The German Swimming Federation (DSV) has named 44 swimmers, including 40 for the pool, which includes four who are also part of the eight-strong Open Water squad of five men and three women bound for the European Championships in Paris from July 31 to August 16.

The 40 pool swimmers are nominated for Paris, those heading for the Open Water events have had their selections confirmed? Why 'nominated'? Because the DSV selection policy requires the entire European Championship team to compete at the German Sprint and Medley Championships - "The Finals"- in Hannover from July 23 to 26.

In Open Water, Florian Wellbrock (SC Magdeburg), Tokyo 2020ne Olympic Marathon champion, is aiming to repeat his record four-golds success at the Singapore 2025 World Championships from August 4 to 8 in the Seine, within sight of the Eiffel Tower at the Bras de Grenelle, in the week leading up to the start of pool swimming on August 10.

Oliver Klemet (SG Frankfurt and also part of the Magdeburg performance program) and Lea Boy (SV Würzburg 05) are also scheduled to compete in all four Open Water events. Klemet returns to the marathon fray in Paris two years after his Olympic Marathon medal-winning success in the French capital.

The team, pool and open water, is stacked with other medal hopes, most notably:

• Lukas Märtens - Olympic (2024) and World (2023 and 2025) 400m freestyle champion and Worlds 800m bronze medallist 2025
• Anna Elendt - World 100m breaststroke champion of 2025
• Sven Schwarz - Worlds double silver medallist, 800 and 1500m free
• Johannes Liebmann - European 800m free record breaker 2026.
• Oliver Klemet - Olympic Marathon Silver medallist 2024.
• Isabel Gose - Olympic (2024) bronze in the 1500m free, World-Champion OW Team 2025, Open medallist, and Worlds 2024, silver 800m free, bronze, 400m free and 1500m free
• Angelina Köhler - 4th Olympic 100 'fly final 2024, the podium including a swimmer with a positive doping test to her name, the case put down to mass contamination in the China-23-go-free controversy
• All members of the OW squad (team names in full below)

Liebmann, still a teenager, is the one man who is yet to make the podium in international senior waters, but his efforts at the Stockholm Open this season blasted him into the realm of title hopes for Paris 2026 alongside teammates at Bernd Berkhahn's Magdeburg program, Lukas Märtens, Florian Wellbrock and Frankfurt training partner of the group, Oliver Klemet, Hannover's Sven Schwartz completing a High Five Of German contenders who represent the fastest distance-freestyle force from any one national squad around the world.

Liebmann's Elevation:

Liebmann Sinks Schwarz’s European 800 Mark In 7:37.94 For All-Time No4 In Textile

German 19-year-old Johannes Liebmann becomes fourth teen ever to break 7:40 after Ian Thorpe (18 in 2001), Sun Yang* (19 in 2011) and Sam Short (19 in 2023)

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

When Liebmann Made Magdeburg, Germany & Coach Berkhahn A High-Five Club Of 14:34-14:40 1500 Mates

Johannes Liebmann, 19 , clocks 14:39.67 in a 1500m free battle with training partner Oliver Klemet, on 14:41.71, at the Stockholm Open, making coach Bernd Berkhahn’s squad in Germany one with 5 men between 14:34 and 14:40

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

In the Open water events, pool swimmers Isabel Gose and Leonie Märtens (both SC Magdeburg) will join Lea Boy (SV Würzburg 05), while Wellbrock will be joined by pool swimmers Klemet and Liebmann in the OW knockout sprint event in Paris.

In the pool, Germany has the podium in its sights but Christian Hansmann, of the DSV Board, also noted:

"The Olympic Games in Paris, as well as the World Championships in Singapore, have recently given us a great deal of momentum, which we now intend to harness as we return to the French capital. However, our focus extends beyond just the battle for medals. We also want to give younger talents the opportunity to gain valuable experience that will benefit their future careers."

The team includes two 18-year-olds - Linda Roth and Yara Fay Riefstahl - who will race in Paris after competing at a home European Junior Championships in Munich from July 7 to 12).

Julian Koch (SG Essen) makes the team on a provisional basis. The 20-year-old, currently studying in the US, suffered illness during the qualification period and will face a performance assessment to confirm his place in Paris nearer the time.

The pool competition will unfold at the Olympic Aquatic Centre in Paris, the venue for diving and synchro at the Games in 2024. Four swimmers per nation are allowed to enter each event, with the fastest two per nation eligible to progress beyond heats.

