The 24-year-old spread his arms like a gladiator and demanded even more applause from the audience: With a show of power in a class of its own, Germany’s top swimmer had outclassed the assembled world elite at the end of the short-course World Cup over 1,500 m freestyle.
Wellbrock: “That’s unbelievable”
The double world champion was visibly surprised by his gala appearance: “That is unbelievable. I did not expect that I would have the form for a world record.” When the national anthem was played during the award ceremony, a broad grin could be seen behind his dark FFP2 mask.
Wellbrock cracked the old record of the Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri by more than a second in 14: 06.88 minutes and thus prevailed clearly ahead of the second placed Tunisian Ahmed Hafnaoui and Michailo Romantschuk from the Ukraine.
Home with $ 80,000
For the new record alone, he received an extra premium of 50,000 US dollars from the world association FINA. Together with the prizes for his first places over 1,500 m and earlier in the Open Water World Cup, Wellbrock flies home from the Persian Gulf with 80,000 dollars more in his pocket.
A golden end to a successful year
For the native of Bremen, it was the crowning glory of a successful year on the last day of the international championships on the 25-meter track. Wellbrock had won over ten kilometers in open water at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and took bronze over 1,500 m in the pool.