Florian Wellbrock Withdraws From Berlin World Cup With Illness

2023 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP – BERLIN

• October 6-8, 2023
• Berlin, Germany
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Florian Wellbrock withdrew from the home Berlin stop of the 2023 Swimming World Cup because of “health issues” in recent days, according to his coach Bernd Berkhan.

Speaking with the German Swimming Federation’s Swim&More magazine, Berkhan discussed Wellbrock’s withdrawal. Wellbrock’s training partner Lukas Martens wound up pulling out of the final of the 400 free on Friday with the same apparent illness that had struck Wellbrock.

Martens was 4th in prelims of the 400 free in 3:50.61.

The two are the biggest stars of the German men’s team, though home fans still have something to cheer for on Saturday evening in the men’s distance races: Oliver Klemet and Sven Schwarz are the top two seeds in the 1500 free in the absence of their countrymates.

Illness has been an issue for Wellbrock at major meets more than once in recent years. A battle with COVID-19 cost him races at the European Championships in 2022.

Last year, ostensibly healthy again, he won gold medals in open water in the 5km and 10km races, though he missed the podium in the pool.

Berkhan’s group was scheduled to leave after the meet for a stop at the Sierra Nevada altitude training camp in Spain, a place that the German distance group has made a second home in recent years – to great success.