2016 German National Championships – Day 1 Finals Live Recap

128. DEUTSCHE MEISTERSCHAFTEN, BERLIN – GERMAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND OLYMPIC TRIALS (PART 1), BERLIN

  • Thursday, May 5 – Sunday, May 8, 2016
  • Prelims: 9 am local, Finals: 5 pm local, on Sunday: 4 pm local
  • Schwimm- und Sprunghalle im Europa-Sportpark (SSE)
  • Eventpage
  • Schedule
  • Start lists
  • Results

Reminder of Rio qualification process: The 2016 German National Championships are the first part of a two-step nomination procedure for the Olympic Games. The athletes had to swim defined times at National Championships in prelims and in finals. All swimmers who achieve the times will be part of the so called “long list” and must inform German Head Coach Henning Lambertz in the period of one week after German Nationals in which meet they want to confirm the required second part of the nomination process: at one of the three meets of the Mare Nostrum tour or the German Open. They can only choose ONE of these four possibilities. For this meet, other times are set which are approximately 1,5 % slower than those at German nationals. All swimmers who reach the times and have also finished first or second at the German National, will qualify for Rio.

WOMEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – FASTEST HEAT

  • Nomination time – Finals: 8:33,33
  • The Podium
    • Sarah Köhler – 8:22.80
    • Leonie Antonia Beck – 8:33.13
    • Lea Boy – 8:37.82

Sarah Köhler earned the gold tonight in the women’s 800m freestyle, finishing atop the podium in 8:22.80. That easily surpasses the 8:28.76 season-best the Frankfurt swimmer entered the competition with, as well as her own lifetime best of 8:23.67 set in Kazan. With her performance tonight, Köhler now sits as the 5th-fastest swimmer in the world in the event.

2015-2016 LCM Women 800 Free

KatieUSA
LEDECKY
08/12
8.04.79*WR*OR
2Jazmin
CARLIN
GBR8.16.1708/12
3Boglarka
KAPAS
HUN8.16.3708/12
4Jessica
ASHWOOD
AUS8.18.1406/05
5Mireia
BELMONTE
ESP8.18.5508/12
View Top 26»

Köhler’s outing sits beneath the 8:33.33 nomination time as well, but represented one of only two swimmers to do so. Silver medalist Leonie Antonia Beck hacked over 8 seconds off of her entry seed time to also register a Rio-worthy mark of 8:33.13, although she’s been as fast as 8:27.37 last summer.

With Anke Möhring’s 800m freestyle national record sitting at 8:19.53, Köhler came within 3 seconds of the mark, putting the record on notice.

MEN’S 1500 FREESTYLE – FASTEST HEAT

  • Nomination time –  Finals: 15:02,37
  • The Podium
    • Florian Wellbrock – 14:55.49
    • Felix Auböeck – 15:01.18
    • Poul Zellmann – 15:05.00

Crushing the nomination time and crossing into sub-15-minute territory for the first time is 19-year old Florian Wellbrock, tonight’s 1500m freestyle winner. SC Magdeburg’s Wellbrock entered the meet with a personal best time of 15:08.05, but obliterated that mark by racing his way to the top of the podium in 14:55.49, well clear of the 15:02.37 nomination standard.

For Wellbrock, he’s now just over 5 seconds off of the legendary German National Record in the men’s 1500m event, that of 14:50.36 set by Jorg Hoffman all the way back in 1991. The teenager also cracked the world’s top 10 in the event, with tonight’s time checking in as the 9th-fastest this year en route to earning a new German Age Group Record for 19-year olds.

