World Cup in Singapore: Swimmer Wellbrock fetches the second World Cup gold: “Insanely cool”

Florian Wellbrock won his second gold medal at the swimming world championships in open water. The 27-year-old crowned himself in the race over five kilometers to the world champion. On Wednesday he had won gold over twice the distance. “With the high heat here, a day of regeneration was a little bit. But all athletes still had the same problem. It was incredibly happy that it worked out at the back. I saw how the boys tried to attack, but luckily I was still able to go one step down,” he said. “Insanely cool.”

Today he prevailed in Singapore in front of silver winners Gregorio Paltrinieri from Italy and the third-placed Frenchman Marc-Antoine Olivier. For Wellbrock it was the seventh World Cup title in the open water as a whole. The only more successful open -air swimmer at World Championships is Thomas Lurz. The second German starter, Oliver Klemet, could not intervene in the fight for precious metal.

Wellbrock is developing again into the guarantee of success for the German Swimming Association, which he once was. After his messed up Olympic Games last summer in Paris, he found his top form. “It is just a good thing that the past few months have just paid off. So competition swimming is the most fun when it pays off that you can take part in a award ceremony after the race,” said Wellbrock. “This is always an incredibly great honor, I am very, very grateful. You saw in Paris and Doha that it is not a matter of course.”

Wellbrock: “Not giving up” was worth it

The first victory that Wellbrock dominant out caused great satisfaction and brought great confidence. “You are pleased that it was not worth it,” said Wellbrock, who even thought about a career end after the Olympics.

National coach Bernd Berkhahn, who trained Wellbrock in Magdeburg and led back to old strength, was also relieved. “All favorites were here. He won gold on the Olympic distance. This is almost synonymous with gold at the Olympic Games,” he said after the impressive World Cup start. Even the Italian coach congratulated that athlete and trainer “got the curve together. That is fantastic”.

Conditions again very demanding

With his second victory in the second race in the sea on the Palawan Beach, Wellbrock underlined his extra class in open water. He achieved the feat of getting over five and ten kilometers of gold at World Championships for the second time after 2023.

With more than 30 degrees Celsius water temperature again and even greater heat outside swam Wellbrock in the top group from the start. For a long time he stayed in second position, then went forward and could not be obtained.

The women had started before Wellbrock’s races. The Australian Moesha Johnson, who also trains in Magdeburg, also secured her second title from Singapore. Celine Rieder swam to fifth place. She was the only German starter. Jeannette Spiwoks could not compete due to health problems.

The German Frewasser team is again challenged on Saturday night (CEST). Then the races are in the new Knockout sprint.