GOTHAER INSURANCE CUP – MADGEBURG
Lukas Martens clocked a world-leading time in the 400-meter freestyle with a 3:43.32 at the Gothaer Insurance Cup in Madgeburg.
The 21-year-old German reached the wall nearly three seconds faster than Tunisian Olympic champion Ahmed Hafnaoui, who posted a world-leading 3:46.02 at last month’s Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale.
Top Times This Year, Men’s 400-Meter Freestyle
- Lukas Martens (GER) – 3:43.32
- Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN) – 3:46.02
- Marwan Elkamash (EGY) – 3:47.34
- Sam Short (AUS) – 3:47.86
- Elijah Winnington (AUS) – 3:47.98
Martens was less than two seconds off his personal-best 3:41.60 from last April’s Stockholm Open, which made him the eighth-fastest performer of all time. He went on to place second in event at last year’s World Championships (3:42.85) before bringing home a gold medal at the European Championships (3:42.50) later in the summer.
“I would not have expected this after the difficult race the day before in the 1500,” said Martens, who earned a runner-up finish in 14:55.45 on Friday behind Florian Wellbrock‘s 14:40.18 — the top two times in the world so far this year. “I don’t want to hide and also in this seasonal phase show all competitors already what’s coming up.”
Martens was the only swimmer to finish under Germany’s Worlds standard (3:46.78) in Madgeburg, which marked the first opportunity for German swimmers to qualify for the upcoming Worlds in Fukuoka, Japan. Oliver Klemet placed second behind Martens with a 3:47.29.
In other notable news from Saturday’s action, Angelina Köhler became the first German swimmer who didn’t pre-qualify for Worlds to sneak under a standard this weekend. The 22-year-old went 57.95 during the 100 butterfly prelims, dipping under the Worlds cut of 57.92 before winning the 100 fly in 57.95 during the evening session.
“To swim a time under 58 seconds twice here, that’s a good sign so soon after the altitude training,” said Kohler, who missed a German national record in the 50 fly by just .07 seconds with a 25.75 on Friday night.
Germany’s Nina Holt triumphed in the 100 free with a personal-best 55.48. A world champion in lifeguarding last year, Holt has turned her attention back to the Olympic sport and has been training with national coach Bernd Berkhahn since December.
“That was already a nice step forward, and we haven’t been able to do that much yet,” Berkhahn said.
Germany’s Worlds Qualifying Standards:
|
WOMEN |
|
MEN |
|
DSV World Cup standard |
Route |
DSV World Cup standard |
|
24.70 |
50m freestyle |
21.96 |
|
53.61 |
100m freestyle |
48.34 |
|
1:57.26 |
200m freestyle |
1:46.26 |
|
4:07.90 |
400m freestyle |
3:46.78 |
|
8:26,71 |
800m freestyle |
7:51,65 |
|
16:09.09 |
1500m freestyle |
15:00.99 |
|
1:06.79 |
100m breaststroke |
59.49 |
|
2:23.91 |
200m breaststroke |
2:09.68 |
|
59.99 |
100m backstroke |
53.74 |
|
2:10,39 |
200m backstroke |
1:57.50 |
|
57.92 |
100m butterfly |
51.67 |
|
2:08.43 |
200m butterfly |
1:55.78 |
|
2:11,47 |
200m medley |
1:57.94 |
|
4:38.53 |
400m medley |
4:12.50 |
Relays
|
3:39.79 |
4X100M FREESTYLE |
3:15,40 |
|
7:57.50 |
4x200m freestyle |
7:09.95 |
|
4:01,37 |
4x100m medley |
3:35,33 |
|
3:46.70 |
4x100m mixed medley |
3:46.70 |
Athletes who finished in the top 8 in an Olympic event at last year’s World Championship in Budapest are pre-nominated, though only one of the available two slots in each event can be pre-nominated. That list of pre-nominated swimmers includes:
- Lukas Martens – 200/400 free
- Florian Wellbrock – 800/1500 free
- Lucas Matzerath – 100 breast
- Anna Elendt – 100 breast
- Isabel Gose – 200/400//800 free
