Isabel Gose Fires Off 15:52.02 Best In 1500 Free in Germany; Wellbrock out of 800 for Paris

We rolled into day 2 of the 2024 German Swimming Championships, the competition representing a last-chance opportunity for German swimmers to qualify for this summer’s Olympic Games.

Slots for June’s European Championships and July’s European Junior Championships are also on the line.

As a refresher, according to the German Swimming Federation’s selection policy for Paris 2024, the following prioritization process for individual events will be in play:

• Priority #1 – Athletes who achieve a top 4 placement and the Olympic Qualification Time at the 2023 World Championships
• Priority #2 – Athletes who achieve a top 4 placement and the Olympic Qualification Time at the 2024 World Championships
• Priority #3 – Athletes who achieve an Olympic Qualification Time during the national qualification period (April 1-28)

24-year-old Josha Salchow solidified his spot on the nation’s Olympic roster by securing the win in the men’s 100m free tonight.

Salchow, who has been competing in Australia the past several months, punched a time of 48.33 to get the job done.

He opened in 23.17 and closed in 25.17 to top the podium ahead of Peter Varjasi who nabbed silver in 48.57 followed by last night’s 400m free winner Lukas Maertens who hit 48.86 as the bronze medalist.

Of note, 6th placed Martin Wrede posted a time of 49.45 to establish a new German Age Record.

As for Salchow, the speedster is the newly-minted German national record holder in this 1free, courtesy of the 47.85 produced at the Berlin Open just last week. Per the German Olympic selection policy, the qualification window runs through April 28th so Salchow had to ensure that no 2 swimmers beat him here to claim his roster spot.

Olympic champion Florian Wellbrock was in the water tonight, racing in the men’s 800m free.

The pool and open water powerhouse produced a time of 7:50.82 to get to the wall first, just over 2 seconds outside his season-best of 7:48.17 turned in for 10th place at this year’s World Championships in Doha.

Oliver Klimet posted a time of 7:51.92 to just shimmy under the World Aquatics Olympic Qualification time of 7:51.65 for silver while Arne Schubert posted a new Age Record of 7:53.92 en route for bronze.

Unfortunately for Wellbrock, Sven Schwarz already automatically qualified for Paris, courtesy of the 7:44.29 he turned in for 4th place in Doha. The next-fastest German during the qualification period was Klemet who hit 7:46.03 at the Gothaer and Friends meet last week.

That means Wellbrock needed to beat Klemet’s 7:46.03 to join Schwarz in Olympic qualification so the 26-year-old fell short with his performance on Friday. He was the 2022 World Championship silver medalist in the event, but has struggled with consistency in the pool in recent seasons as he has ramped up his focus on open water.

Also missing out in the 800 is Lukas Maertens, who swam one of the fastest 400 frees in history on Thursday. Maertens, the 2022 European silver medalist in the 800, opted to swim the 100 free instead on Friday. He placed 3rd in 48.86, which should get him a look for Germany’s 400 free relay at the Olympics.

The men’s 100m breast saw 24-year-old Melvin Imoudu get it done for gold, posting a swift 59.15 as one of two swimmers under the minute barrier.

Joining Imoudu was Noel de Geus who touched in 59.98 for silver followed by Maximillian Pilger who rounded out the podium in 1:00.30.

The 2 qualifiers ahead of this competition were Imoudu who holds the fastest time of any German this season in 59.07 and then Lucas Matzerath who holds a season-best of 59.30. With tonight’s outcome, both of these swimmers retain their positions on the Olympic roster.

21-year-old Isabel Gose ripped a new lifetime best to win the women’s 1500m. The 2024 World Championships bronze medalist in the event fired off a mark of 15:52.02, beating her previous lifetime best of 15:54.58 established at the 2023 World Championships.

Entering this competition, Gose ranked 6th in the world as a result of her 15:57.55 bronze medal-worthy outing in Doha. Her time here now frog-hops her over American Katie Grimes to rank 5th heading into the final stretch towards the Olympic Games.

Australia’s open water Olympic qualifier Moesha Johnson was next to the wall in 16:05.51 and the next-fastest German behind Gose was Leonie Maertens who clocked 16:12.48.

Gose already qualified for Paris via her performance in Doha while the fact no one beat Maertens’ time of 16:02.99 from earlier in the season now solidifies her status as qualified in this event.