24hoursworld

Swimming EM in Rome: swimming couple Märtens and Gose coined with medals EM

Swimming EM in Rome: swimming couple Märtens and Gose coined with medals EM

Silver for Lukas Märtens, silver and bronze for Isabel Gose. The Magdeburg couple shapes the European Swimming Championships from a German perspective. Now Olympic champion Florian Wellbrock finally wants to take off.

To the deafening applause of the enthusiastic swimming fans, Isabel Gose celebrated the next medal at the European Championships, and her friend Lukas Märtens was happy in the stands – the day before it had been the other way around.

Confident, with precious metal around their necks and almost always with a smile on their face, Märtens and Gose enjoy the European Championships under the sun of Rome as the German main actors. In the absence of the successful couple Florian and Sarah Wellbrock, the two freestyle aces have so far guaranteed medals for the German team in the atmospheric title fights in the Foro Italico.

So far three medals for the duo

There is not much time for togetherness in the tightly scheduled program of the two top swimmers. All three previous European Championship medals for the German team go to her. “At the moment we don’t have that much time to celebrate, but there’s always a kiss and a hug, and that’s enough for now,” said Gose.

The freestyle swimmer, who after silver over 800 meters on Sunday evening also won bronze over 200 meters, said about her race: “You hope for that. You don’t count on it.” The ambitious athlete added with a grin: “Being able to swim at the front in Europe is a small start.”

Her friend Märtens was not only happy about her performance, but also about his own silver medal in the 800 meter race on Saturday. “I’m super happy,” said Märtens. The 20-year-old was only beaten by Gregorio Paltrinieri in a strong field with a time of 7:42.65 minutes. The Italian was celebrated like a folk hero by the fans at the picturesque outdoor pool.

“I always can’t really look at it because I’m so excited,” said Gose about Märtens’ race. “I think I’m more excited with him than with me.” On Instagram she shared a picture in which she poses with her partner with the EM mascot.

Märten’s most successful route is yet to come

The plan of the two medium and long-haul experts from Magdeburg has so far worked out perfectly. “It’s the way it should be and how I expected it to be,” said national coach Bernd Berkhahn. “They did a great job on that.”

And there can be more. “I think there is definitely still a lot to do,” said Märtens. Among other things, his last most successful distance, the 400 meter freestyle, is yet to come. At the World Championships in Hungary, Märtens won silver over the distance. “Now he has tasted blood and is enthusiastic about every race,” said Berkhahn.

Märtens qualified as the fourth fastest of the semi-finals for the final over 200 meters freestyle this Monday. “Regenerate nicely, swim a bit and then it will be even better,” he said optimistically.

Wellbrock intervenes from Monday

Märten’s teammate has so far been slowed down by the consequences of a corona infection. Florian Wellbrock, who won five medals in five starts at the World Championships a good month and a half ago, has so far only been able to train in the Italian capital. The open water Olympic champion finally wants to intervene in the competition on Monday in the preliminary heat over 1500 meters freestyle.

A stress test on Saturday, in which the Romanian David Popovici broke the world record over 100 meters freestyle in a furious race in 46.86 seconds, was “very good”, reveals Berkhahn. Nevertheless, the emotional state of Wellbrock, whose wife and Olympic bronze medalist Sarah is not there because of her studies, is complicated. Wellbrock alternates between uncertainty about his form and desire to finally join the big Italian swim party. “It’s getting a bit confused in the soul of the athlete,” said Berkhahn.

As for Wellbrock, the European Championships will also start for the water jumpers on Monday. Led by Olympic bronze medalist Tina Punzel, the German team is one of the top favourites. At the last European Championship, Germany took second place in the medal table. The Russians, who were even more successful at the time, are not allowed to take part this time because of the war in Ukraine.

Source: Stern

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts