Wellbrock Swims 7:48 in the 800; Martens Focuses on 200 Free on Sunday in Magdeburg

GOTHAER INSURANCE CUP – MAGDEBURG

• March 31, 2023 – April 2, 2023
• Magdeburg, Germany
• Long Course Meters (50 meters) – Timed Finals
• Live Streaming
• Psych Sheets/Entry Lists
• Live Results
• Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap

The host team of SC Magdeburg continued their winning ways at their hosted meet on Sunday, the first leg of the country’s three-week qualifying journey for the World Championships.

Florian Wellbrock swam another world-leading time, this one coming in the 800 free in 7:48.06. That matches his 1500 time from Friday as 2023 calendar-year leaders.

“I’m happy with the time. But you could tell that the 1500 meters on Friday drew a lot of energy. There’s still a little bit of calm left,” said Wellbrock, who had just returned from a four-week high-altitude training camp in Spain a few days earlier. “I’m happy for Oliver that he stayed below the norm. Our team obviously did a good job.”

While that’s the best time of the calendar year, it’s only #2 globally (and nationally) of the season. Countrymate Lukas Martens went 7:46.22 at a local meet in December.

Martens didn’t swim the race, though he did compete over the weekend and is part of the Magdeburg crew. Only Wellbrock is pre-qualified for Worlds in the event, which means that Oliver Klemet from SG Frankfurt, who was 2nd on Sunday in 7:51.38, gets the qualification slot, for now, in this event.

His swim cleared the selection standard of 7:51.65.

Martens swam well in the 400 on Sunday, but after the 1500 on Sunday mentioned that coming out of altitude, he still needed a few weeks before hitting his peak. That meet will likely be the Berlin Swim Open from April 21-23, where he has the chance to bump Klemet out of that second qualification spot.

On Sunday, Martens swam the 200 free instead, winning in 1:45.79. That’s #1 in the calendar year globally and #3 in the season. It’s also a best time for him by six-tenths of a second.

In the women’s distance race, the 1500, Isabel Gose won her third event of the weekend and booked a potential fourth race for this year’s World Championships. Already pre-nominated in the 200, 400, and 800 based on her top 8 finishes at last year’s World Championships, she won the 1500 on Sunday in 16:04.98 – well under the selection standard of 16:09.09.

With Olympic medalist Sarah Wellbrock out of Worlds with an injury, Gose is unlikely to be challenged for that spot.

Angelina Koehler also picked up a third race of the weekend, topping the field in the 50 free with a 25.17. The 22-year-old from SG Neukolln had previously won the 50 fly and 100 fly, with the latter clearing the World Championship standard on Saturday.

While she swam a pair of personal bests this weekend, after the 50, Koehler promised that she will “definitely be even faster” in three weeks at the Berlin Open.