The DSV's Team Germany For Paris 2026

POOL

Women (15 from 8 programs)
SG Neukölln Berlin - Angelina Köhler
SG Essen - Julianna Dora Bocska, Nina Sandrine Jazy
SC Magdeburg - Isabel Gose, Nina Holt, Linda Roth, Maya Werner, Leonie Märtens
Athletic Club Palaio Faliro/GRE - Nicole Maier
SG Frankfurt - Anna Elendt
SC Chemnitz - Lise Seidel, Yara Fay Riefstahl
SV Nikar Heidelberg - Noelle Benkler, Lena Ludwig
Dresdner SC - Maya Tobehn

Men (25 from 15 programs)
SG Neukölln Berlin - Ole Braunschweig, Kaii Liam Winker, Luca Nik Armbruster
SC Magdeburg - Lukas Märtens, Johannes Liebmann
Potsdamer SV - Melvin Imoudu, Jan Malte Gräfe, Ole Mats Eidam
SG Frankfurt - Fritz Dietz, Oliver Klemet
Waspo 98 Hannover - Sven Schwarz, Martin Wrede
SG Essen - Cedric Büssing, Finn Hammer, Julian Koch*
Team Bochum - Jarno Bäschnitt, Lucas Matzerath
SV Nikar Heidelberg - Josha Salchow
SC Wiesbaden 1911 - Timo Sorgius
Ahrensburger TSV - Cornelius Jahn
Berliner TSC - Vincent Passek
AMTV-WTB Hamburg - Björn Kammann
FCN Schwimmen) - Jeremias Pock
SV Cannstatt - Subäjr Biltaev
SG EWR-Rheinhessen Mainz - Mathis Schönung

• - * subject to fitness test

OPEN WATER

Women (5 from 4 programs)
Men: (3 from 1 program and 2 clubs)

10km Women: Lea Boy (SV Würzburg 05), Leonie Märtens (SC Magdeburg)
10km Men: Florian Wellbrock (SC Magdeburg), Oliver Klemet (SG Frankfurt; also trains at the Magdeburg performance centre)
5km Women: Lea Boy (SV Würzburg 05), Julia Ackermann (SC Chemnitz), Fabienne Wenske (SV Nikar Heidelberg)
5km Men: Florian Wellbrock (SC Magdeburg), Oliver Klemet (SG Frankfurt)
Knockout Sprint Women: Isabel Gose (SC Magdeburg), Leonie Märtens (SC Magdeburg), Lea Boy (SV Würzburg 05)
Knockout Sprint Men: Florian Wellbrock (SC Magdeburg), Johannes Liebmann (SC Magdeburg), Oliver Klemet (SG Frankfurt)
4×1.5km Mixed Relay: Leonie Märtens (SC Magdeburg), Lea Boy (SV Würzburg 05), Oliver Klemet (SG Frankfurt), Florian Wellbrock (SC Magdeburg)

Thursday May 7

Obituary, Tributes & Plaudits for Coach Ian Turner

Swimming Mourns Ian Turner, Mentor To Paul Palmer & Guide On Britain’s Long & Winding Road To 4x200 Glory

“Ian Turner an absolute master of coaching from the 1980 ; 1990 and 2000’s. Ian tread where few others dared and took down barriers that stood in the way of many British and English athletes and national staff opening up new horizons for so many who dared to be better than the system permitted.”

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

The Far-Reaching, Long-Lasting Legacy Of Coach Ian Turner

Memories among the mourning, with plaudits and tributes to former head coach to Great Britain Ian Turner ... “Ian was a larger than life character - passionate about swimming and an excellent leader. He led by example and brought groups of swimmers and staff together with purpose and humour.”

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Also in The Vortex:

• Moesha Johnson Taking OW World Cup By Storm
• Regan Smith Leads Isabelle Stadden To No 3 In All-Time Sub-58 100 Back Club ... at the same meet:

Walsh Within 0.06 Of Spitz At His Best, Her Best 100 ’Fly A 4th Career WR Of 54.33

On 25.09 at the turn, the Virginia ace was travelling at a speed that only Swedish ace Sarah Sjöstrom (24.43 WR) Walsh herself, China’s Zhang Yufei and the model of sprinting Sjöstrom aspired to in Sweden, Therese Alshammar, have ever swum faster than in a pure 50m race

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

• Léon Marchand & Summer McIntosh Practice What They'll Preach In Championship Waters This Summer
• Seven Russian Aquatics Athletes Sanctioned Among 300 Caught In WADA Operation LIMS

The SOS FORUM:

FORUM: Where Will Swimming Find Patience Without Passivity On The Way To Growth?

Having considered just a few reasons why the jury is out on ‘reformists’ old and new at the top tables of international governance, our FORUM now turns to why traditional formats are misfiring. The Tao opens the way to deeper understanding of why League trumps Cup between Olympic Heights

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

EDITORIALS

How World Aquatics Is At Risk Of Repeating Catastrophic Mistakes From Sports Politics History

Time for athletes and swimming federations around the world to tell international regulators happy to see sport played out in a political battlefield: “NO! NO WAY! NYET!” ... here’s why…

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Fencing Athletes & Coaches Place IOC En Garde In Bout Over The Russian Question

Editorial follow-up from yesterday’s post: In a move that highlights the storm heading into Olympic sport ahead of LA2028, fencers & their mentors call on Kirsty Coventry to block overt Russia-U.S. politicisation of sport in one of the biggest protests from athletes in Olympic history

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord