Florian Wellbrock Triumphs In 1500 Tussle With Sven Schwarz As Both Men Go 14:36; Elendt & Armbruster Post German Records
Florian Wellbrock came out on top in a 1500 free tussle with Sven Schwarz that came down to the final 50 as both men posted 14:36 at the German Championships in Berlin.
It was clearly going to be a race for those at the Europasportpark to relish given Schwarz set a European record of 7:38.12 on Friday. The pair traded the lead with Oliver Klemet on their toes before a surge saw him move ahead at the 650m mark, 0.06 ahead of Wellbrock and 0.16 in front of Schwarz.
Sven Schwarz: Photo Courtesy: Jo Kleindl
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Wellbrock regained the lead as he and Schwarz inched away from Klemet with around 250 to go. Come the final turn and Schwarz led by 0.01 only for Wellbrock to put in a 26.53 last 50 to come home in 14:36.25, the third fastest of his career topped by his 14:34.89 from the 2023 Berlin Open. Schwarz set a huge PB in 14:36.82 to make his first journey inside 14:40 as he joined the top 10 all-time performers. Klemet was third in 14:39.03 as the first three home all finished inside 14:40 essentially meaning 14:39 doesn’t get you a spot in the event at the World Championships.
It has been a superb meet for the Magdeburg group that also counts Lukas Märtens among its number. Isabel Gose is also among the powerhouse group that is coached by Bernd Berkhahn and she enjoyed victory over 800 in the race following Wellbrock and Schwarz’s tussle.
However, while their race came down to the final 50, Gose dominated throughout to enjoy a winning margin of more than 18 seconds in 8:20,42. Open water specialist Jeannette Spiwoks was second in 8:38.33 after withstanding the late attack of Sydney Savannah Ferch who was 0.08 adrift of silver in 8:38.41.
Gose leaves Berlin with a clean sweep of the 400, 800 and 1500 free titles and will head to Singapore a year after winning bronze in the longest race in the pool in Paris. That followed three medals at the Doha worlds in February with Gose bringing her year to a close with double silver at the short-course worlds in Budapest.
Elendt & Armbruster Rewrite Record Books
Anna Elendt lowered her German record in the 200m breaststroke when she sliced 0.39 off the standard she set at last week’s Berlin Open. The 23-year-old stopped the clock in 2:23.54 to write a new entry in the history books after last week’s 2:23.93. Elendt – the 2022 world silver medallist over 100m – completed the breaststroke treble as she added the four-length title to her 100 (1:05.72) and 50 (30.48) golds. Lena Ludwig was second in 2:27.33 with Hannah Schneider third in 2:29.07.
Anna Elendt; Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant
Luca Nik Armbruster also rewrote the record books when he became the first German inside 23secs in the men’s 50 fly. Armbruster stopped the clock in 22.92 as he sliced 0.10 from the previous standard of 23.02 he shared with Steffen Deibler. It followed his victory in the 100 fly where he was just 0.02 shy of the national record in 51.21. Arsenii Kovalov (23.73) and Austria’s Simon Bucher (23.78) were next home.
Angelina Köhler won the women’s 50 fly in 25.86 before dusting herself down and returning for the 50 free where she shared the title with Nina Holt in 24.90. Nele Schulze was third in 25.32. Josha Salchow won the men’s dash in 22.03 to clinch the 50/100 free double with Kaii Liam Winkler second in 22.31 and Moritz Schaller third in 22.49.
Lukas Märtens added another gold to his vault when he won the 200 back in 1:56.00, just 0.13 shy of Jan-Philip Glania’s national record of 1:55.87 that’s stood since May 2012. It was the joint second-fastest time of Märtens’ career, 0.03 off his PB of 1:55.97 en-route to eighth in the Olympic final in Paris. He added it to his 200 (1:44.25) and 400 free (3:40.61) and booked himself another swim in Singapore. Cornelius Jahn (1:58.77) and Timo Sorgius (2:01.32) followed him home.
Lucas Matzerath completed a fine meet with victory in the 200m breaststroke. He led throughout to touch in 2:11.43 with Kenneth Bock charging down the final 50 to take second in 2:11.59 with Jeremias Pock third in 2:12.67. Matzerath leaves Berlin with the 100/200 double plus silver over 50m and a trip booked to Singapore.
Lise Seidel cemented her place in Singapore with a 2:10.81 victory in the women’s race over Maya Werner (2:12.00) and Laura Sophie Kohlmann (2:15.26).