2025 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 2-7, 2025
- Lublin, Poland
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Recaps:
18-year-old Johannes Liebmann may have landed off the podium in the men’s 800m freestyle tonight in Lublin, Poland but the German teenager lowered his own newly minted World Junior and European Junior records en route to finishing in 4th place.
Liebmann stopped the clock at a mighty 7:30.47 to come within half a second of the 7:30 barrier. In doing so, he overwrote the previous record of 7:30.94 he produced in the prelims of this 8free event.
That former outing hacked five seconds off fellow German Sven Schwarz’ 7:36.00 recognized World Junior mark from 2019. It also bested the recognized European Junior Record of 7:35.30, previously held by France’s Pacome Bricout.
Tonight Liebmann finished behind the podium placers Zalan Sarkany of Hungary (7:26.84), Lucas Henveaux of Belgium (7:28.03) and Daniel Wiffen of Ireland (7:30.14).
| Liebmann’s Old WJR, EJR – 7:30.94 | Liebmann’s New WJR, EJR – 7:30.47 | |
| 100m | 53.49 | 53.65 |
| 200m | 1:50.40 (56.91) | 1:50.12 (56.47) |
| 300m | 2:47.78 (57.38) | 2:46.76 (56.64) |
| 400m | 3:44.69 (56.91) | 3:43.73 (56.97) |
| 500m | 4:41.47 (56.78) | 4:40.85 (57.12) |
| 600m | 5:38.87 (57.40) | 5:37.93 (57.08) |
| 700m | 6:36.32 (57.45) | 6:35.00 (57.07) |
| 800m | 7:30.94 (54.62) | 7:30.47 (55.47) |
Liebmann already turned heads at the start of this meet with a 3:37.29 400 free, the second fastest time ever swum by a junior in that event.
He is the latest sensation on a conveyor belt of elite distance talent out of Magdeburg, Germany. The head coach there, Bernd Berkhahn, has guided the likes of Sharon van Rouwendaal, Moesha Johnson, Florian Wellbrock, Lukas Maertens, and Isabel Gose. The latter three names have medalled for Germany in Lublin this week, with Gose scoring a new European record in the 400 free.
MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – Final
- WR: 7:20.46 – Daniel Wiffen, IRL (2023)
WJR: 7:30.94 – Johannes Liebmann, GER (2025)- ER: 7:20.46 – Daniel Wiffen, IRL (2023)
EJR: 7:30.94 – Johannes Liebmann, GER (2025)- CR: 7:20.46 – Daniel Wiffen, IRL (2023)
Top 8 Finishers
- Zalan Sarkany (HUN) – 7:26.84
- Lucas Henveaux (BEL) – 7:28.03
- Daniel Wiffen (IRL) – 7:30.14
- Johannes Liebmann (GER) – 7:30.47 WJ, EJ
- Victor Johansson (SWE) – 7:31.38
- Oliver Klemet (GER) – 7:35.71
- Henrik Christiansen (NOR) – 7:37.72
- Dimitrios Markos (GRE) — 7:43.59
After getting chased down in the men’s 1500 freestyle, Zalan Sarkany was not taking any chances in today’s 800 free final. He jumped out to the lead at the 50 meter mark, and slowly built his lead from there, securing enough of a cushion against Lucas Henveaux and Daniel Wiffen to earn the event win.
Sarkany also set a new Hungarian National Record in the event, taking down his own record time of 7:29.50 from the World Cup in October vy nearly three seconds.
At the 400 meter mark, Sarkany led Liebmann 3:42.32 to 3:43.73. Henveaux was 3rd in 3:44.71, and Wiffen was 6th at 3:45.87.
Liebmann fell off Sarkany’s pace around the 600 meter mark, dropping to 3rd behind Wiffen. A 75 later, Henveaux overtook him as well.
Wiffen sat in 2nd behind Sarkany for 100 meters, turning in 6:33.80 at the 700 mark to Sarkany’s 6:32.25. Henveaux was 3rd in 6:34.40.
At the 750 mark, Henveaux overtook Wiffen after splitting a monster 13.57 on his 25 to make up half-a-second on Wiffen’s 14.06.
Henveaux ultimately finished 2nd in 7:28.03, breaking the Belgian National Record in the event after splitting 1:51.10 on his final 200. He was not able to chase down Sarkany, who split the exact same 1:51.10.
Wiffen was 3rd in 7:30.14 with his final 200 split of 1:52.06, and Liebmann was 4th in 7:30.47, splitting 1:52.54.
Liebmann’s swim was a new WJR and EJR, taking down his own 7:30.94 from prelims.
