Newly minted world record holder Lukas Maertens is set to compete in the 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, and 200 backstroke at the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where he will attempt to grasp his first world championship crown.
According to German news site mdr.de, Maertens has chosen to forego swimming the 200 free, despite being the world’s third fastest performer in the event this year. When speaking on the decision, he said “swimming all three routes at the same level is not feasible”, giving sense of a decision that he acknowledged could initially seem “crazy”.
He puts priority on the 400 and 800 free, the latter of which is set to be one of the most hotly contested distance races in recent memory.
The 800 free has five swimmers vying for the podium positions. Maertens enters the event ranked second in the world, clocking 7:39.10 at the Malmsten Swim Open Stockholm in April. That earned Maertens a European Record, only to be topped month later by his German countryman, Sven Schwarz, who swam the top time in the world this year, 7:38.12, at the German Swimming Championships in May.
With Schwarz and Maertens both entered as the world’s #1 and #2 swimmers, that means Florian Wellbrock, ranked #4 in the world, is the odd man out. He is entered in only the 1500 free.
Wellbrock, 27, was the 2022 World Championships silver medalist in the 800 free.
2024-2025 LCM Men 800 Free
JAOUADI
7:36.88
| 2 | Sven Schwarz | GER | ER 7:38.12 | 05/02 |
| 3 | Lukas MÄRTENS | GER | 7:39.10 | 04/15 |
| 4 | Samuel Short | AUS | 7:40.95 | 06/11 |
| 5 | Florian WELLBROCK | GER | 7:41.10 | 04/15 |
Australia’s Sam Short boasts the fastest personal best out of anyone in the field. He swam a time of 7:37.76 at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, earning a silver medal in the process, and most recently clocked 7:40.95 at last month’s Australian Trials.
The reigning Olympic champion, Daniel Wiffen, is also in the hunt. His personal best is a 7:38.19 set at the Paris Olympics, just seven one-hundredths of a second behind world number one Schwarz.
Finally, there is American distance stalwart Bobby Finke. He is the world record holder in the 1500, and took silver in the 800 in Paris last summer in 7:38.75. The gap between the best times of these five swimmers is just 1.34 seconds.
After storming to a new world record in April, Maertens is the clear favorite in the 400 free. His 3:39.96 places the Magdeburg native first in the world this year by over a second. He put in a time of 3:40.61 at the German Swimming Championships in May after fighting infections, and looks poised to challenge his World Record mark.
His closest competition in the 400 is Sam Short, who swam 3:41.09 at Australian Trials, followed by Rex Maurer, who swam 3:43.33 at U.S Nationals this June, setting a U.S Open Record.
Maertens also lines up to swim the 200 back, an event where placed 8th in at 2024 Paris Olympics, swimming a time of 1:55.97.
Here is the full entry list for the German team in Singapore:
- Isabel Gose
- 400m freestyle (PB 4:02,14/DR)
- 800m freestyle (PB 8:17,53)
- 1500m freestyle (PB 15:41,16/DR)
- Angelina Köhler
- 50m butterfly (PB 25,55/DR)
- 100m butterfly (PB 56,11/DR)
- 50m freestyle (PB 24,82)
- Anna Elendt
- 50m breast (PB 30,10/DR)
- 100m breast (PB 1:05,58/DR)
- 200m breast (PB 2:23,54/DR)
- Nina Holt
- 100m freestyle (PB 53,81)
- Maya Werner
- 200m freestyle (PB 1:58,81)
- 400m freestyle (PB 4:06,02)
- 800m freestyle (PB 8:29,53)
- Lise Seidel
- 200m back (PB 2:10.76)
- Nina Sandrine Jazy
- Relay participant
- Julianna Dora Bocska
- Relay participant
- Lukas Märtens
- 400m freestyle (PB 3:39,96/WR)
- 800m freestyle (PB 7:39,10)
- 200m backstroke (PB 1:55,97)
- Josha Salchow
- 50m freestyle (PB 21,99)
- 100m freestyle (PB 47.80/DR)
- 100m butterfly (PB 51.28)
- Oliver Klemet
- 400m freestyle (PB 3:42,81)
- Sven Schwarz
- 800m freestyle (PB 7:38,12/ER)
- 1500m freestyle (PB 14:36,82)
- Florian Wellbrock
- 1500m freestyle (PB 14:34,89/DR)
- Melvin Imoudu
- 50m breaststroke (PB 26,62/DR)
- 100m breaststroke (PB 58,84)
- Lucas Matzerath
- 50m breaststroke (PB 26.80)
- 100m breaststroke(58,74/DR)
- Luca Nik Armbruster
- 50m butterfly (PB 22,92/DR)
- 100m butterfly (PB 51.21)
- Vincent Passek
- 50m back (PB 24.87)
- Cedric Büssing
- 400m IM (PB 4:11,52/DR)
- Rafael Miroslaw
- Relay participant
- Kaii Liam Winkler
- Relay participant
- Jarno Bäschnitt
- Relay participant
- Timo Sorgius
- Relay participant
- Team Relays
- 4x100m Freestyle Women
- 4x100m Medley Women
- 4x100m Freestyle Men
- 4x100m Medley Men
- 4x200m Freestyle Men
- 4x100m Freestyle Mixed
- 4x100m Mixed Medley
The 2025 World Aquatics Championships are taking place at the World Aquatics Championship Arena in Singapore from July 11th to August 3rd. Swimming events begin July 26th.
Feel like Martens has a better chance at a medal in the 200 but a better chance at Gold in the 800, the 200 is awkwardly right after the 400 and he’s historically had trouble with that schedule which probably made the decision making a bit easier
We’re seeing the emergence of a type of male swimmer that hasn’t been truly seen yet. Thank you, IOC (finally 🙄)
In the 800, he will be coming up against swimmers depleted by the open water competition. He has a better chance of a podium spot.
Which top contenders are doing both? Seems like only Greg?
Paltrinieri is one. Most likely Betlehem as well. Outside of those guys, should be a very fast race.
Short, Wiffen, and Finke are not going to swim open water and they’re the main contenders and competitors in 800.
Schwarz will be top seed and doesn’t do open water.
Boy, they really went out with new events
I think I’ll be a good chest swimmer.
Interesting choice. I tend to think Martens couldn’t beat Popovici or Hobson in the 200 free if they’re at their best. But it could end up being another slow final, like we saw in Paris.
In any case, Martens was the clear favorite for bronze in this event. I guess 3 rounds of the 200 free just takes too much out of him for his other events.
I really wish World Aquatics would have tried removing 200 semis from this world champs to see how the session run times, viewership, etc (I think those are their concerns) would be affected. Maybe for 2027 worlds
Trying to experiment and change things around during a swim meet so that it’s not the exact same schedule every year? Impossible.
I have never looked forward to an 800/1500 this much
Because Biedermann did no 800/1500 in 2009