2015-2016 LCM Men 1500 Free

2Connor
JAEGER
USA14.39.4808/13
3Mack
HORTON
AUS14.39.5404/14
4Gabriele
DETTI
ITA14.40.8608/13
5Jordan
WILIMOVSKY
USA14.45.0308/13
6Jack
McLOUGHLIN
AUS14.48.6004/14
7Damien
JOLY
FRA14.48.9008/12
8Ryan
COCHRANE
CAN14.49.6108/13
9Mykhaylo
ROMANCHUK
UKR14.50.3305/18
10Henrik
CHRISTIANSEN
NOR14.53.7703/31
View Top 26»

Joining Wellbrock in earning a Rio qualifying time was silver medalist Felix Auböeck, who also stopped the clock under the 15:02.37 threshold, although Auböeck competes for Austria. He nabbed a final time of 15:01.18 to crush his previous career-best of 15:05.48 set in Berlin.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – FINAL

  • Nomination times – Prelims: 4:44,51, Finals: 4:38,96
  • The Podium –
    • Franziska Hentke – 4:38.56
    • Julia Mrozinski – 4:42.39
    • Juliane Reinhold – 4:43.92

As expected, veteran swimmer Franziska Hentke got the job done in the women’s 400m IM tonight, earning a gold medal-winning time of 4:38.56. That’s a lifetime best for 26-year old swimmer, whose previous fastest time ever was the 4:42.73 she registered in Berlin last year.

Although Hentke dipped beneath the finals nomination time of 4:38.96 by 4 tenths of a second, her time falls outside the world’s top 15 marks this season.

Also finishing on the podium tonight in the event was 16-year old Julie Mrozinski who wowed the crowd with a new German Age Group Record of 4:42.39. That hacks over 6 seconds off of the youngster’s previous career-best of 4:48.60 and also blew away the 4:52.43 she registered just a couple of months ago in Marseilles.

Rounding out the top 3 was Juliane Reinhold, whose 4:43.92 was enough to grab bronze tonight in Berlin.

MEN’S 400 IM – FINAL

  • Nomination times – Prelims: 4:19,20, Finals: 4:16,37
  • The Podium –
    • Jacob Heidtmann – 4:13.25
    • Johannes Hintze – 4:14.72
    • Kevin Wedel – 4:17.88

Both the gold and silver medalists tonight were able to notch times under the 4:16.37 finals qualifying standard, beginning with top swimmer Jacob Heidtmann. His outing of 4:13.25 was off his 4:12.08 mark from Kazan, which now stands as the German National Record, but was enough to qualify and hold off a charging teenager in Johannes Hintze.

At just 16 years of age, Hintze already has a stellar history in this event, having clocked the 2nd-fastest time ever for a 14-year old in the 400m IM event at this meet 2 years ago. Tonight, Hintze’s performance of 4:14.72 fell just .65 of a second short of the World Junior Record of 4:14.07 held by Brazlian Brandonn Almeida. Instead, the German will settle for a new National Age Group Record.

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paolo
7 years ago

@ThomasLurzfan: I think that Hintze (1999) is nearly 17. Do you know his exact birthday?

P.S. Good depth in men’s 1500 free, looking forward next days and especially the extraordinary Marco Koch in the 200 breaststroke.

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  paolo
7 years ago

July 5th 1999 it is.
http://www.deutsche-olympiamannschaft.de/de/athleten/detail/a_action/show/a_athletes/johannes-hintze-1784.html
Marco Koch will also swim 100 breast here, but not in Rio.
Paul Biedermann sadly wont swim 400 free.
Tomorrow we have only 2 olympic events, mens/womens 400 free.
Vogel and Köhler should have no problem to qualify. I dont that Beck will qualify, Friedrich and maybe Kullmann are the other girls who could qualify, i think it will be Friedrich or no one. On the mens side it should be Rapp or no one, Zellmann and Heidtmann might have a small chance (unless Heidtmann scratches this race, considering his health problems).

thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

@Swimswam/Loretta:
Wellbrock is still 18 years old, his birthdate is August 19th 1997.

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

It might be a bit confusing because german age group records are by year of birth and not by age (same system that FINA has for their junior world records).

thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

@DanielaKapser:
Please tell me that you filmed the finals?!
If yes, then please upload them somewhere, its really a shame that there is no official coverage of today and tomorrows finals.

I just read that Heidtmann is ill since the beginning of the week, so his times today are pretty good after all. 4:14 in prelims and 4:13 in finals without being at 100% is absolutely “ok”.

