2025 Worlds, Euro Recap Day 4: Schwarz and Märtens’ 800 Free Medals Keep Germany Riding High

2025 World Championships

• July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
• Singapore, Singapore
• World Aquatics Championships Arena
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Entry Book
• Live Results
• Live Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2
• Euro Recap, Day 1: Lukas Märtens Earns First World Title, Completes Epic Year In 400 Free
• Euro Recap, Day 2: Roos Vanotterdijk Wins Belgium’s First World Championship Medal Since 1998
• Euro Recap, Day 3: Simona Quadarella Swims First 1500 Free PB In Six Years, Sets European Record 

The German distance crew has steadily been making a name for itself over the past several seasons. That reached its peak this season as Lukas Märtens, Sven Schwarz, Oliver Klemet, and Florian Wellbrock impressed in the lead-up to the 2025 World Aquatic Championships.

All of them have their niche. Märtens claimed the 400 freestyle world record while Schwarz took over the 800 freestyle European record. Wellbrock and Klemet have long, successful track records in open water.

The men’s 800 freestyle final was the first time the swimming world got to see two put it all together in the pool during the World Championships and both get onto the podium. Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi swam a textile world record in the event (7:36.88) for the world title, pulling away from the field. But behind him, Schwarz and Märtens sailed to the silver and bronze medals, giving Germany the silver and bronze medals.

Schwarz was off his European record from earlier in the year but joined Jaouadi under the 7:40-mark with a 3:39.96. Märtens took bronze with a 7:40.19. There’s been a distance renaissance happening over the last five years, and we’re starting to see the next wave come to the forefront. For the entire podium, this was their first time making the 800 freestyle podium at a long-course World Championships. It was Jaoudi and Schwarz’s first long-course Worlds medal of any color.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” Schwarz said. “In the beginning, I was like ‘I want to get a medal.’ But it is not easy, because you have five guys who can go under 7:40. Thankfully, I’m the second guy. I’m pretty happy, it’s so amazing to be here.”

“Third place and second place for Germany is very, very good,” said Märtens, who said during his 400 freestyle press conference that he thought the whole German swim team had reached a new level.

“We have such good training groups,” Märtens continued tonight. “We have world-class athletes like Florian Wellbrock in my team and he is one of the best German swimmers of all-time. I’m honored that I can train with him.”

Through four days of competition, Märtens comment that the German swim team has stepped up has proved true. It wasn’t a surprise to see them come out strong with Märtens winning gold in the 400 freestyle and Klement making that final as well after his open water schedule. In the past, it’s been hard for the team to maintain their strong performances on Day 1.

It’s a different story this year, though. Anna Elendt won gold in the women’s 100 breaststroke, becoming the first German woman to win a long-course world title since Britta Steffen. Luca Armbruster broke the men’s 50 breaststroke German record twice. Angelina Köhler and Lucas Matzerath have both made finals appearances. And now, Germany has two more medals, bringing its total to four. The nation leads the European medal table with two golds and only trails Italy by total medal count.

For the men’s distance crew specifically, the next big test is the 1500 freestyle. The team aims to become the only country to put two swimmers through to the final of the men’s 400, 800, and 1500 freestyle.

Quick Hits

Léon Marchand Breaks Ryan Lochte’s 200 IM World Record

Of course, the biggest story of the session was Léon Marchand obliterating the men’s 200 IM world record during the semifinal. He unleashed a 1:52.69, bypassing 1:53 as he became the first man to break 1:54 in the event.

Ryan Lochte held the former world record in the event at 1:54.00 since the 2011 World Championships.

Leon Marchand (photo: Jack Spitser)

“I actually can’t believe it right now,” Marchand said after his race. “I knew I was going to get close to my PB because I felt really good today, and the preparation has been pretty good, so I was really excited to race. It’s unbelievable to me.”

Marchand is swimming a lighter event schedule than he usually does at World Championships, dropping the 200 butterfly and 200 breaststroke to focus on the 200 and 400 IM, which he said was “probably the right decision” due to the challenges, including injuries, he’s faced this season.

“Now, I want to take a moment to think about everything, to process it all,” he continued. “It’s just an explosion of joy. I feel like all the choices I made this year were the right ones, and I want to thank everyone who’s been supporting me. Since the Games, I’ve had this goal in mind. I didn’t expect things to come together again so quickly. Right now, I’m trying to get some good sleep — which isn’t easy — but tomorrow’s the final, and it’s going to be great.”

Simone Cerasuolo Makes History For Italy With First LCM Worlds Medal

Coming into the World Championships, Italy had the fastest 50 breaststroker in the world this season. The only problem? Due to qualification criteria, Ludovico Viberti would not race the event in Singapore.

Simone Cerasuolo (credit: Giorgio Scala e Andrea Masini / DeepBlueMedia.eu)

But when the men in the final hit the wall, it did not matter. Italy claimed the gold medal as short-course specialist Simone Cerasuolo won gold in 26.54, eight-hundredths ahead of Kirill Prigoda. It’s a special moment for Cerasuolo as he made his first medal at a long-course World Championship gold. (For all three of the individual male champions tonight, their world title marked the first long-course World Championship medal of their careers.)

