Mission title defense failed: Florian Wellbrock does not repeat his feat from 2019, also because the winner almost breaks the world record. At the World Championships in Budapest, the Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri wins the 1500 meters in record time. The 24-year-old German takes bronze.
Swimming star Florian Wellbrock won his second World Championships medal at the end of the pool competitions in Budapest, but missed out on successfully defending his title. The 24-year-old had to settle for bronze in the top-class final over 1500 meters freestyle after 14:36.94 minutes, he was more than four seconds behind the new world champion Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy).
“I’m going out very happy with the bronze medal,” said the Magdeburger: “At a world championship, especially in this field, it’s never a matter of course to get on the podium.” Paltrinieri “did it great. I knew that he would start quickly – but I didn’t expect him to start so quickly.”
Second was the American double Olympic champion Bobby Finke. Rio Olympic champion Paltrinieri was on course for a world record right down to the last lane and set a world and European record of 14:32.80 minutes. Wellbrock’s Magdeburg club colleague Lukas Märtens took fourth place.
Wellbrock, who had won silver in the 800 meters four days earlier, will still be competing in three open water competitions with a chance of winning in the second week of the World Championships. For the German Swimming Association (DSV) it was the fourth medal in the title fights in Budapest. In addition to Wellbrock, Märtens (400 meters freestyle) and Anna Elendt (100 meters breaststroke) also won silver.