Clutch
7 years ago

Hintze is so good. Quite sure he will smash the World Junior Record in the 400m medley.

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  Clutch
7 years ago

He has time until the end of 2017, currently the junior world record is at 4:14.07 by Almeida. 4:14.7 is a good time for a 16 year old, but i hoped for sub 4:14. He said that he has room for improvements until Rio and didnt specialize on any event so far, so i think he will be faster in Rio and maybe even reach the final. It would be interesting to see what he can if he specialized on 400 IM, which might happen if he doesnt qualify in any other event for Rio. I dont think that he can qualify at 200 IM, but he could qualify for our 800 free relay. Top 6 should be nominated, i… Read more »

Reply to  Clutch
7 years ago

His coach Norbert Warnatzsch has so much experience with building world class swimmers – and did a great job. Obviously Johannes has concentrated on this Olympic Trials – he did not show up at many meets in 2016.

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  Daniela Kapser
7 years ago

Thats what his coach said before the german championships:
„Wir haben jetzt nicht nur auf Teufel komm raus auf die Deutschen Meisterschaften hin trainiert, sondern da ist durchaus noch Potential, das Richtung Olympia zu steigern“
https://swimsportnews.de/6046-youngster-johannes-hintze-bereit-fuer-den-angriff-aufs-olympia-ticket

I think he can for sure improve until Rio, its “normal” for a guy of his age and maybe he can reach the final, which would be a great result for him. Its very good that he didnt specialize on one event so far, the most important thing is that he stays healthy and doesnt lose his motivation.

thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

4:13.25 for Heidtmann and 4:14.72 for Hintze, both qualified, but the times are a bit disappointing. Hintze said before the start of the german nationals than he didnt specialize on this event so far and has room for improvements until Rio, i hope that he can swim 4:12 in Rio, he has 3 months time to train. Lets see if he can also qualify for the 800 free relay or 200 IM. Heidtmann about as fast as last year, sadly Heintz scratched the final. I think he just wanted to test his shape for the 200 IM.

Hatt
Reply to  thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

Heidtmann had some stomach infection at the beginning of this week, so I think he will be a lot stronger in Rio.

thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

4:38.56 for Hentke, faster than the required time, no one else sub 4:40, but 4:42.39 for Mrozinski (born in 2000) in second place.

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

Second fastest german time in this century, only behind 4:37.97 from Hetzer in 2006.

Reply to  thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

And I told you that Florian is in a great shape! 😉

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  Daniela Kapser
7 years ago

Are you talking about Florian Vogel? 🙂
You were right and i am happy that i was wrong!
Hentke also did great and their coach did a fantastic job, Wellbrock came pretty much out of nowhere to become the fastest german swimmer in this century. I really wonder how his coach(es) recognized his talent, by only looking at his times he never seemed to be a special talent …
I guess thats why i am not a professional coach unlike them …

Reply to  thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

No I’am talking about Florian Wellbrock!

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  Daniela Kapser
7 years ago

I know, it was a joke, because Vogel went 1:46.8 (lifetime best by about 2s) flat start this morning in mens 800 free relay … (he also seems to be in a pretty good shape)

thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

@Loretta: Straub competes for Austria, so he didnt qualify for the german team, but this time should be good enough to qualify for the austrian team …

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

Sorry, i wanted to say Auböck not Straub …

Hatt
7 years ago

The swimmers from Würzburg doesn’t look too well. Knowing the training results, that was a bit unexpexted. Maybe a problem with the taper, or a psychological problem.

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  Hatt
7 years ago

I think they are coached by Stefan Lurz, brother and coach of Thomas Lurz. I always wondered if they have enough “speed” considering that Lurz has been swimming 10 km open water in the last couple of years. Overall Beck has made a good progression, but her in-season times were already a bit disappointing so i didnt expect too much here, hopefully she can improve until Rio.

Hatt
Reply to  thomaslurzfan
7 years ago

Leonie swims a 57′ on the 100 and 2:00 on the 200 free LC – should be enough for the 800. I thought her heavy training made it different to swim fast in season, but maybe that’s not everything.

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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