Vice World Champion Lukas Märtens gave the German swimmers their second medal at the European Championships in Rome. The 20-year-old from Magdeburg came in second in the final over 800 m freestyle after 7:40.86 minutes. Gold went to five-time world champion Gregorio Paltrinieri from Italy (7:7:42.65). His compatriot Lorenzo Galossi took bronze (7:43.37).
Defending champion Michailo Romantschuk, who trains with Märtens and open water Olympic champion Florian Wellbrock in his home country of Ukraine because of the war, was only fourth (7:45.03).
Sven Schwarz (7:47.36) took fifth place. Märtens won silver in the 400 m freestyle at the World Championships in Budapest seven weeks ago, and he thinks he has good chances of winning a medal on this distance in Rome as well. Märtens’ partner Isabel Gose also won the first precious metal for the German Swimming Association (DSV) over 800 m on Friday.
Wellbrock, who won the silver medal in the 800 m in Budapest, had not started because he was behind in training. Like Märtens, the 24-year-old had contracted Corona after the World Championships, but became more seriously ill and had to stop training for several weeks. Wellbrock will initially concentrate on the 1500 m in Rome from Monday, after which he will decide whether he will also compete in open water.