At the start of the 2021 swimming and diving season, Park High School head coach Amanda Johnson didn’t even know of Ellen Jensen’s existence.

An exchange student from Svendborg, Denmark, Jensen has turned out to be one of Park’s best bets to make a splash at this week’s Section 3AA swimming and diving meet.

“On the first day it was kind of funny, she was like ‘I’m kind of nervous’” said Johnson. “And I’m like okay, we’re going to put her in and let her swim.”

After the Park coaches saw her swim they instantly knew they had a top swimmer on their hands.

“We’re like, you do not have to be nervous,” Johnson added.

“I think she kind of fit right in,” Johnson continued. “It’s not like she’s the fastest and everybody’s scared of her. It was like, she’s fast, and now I can like work with her. There’s a whole bunch of them who are loving that we have these fast relays that we can work relays together and I think they’ve learned a lot of different things from her.”

Jensen, just 16 years old, but technically a senior at Park High School, will compete in both the 50- and 100yard freestyles, as well as swim on two relay teams.

“I’m really glad I’m on the swim team,” said Jensen. “And it’s really good at Park High School. I really like it there.”

Jensen swam in just about every event during the regular season, including the 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard breaststroke and 100-yard backstroke, but her coaches think swimming in the sprints will be her best events at sections and possibly state.

“Her 50 and her 100, time and time again, she’s a racer,” said Johnson. “She’s a definite competitor. And for that 50 and 100 you need that competitiveness in order to be able to make it. I really feel that’s going to be her events to work on.”

Jensen has indeed proven herself a top sprinter. She won the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 55.33 in the 3AA True Team sections meet back on Oct. 16.

“I personally like the sprints, because I feel I do better in the sprints,” said Jensen. “So I’m really glad that I have the opportunity to do sprints.”

Jensen clocked a time of 25.57 in the 50-yard freestyle and 55.74 in the 100-yard freestyle in her last meet. Park’s school records are 24.73 in the 50 and 54.54 in the 100, both set by Alyssa Kong in 2008.

“I really want to break the record in the 100 free,” said Jensen.

Swimming alongside Jensen in the sprints will be teammate Amber Norgaard. Both are expected to qualify for Friday’s section finals.

“I think that’s their best shot of getting somewhere,” said Johnson.

Jensen is also expected to swim anchor legs on both the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relay teams. Park’s 200 team of Amber Norgaard, Afton LeMay, Alayna Faletti and Jensen and the 400 foursome of Norgaard, Faletti, Arachi O’Brien and Jensen are both in the hunt for possible school records in those two events.

“I think it’s a big goal for the girls to get the relay record, so I’m really hoping that we can get it,” said Jensen.

Park’s 200 freestyle team clocked a time of 1:47.42 in the True Team meet. The 400 freestyle foursome went 3:54.36 in the same meet. Park’s all-time best are 1:43.78 in the 200 free relay and 3:47.20 in the 400 free relay.

“They have a great chance on getting that (record),” said Johnson.

The swimming and diving sections will be held Wednesday through Friday. The swimming competition prelims will be Wednesday and the finals Friday, both at Bluewater Aquatic Center in Apple Valley. The top 16 qualifiers make it to Friday’s finals in either individual or relays. The diving competition will be Thursday at Dakota Hills Middle School in Eagan with the top four advancing to state. All events will start at 6 p.m.