The German open water swimmers left a world championship without a medal for the first time since 2017. At the end of the 2024 World Championships in Doha in this discipline, the relay team also missed out on precious metal, albeit only just.
Leonie Beck, Celine Rieder, Oliver Klemet and Arne Schubert took fourth place in the 4 x 1500 meters in 1:04:11.60 hours. The team from Australia celebrated the title. Silver went to Italy and bronze went to Hungary.
Germany was still in third place at the last change. On the final lap, 17-year-old Schubert had to let 10-kilometer world champion Kristof Rasovszky overtake him.
The Germans had already missed the podium places they were aiming for over five and ten kilometers in the individual race in Qatar. Beck and Florian Wellbrock each started as defending champions in the port of Doha, but were unable to take part in the fight for precious metal.
Exceptional swimmer Wellbrock decided not to start the relay. He is relying on regeneration and wants to fight for medals in the pool races next week.