Isabel Gose Breaks German Record in 400 Free After 2 Second Time Drop

2020 TOKYO SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

German freestyler Isabel Gose qualified for her first Olympic final with a new German Record on Sunday in prelims of the women’s 400 freestyle.

Her 4:03.21 undercut the prior record of Sarah Kohler, who swam 4:03.96 to win gold at the 2017 World University Games.

Kohler will feature as a medal contender in the 800 and 1500 free later in the meet, but didn’t swim the 400 free.

German Record Comparison:

Isabel Gose Sarah Kohler
New German Record
Former German Record
100m 58.66 58.89
200m 61.79 (2:00.45) 62.07 (2:00.96)
300m 61.93 62.15
400m 60.83 (2:02.76) 60.85 (2:03.00)
Final Time 4:03.21 4:03.96

For the 19-year old Gose, the time is a drop of almost two seconds, improving her previous best of 4:05.19 done at April’s German Olympic Trials. In the last 12 months, she has dumped more than 3 seconds off her previous best time in the race:

Isabel Gose Best Time Progression:

  • July 4 2019 – 4:07.96
  • July 25 2020 – 4:06.38
  • April 10 2021- 4:06.11
  • April 17 2021 – 4:05.19
  • July 25 2021 – 4:03.21

She was due for this breakout – even at regular non-championship meets, she was going best times over the last year, so this swim was just a resumption of her momentum prior to the 2019 European Junior Championships. At that meet, she dropped more than 2 seconds off her best time.

She swam at the World Championships a few weeks after those European Juniors, but was a relay-only swimmer there.

She then swam individually at the 2019 European Short Course Championships, which included a silver medal in the 400 free.

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About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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