Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

The Danish Olympic Committee has named its first five athletes for the inaugural Baku 2015 European Games.

To mark the 100 day countdown to the start of Baku 2015, the DIF announced kayak Rene Holten Poulsen, BMX cyclist Simone Tetsche Christensen, triathlete Casper Stenderup as well as the beach volley duo of Peter Kildegaard Andersen and Kristoffer Abell will compete at the European Games in Azerbaijan on June 12-28.

"The Danish team in Azerbaijan's capital Baku is expected to include 65 athletes in about 17 sports. And the initial quintet represents the image that Denmark is going for medals," Denmark's Chef de Mission Morten Rodtwitt said.

"The Danish team has high potential in several sports at the European Games," he added.

Poulsen is a former world champion and won silver at Beijing 2008. Christensen collected a bronze medal at the 2012 BMX European Championship. While Stenderup is a multiple Danish triathlon champion.

Rodtwitt said the European Games will serve as an excellent test for several athletes for what to expect at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

"Largely the cream of the European elite will be participating in Baku so we will get an indication of how competitive the Danish athletes will be at Rio 2016," Rodtwitt said.

The first ever sporting event will open in the newly-built brand Olympic Stadium in Baku on June 12. Through 17 days of competition, over 6,000 sportsmen will represent 50 countries in 20 sports.

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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar

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