads Glæsner is the 7th most famous Danish Swimmer. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Mads Glæsner (born 18 October 1988 in Tårnby) is a Danish swimmer. He participated at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 400 metre freestyle and the 1500 metre freestyle disciplines. His swimming club is Vallensbæk-VAT but he trains at the National Training Center in Copenhagen. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 400 m freestyle and the 4 x 200 m freestyle relay. In June 2013, Glæsner was stripped of a gold and bronze medal from the 2012 World Short Course Championships after testing positive for levomethamphetamine. However, upon appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Glaesner's 1500-metre freestyle gold medal was reinstated based on the fact that a test after that race, two days after his initial positive test following the 400-metre free, was clean. He still forfeited the 400-metre freestyle bronze, which he did not appeal. Since then, he has competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics, in the 400 m freestyle.
8. Mie Nielsen (1996 - )
With an HPI of 19.82, Mie Nielsen is the 8th most famous Danish Swimmer. Her biography has been translated into 18 different languages.
Mie Østergaard Nielsen (born 25 September 1996) is a Danish former competitive swimmer who holds the Danish record in several backstroke events.
9. Viktor Bromer (1993 - )
With an HPI of 16.00, Viktor Bromer is the 9th most famous Danish Swimmer. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Viktor Bregner Bromer (born 20 April 1993, in Aarhus) is a Danish swimmer. He won the 200 metre butterfly at the 2014 European Aquatics Championships in 1:55.29, which was a new Danish and Nordic record. He raced in the 2016 Summer Olympics for Denmark, where he did the 200 metre butterfly, finishing 6th. At the 2017 World Championships, he finished 7th. He is sponsored by Speedo.
Pantheon has 9 people classified as swimmers born between 1920 and 1996. Of these 9, 7 (77.78%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living swimmers include Pernille Blume, Lotte Friis, and Jeanette Ottesen. The most famous deceased swimmers include Greta Andersen and Ragnhild Hveger. As of April 2022, 2 new swimmers have been added to Pantheon including Mads Glæsner and Viktor Bromer.
Living Swimmers
Go to all Rankings
Pernille Blume
1994 - Present
HPI: 35.29
Lotte Friis
1988 - Present
HPI: 29.64
Jeanette Ottesen
1987 - Present
HPI: 29.36
Rikke Møller Pedersen
1989 - Present
HPI: 27.53
Mads Glæsner
1988 - Present
HPI: 20.22
Mie Nielsen
1996 - Present
HPI: 19.82
Viktor Bromer
1993 - Present
HPI: 16.00
