2021 GERMAN OLYMPIC TRIALS – BERLIN
- Friday, April 16th – Sunday, April 18th
- Friday/Saturday: Prelims at 10am local/Finals at 7pm local; Sunday: Prelims at 9:30am local/Finals at 4pm local
- Schwimm- und Sprunghalle im Europasportpark, Berlin
- German Olympic Selection Policy
- Long course meters (LCM)
- Start lists
- Live results
This week’s Olympic qualifier in Berlin is the last chance to make the German Olympic team, part of a three-meet Trials period this month.
2000-born Lucas Matzerath dropped a sub-minute swim in the men’s 100 breast, going 59.63 to slice a tenth off of his old best of 59.75, just under the German qualifying cut of 59.80. He edged out Fabian Schwingenschloegl (1:00.02), who set the German record with a 58.95 earlier in the month and is in pole position to make the Olympic team, along with 200 breast specialist Marco Koch (1:00.43).
Koch is already qualified in the 200 breast. There could be more sub-minute swims tonight; Melvin Imoudu, who went a 1:00.16 just a week ago in Eindhoven, was fifth in 1:01.48 behind Maximilian Pilger (1:01.09). Pilger has been 1:00.71, so he’s not far off of the minute mark, either.
On the women’s side, University of Texas star Anna Elendt dropped a 1:07.65, the only finisher under 1:09 and just off of her lifetime best of 1:07.50 from November. She needs to get to a 1:07.00 tonight to meet the qualifying cut.
The men’s 200 free saw several men near the Olympic cut, led by Lukas Märtens, who currently sits #2 under the consideration cut in the 400 free and 1500 free. Märtens hit a 1:46.96, just ahead of Jacob Heidtmann (1:47.00), while Henning Mühlleitner wasn’t far back at 1:47.77 and Poul Zellmann also finished under 1:50 (1:48.63).
Heidtmann and Zellmann were both on Germany’s eighth-place 4×200 free relay at 2019 Worlds, and both men qualified to swim the race individually at that meet. Märtens was closest to the cut of 1:46.70, though, and it’ll be a tight race as all four men look like they could get it; Heidtmann and Zellman both have lifetime bests of 1:46.8, while Märtens and Mühlleitner hit best times this morning but have looked sharp this month.
OTHER TOP FINISHES
- Marius Kusch, already qualified for Tokyo in the 100 fly, led the prelims of that same event with a 52.23.
- Three women broke two minutes in the 200 free prelims, led by Leonie Kullmann at 1:58.73 ahead of Isabel Gose (1:59.31) and Marie Pietruschka (1:59.84). The German cut for this event is a 1:57.20.
- Marek Ulrich and Ole Braunschweig were both under 54 this morning in the men’s 100 back with Ulrich ahead, 53.75 to 53.88. They’re right on target; it’ll take a 53.70 to earn consideration for the team, and no men have hit it yet. Christian Diener is also in the mix after going 54.49 for third in prelims.
- Laura Riedemann, already qualified in the 100 back, was far and away the best swimmer in the prelims today. She was 1:00.04, nearly under a minute and more than two seconds ahead of any other finisher.
As I expected, Maertens and Heidtmann showing they’re a good base for Germany to build a decent 4×2 relay around. Does anybody know if Julia Mrozinski has had an injury? Her freestyle was beginning to look encouraging before covid, but she is well off the pace now.
Not sure if those swims are enough to call it a good base …
Märtens is an interesting athlete, very versatile. His coach said that in the future he might try the 200 free and/or 200 back individually (and obviously the 800 free). Very sad that Miroslaw (injury), Wierling (probably wants to focus on the 100 free) and Kunert (no idea what happened with him) all didn’t compete, all of the have been 1:47 before. I also would have liked to see what Wellbrock can do in the 200 free. Hard to imagine that someone who swims 3:44.3 couldn’t go 1:47.
No idea what is going on with Mrozinski. I read that she has asthma, so the current… Read more »