Michalak Breaks German Record; Four More Qualify For Herning

There have been many national age group records broken over the last few days at the German Short Course National Championships, but it took until the final day to see a open national record tumble. Theresa Michalak took down her own mark of 59.05, which she posted in 2011 winning the 100 IM in a time of 58.93. Michalak had put up a season’s best of 59.34 at the World Cup in Moscow.

There were also four more swimmers who met the qualification standards for the German team which will be heading to Herning for the European Short Course Championships; Leonie Antonia Beck, Nils Wich-Glasen, Florian Vogel and Julia Leidgebel all added their names to that list.

Age group records also continued to be broken at a steady pace on Sunday:

• Leonie Antonia Beck – 16 yrs – 800 freestyle – 8:17.50
• Alexander Kunert – 17 yrs – 100 butterfly – 52.68
• Hendrik Ulrich – 16 yrs – 400 freestyle – 3:53.29
• Alexandra Wenk – 18 yrs – 100 butterfly – 57.99
• Lisa Hopink – 15 yrs – 100 butterfly – 58.44
• Sonnele Ozturk – 15 yrs – 100 backstroke – 59.86

There were also five swims that ranked top 10 in the world this year:

• Paul Biedermann – 400 freestyle – 3:39.02 – 6th
• Leonie Antonia Beck – 800 freestyle – 8:17.50 – 8th
• Tim Wallburger – 400 freestyle – 3:40.83 – 8th
• Theresa Michalak – 100 IM – 58.93 – 8th
• Christian Diener – 100 backstroke – 50.81 – 9th

The women’s 800 freestyle was dominated by 16 year old Leonie Antonia Beck who won the event by almost seven full seconds posting a time of 8:17.50. A time which is a German national age group record and also is currently ranked eighth in the world. Beck was followed by Sarah Kohler who put up a time of 8:24.49 and Johanna Friedrich who finished third in a time of 8:32.51.

All three women were under the qualifying standard of 8:34.00. Beck was the only new German team member as Kohler and Friedrich had already qualified in other events.

Steffen Deibler won his first of two events in the 100 butterfly taking the event in a time of 51.34. Markus Gierke finished second in a time of 52.62 followed by Alexander Kunert. Deibler was the only one to go under the qualification standard of 51.50.

Deibler also picked up a gold in the 50 freestyle where he won the event in a tight race with Maximilian Oswald. Deibler won the event in a time of 21.80 followed by Oswald who posted a time of 21.86. Neither men were able to beat the qualification standard of 21.50.

Dorothea Brandt collected another championship title taking the women’s 50 freestyle in a time of 24.18 and was the only woman to go under the qualification standard of 24.50. Daniela Schreiber finished second in a time of 25.04 followed by Annika Bruhn who recorded a time of 25.06.

In the men’s 200 breaststroke Marco Koch took his main event with ease winning in a time of 2:05.98. Nils Wich-Glasen punched his ticket to Herning finishing second in a time of 2:07.22 which is under the qualification standard of 2:07.50.

Max Werkmeister finished third in a time of 2:09.13.

Paul Biedermann is back into the world’s top 10. After returning to the water earlier this month after battling health problems for several months Biedermann won the men’s 400 freestyle in a time of 3:39.02 which currently ranks sixth in the world and second in European circles. Unfortunately for Germany Biedermann will bypass the meet in Herning so that he can focus on the European Long Course Championships next summer.

Tim Wallburger finished second in a time of 3:40.83 which puts him eighth in the world and third in Europe. Florian Vogel finished third in a time of 3:41.99, which puts him just outside the top ten in the world, but puts him on the team heading to the European Championships.

All three men met the qualifying time of 3:44.00.

In the women’s 200 breaststroke Carolina Ruhnau took the event in a time of 2:24.21 and was the only woman under the qualification standard of 2:24.50. Vanessa Grimberg finished second in a time of 2:25.16 followed by Margarethe Hummel who finished third in a time of 2:27.70.

Philip Heintz won the men’s 200 IM in a time of 1:55.95. Heintz who is already on the German team was the only man under the qualification standard of 1:57.00. Ensar Hajder finished second in a time of 1:57.05 followed by Philipp Forster who posted a time of 1:57.35.

The women’s 100 butterfly was an intense battle between Franziska Hentke and Alexandra Wenk. Hentke held the lead the entire race, but was only eight one-hundredths of a second ahead of Wenk at the 50 and a tenth of a second at the conclusion of the race. Hentke finished first in a time of 57.89 followed by Wenk who finished in a time of 57.99. Both women finished under the qualification standard of 58.00.

Lisa Hopink finished third in a time of 58.44.

Both Wenk and Hopink’s times were new German age group marks, Wenk for 18 year olds and Hopink for 15 year olds.

The men’s 100 backstroke was dominated by Christian Diener who won the event in a time of 50.81 which currently ranks ninth in the world. Diener was the only swimmer to go under the qualification standard of 52.00 as Felix Wolf finished second in a time of 52.49 followed by Jan-Philip Glania who hit the wall in a time of 52.98.

Jenny Mensing qualified for the European Championships on Friday in the 200 backstroke by two and a half seconds, but was not able to meet the qualification standard in the 100 meter distance. Mensing’s winning time of 59.17 was slower than the qualification standard of 59.00.

Doris Eichhorn finished second in a time of 59.23 followed by Lisa Graf who touched in a time of 59.25.

In the final individual event of the competition Theresa Michalak took the women’s 100 IM in a new German record time of 58.93. Julia Leidgebel finished second in a time of 1:00.24 which is under the qualification standard of 1:01.00 putting her on the team going to Herning.

Annika Bruhn finished third in a time of 1:01.56.

Complete results can be found here