Liebmann & Schwartz Give Germany A 1-2 Punch As Gold Holds Hand With ER
Teenager Johannes Liebmann claimed first senior title off his long-course career in a European record 7:37.59 - 0.35 inside the standard he set earlier this year. The winning margin of 3.57sec is the biggest in the event's history
What a race! Johannes Liebmann and Germany teammate Sven Schwartz delivered a 1-2 punch in the 800m freestyle , the teenage champion's 7:37.59 victory shaving 0.35 off his previous European record, which is now also a championship mark.
In a thrilling duel that came down to the last lap, Schwarz clocked 7:41.16 for silver, after overhauling Hungary’s Zalan Sarkany (7:41.75) in the closing metres of the hunt for home. The 3.57sec gap between gold and silver represented the biggest winning margin in the 800m since the event was introduced in xxx, the previous 'mind the gap' record dating back to 2014, when Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) beat Pál Joensen (FAR) by 3.51s.
Liebmann's victory - the fastest ever and confining Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri's 7:40.86 from 2022 to the history of former fastest wins, marked Germany's first gold in the pool after a successful Open Water campaign last week. The teenage charge of coach Bernd Berkhahn in Magdeburg, he established his first European 800m mark in spring by taking down Schwartz's standard:
Craig Lord
Day 3 finals coincided with the solar eclipse but Liebmann shone through as the latest German distance force to reckon with. He is the first German swimmer ever to win the 800m crown at the Euro L/C showcase.
After making his Euro senior debut so fruitful, Liebmann conveyed how he felt about the result and the podium celebration:
"I’m incredibly happy; that was a really good race. I had my eye on the gold medal, and I’m glad it worked out. It’s an amazing feeling to stand up there and hear the anthem played for you. It’s incredible."
Johannes Liebmann and Sven Schwartz - Photo by Patrick B. Kraemer
After winning several silver and bronze medals at continental junior championships, Liebmann is in the midst of his senior breakthrough year. He trains alongside the likes of Lukas Märtens and Florian Wellbrock and cites them as the fast hares that have made him a hunter.
From 500m, try as they might, his opponents simply could not stay in contention with him. The process was in place - and he followed and executed it., Said Liebmann:
"I was incredibly calm before the race. It didn't scare me. I was actually a bit surprised myself at how calmly I managed to approach it ... I simply executed the tactics I had discussed with my coach, Bernd Berkhahn. From the 400m mark onwards, there were moments when I thought, 'Hey, I’m going to win this today.' After all, a bit of confidence is always part of it."
Schwarz, 24, also greatly enjoyed the one-two finish:
"I’m absolutely delighted. Johannes couldn't be beaten today; he was simply too strong. We’ve fulfilled our mission here by taking gold and silver. Gold would have been nice, of course, but you can't always have everything."
Both are set to compete in the 1500m freestyle on Friday (heats) and Saturday, assuming they make the cut. "Of course, I’d be thrilled if we managed to do it again in the 1500m. I’d be even happier, though, if I were the one standing at the top," Schwarz remarked.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen was agonisingly close to another major championship medal, finishing fourth in a season-best 7:43.30, less than a second and a half outside the medals. Said Wiffen:
"I'm really happy with that, I think they described it as a disappointment before, but for me, I actually really happy with it. To see the progression that I've done in 13 weeks from being at my like lowest point, to then come back to Dublin, having to retrain the whole of the year in 13 weeks was really hard. So, to come back, another season’s best, just outside of the medals, I'm happy with how I put it together.”
Wiffen will also race the 1500m.
The History File below ...
