Berlin Swim Open 2026
- Friday, April 17 – Sunday, April 19, 2026
- Swimming and Diving Hall in Europasportpark (SSE), Berlin, Germany
- Prelims at 9:30 am local (3:30 am ET), Finals at 4:00 pm local (10:00 am ET)
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Entries
- Results
- Livestream
It’s no secret that Germany is the men’s distance freestyle capital of the world. If anyone needed a reminder, though, Sven Schwarz gave one this evening in Berlin.
The 24-year-old highlighted night 1 of the Berlin Swim Open with a 14:40.93 in the evening’s final event, the 1500. This was Schwarz’ first time swimming the race since earning silver at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore in 14:35.69.
Schwarz’ speedy effort checks in as his third fastest time ever. He perhaps came into this race with a vengeance after his European Record in the 800 free was broken by compatriot youngster Johannes Liebmann last weekend. Schwarz fell short of knocking Liebmann down from his global #1 spot in the mile this season at 14:39.67, but he does earn 2nd place.
2025-2026 LCM Men 1500 FREE
Liebmann
14:39.67
View Top 26»2 Sven
SchwarzGER 14:40.93 04/17 3 Oliver
KlemetGER 14:41.71 04/10 4 Samuel
SHORTAUS 14:42.09 06/12 5 KAITO
TABUCHIJPN 14:45.57 03/22
Liebmann, Schwarz, and Oliver Klemet, all Germans, occupy the top three. One implication of this is a likely bloodbath in the prelims of the European Championships, as only two swimmers per nation can advance on to the final. They will also lock horns at the upcoming German Championships, which resulted in 14:3xs last year from Schwarz, Klemet, and Florian Wellbrock.
Klemet was also present in Berlin this evening. He opted for the 200 freestyle, registering a new lifetime best of 1:46.79.
Not to be overshadowed by their freestyle countrymates, backstrokers Vincent Passek and Ole Braunschweig made some waves of their own. Passek hit 24.63 to win the 50 back, downing his lifetime best of 24.79 from Worlds last year. He came within six hundredths of Braunschweig’s 24.57 national record from 2023. Braunschweig had a speedy swim of 24.70 in his own right. They both enter the global top ten for 2025-2026.
2025-2026 LCM Men 50 BACK
Kolesnikov
23.86
View Top 41»2 Xu
JiayuCHN 23.92 06/17 3 Pavel
SamusenkoRUS 24.12 06/07 4 Oliver
MORGANGBR 24.36 04/18 5 Georgy
YakovlevRUS 24.38 04/20 5 Michele
LAMBERTIITA 24.38 04/14 7 Miroslav
KnedlaCZE 24.43 05/24 7 Miron
Lifintsev RUS 24.43 06/07 9 Isaac
COOPERAUS 24.46 06/08 9 Apostolos
CHRISTOU GRE 24.46 05/09
Some women’s highlights from the first night included Maya Tobehn hitting a best time in the 200 freestyle after seven years. Her 1:58.69 effort would’ve won the 2025 German Championships. Open water swimmers Leonie Märtens and Lea Boy showed out for the women’s mile, turning in a 16:23.57 and 16:27.91 for 1-2, respectively.
I think he will be more rested next week. He could actually give the WR a run, as could Liebmann
Great swim. Crazy Germans.
Btw it’s a 1500, not a mile.
🤯 these guys are nuts……..imagine it’s an Olympic year, you go 14.41 at trials and not make your team for the 1500, absolutely bonkers to think of. Whatever they are doing in training it’s creating a spectator’s treat in competition 🙌👏👏.
Wild to think that an Olympic open water Medalist (Oliver Klemet) can have 1:46 speed in the pool, crazy range from 200m to 10km.
It’s a shame we’ll have to wait for next year for Magdeburg vs Florida