“It’s a dream come true,” Cerasuolo said. “I don’t know what to say. At the moment, I am a bit confused but I told myself, ‘finally, I made it.'”

This marks Italy’s first gold medal of the 2025 World Championships. It’s also a historic medal for the nation. Italy has produced its share of breaststrokers over the years and is home to the reigning men’s 100 breaststroke Olympic champion. Still, this marks the nation’s first world title in the long-course 50 breaststroke. With the 50 breaststroke now on the Olympic schedule, the start of a new Olympic cycle is the perfect moment for Cerasuolo to breakout on the long-course international stage.

Miron Lifintsev, Kirill Prigoda Power NAB Mixed Medley Relay To Championship Record

Up in lane one of the mixed 4×100 medley relay final, the Neutral Athletes – B relay, composed of Russian athletes, fired off a championship record for gold. The quartet never trailed on its way to the title.

Miron LIFINTSEV
credit Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia

After a breakout performance at the 2024 Short Course World Championships, Miron Lifintsev fired off a 51.78 backstroke lead-off leg. The time would’ve won gold in the individual 100 backstroke final (where Lifintsev placed 7th in 52.51). It’s also the second-fastest performance in history, though it will not be recognized as it was swum in a mixed event.

After winning silver in the 50 breaststroke earlier in the session, Prigoda extended the team’s lead with a 57.56 100 breaststroke split. Though it’s the 16th fastest 100 breaststroke split all-time, the majority of those performances were done by Adam Peaty. Prigoda is now the 4th fastest performer on a 100 breaststroke relay split behind Peaty (56.53), Qin Haiyang (57.25), and Nicolo Martinenghi (57.47). Daria Klepikova (55.97) and Daria Trofimova (52.66) held things down on the back half of the relay as the quartet claimed the team’s first gold of the meet.

Freya Colbert Takes Down Super-suited 200 Freestyle British Record

Freya Colbert (photo: Jack Spitser)

Freya Colbert made her first individual national record a memorable one. The reigning world champion in the 400 IM, Colbert flexed her versatility by contending for the medals in the women’s 200 freestyle final. Though she was overtaken by the American Claire Weinstein for bronze, Colbert held for fourth in a 1:55.06.

The time lowers the super-suited British record Joanne Jackson set at the 2009 World Championships, when she swam 1:55.54. Colbert rattled Jackson’s record in April at the Aquatics GB Championships with a 1:55.76.

Continental and National Records

Women’s 50 Backstroke

• Another swim, another national record for Roos Vanotterdijk. She’s been on a national record-breaking spree this season and kept it going during the 50 backstroke semifinal. Vanotterdijk swam 27.67, breaking the Belgian mark of 27.81 she swam at the Swim Open – Stockholm in April.
• Theodora Drakou cut nine-hundredths off her Greek record in the women’s 50 backstroke. During tonight’s semifinal, Drakou swam 27.75, breaking the 27.84 she swam at the 2024 World Championships.

Men’s 100 Freestyle

• Luka Hoek le Guendal broke the men’s 100 freestyle Spanish record twice today. After swimming a 48.23 in the heats, Hoek le Guenedal, 17, posted a 48.04 to finish 14th overall. These swims come three days after Sergio de Celis took over the record with a 48.24 leading off the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay.
• Sander Sørensen keeps bringing the Norwegian men’s 100 freestyle record lower. After swimming a record of 48.73 leading off the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay, Sørensen clocked a 48.65 in the individual event heats, taking another .08 seconds off the record.

Men’s and Women’s 200 Butterfly

• Krzysztof Chmielewski swam his second 200 butterfly Polish record of the meet to put himself back on the World Championship podium. Chmielewski swam a 1:52.64 for the second Worlds silver medal of his career. The swim bettered the 1:52.89 he swam in the heats.
• Ellen Walshe kept her strong meet going in the women’s 200 butterfly semifinal. After setting an Irish record in the 200 IM to start the meet, Walshe lowered her 200 butterfly national mark with a 2:07.48. The swim lowered the national record of 2:08.42 she swam in March, qualifying fourth for the final.
• Georgia Damasioti lowered her 200 butterfly Greek record in the semifinal. She clocked 2:08.39, dropping nearly a second from her former record of 2:09.21 from June’s LEN U23 European Championships.

Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay

• The Netherlands’ team of Kai van Westering (54.03), Caspar Corbeau (58.74), Tessa Giele (56.29), and Marrit Steenbergen lowered their national record to 3:40.97 to finish 4th, .07 seconds from the podium. None of these four swimmers were part of the former record-setting team (Toussaint, Kamminga, Korstange, Heemskerk) that swam 3:41.25 at the Tokyo Games.
• The Polish quartet of Ksawery Masiuk (53.31), Dominika Sztandera (1:06.20), Jakub Majerski (50.99), and Kasia Wasick (53.72) took .98 seconds off their national record in the mixed 4×100 medley relay. They combined for a 3:44.22, bettering the 3:45.20 swum at the 2022 European Championships.

Continental Medal Table Thru Day 4