In the last few meters, Wellbrock slipped first gold, then the medal
Stand: 5:10 a.m.
It was planned differently: Florian Wellbrock climbs out of the pool as fourth
Source: dpa / Michael Kappeler
It should be Florian Wellbrock’s first trick. On the last lane of the 800 meter freestyle, he is on course for gold, but his strength is dwindling. After the frustration, a declaration of war follows. Because his parade route is still to come. And he knows how to get up again.
AGermany’s swimming hope Florian Wellbrock catapults himself into second place on the last 100 meters of the race. The field is close together, Gregorie Paltrinieri, who had tried to escape from the start, almost caught up. The last turn of the 800-meter race in Tokyo, Wellbrock is just leading – a perfect starting position: Because the last track is his strength, his teammates stand in the stands and scream. Gold is possible. He would be the first Olympic champion since the triumph of “Albatros” Michael Groß at the 1988 Games.
Then something happens that never happens otherwise. Wellbrock’s strength dwindles in the last 15 meters, he fights. The competition draws level. And just over.
Instead of the hoped-for first Olympic medal of his career, instead of the even possible gold on his side route, the thankless fourth place remains in a very tight and exciting final. American Robert Finke celebrates gold in 7: 41.87 minutes. Silver went to the Italian Paltrinieri (7: 42.11), bronze went to the Ukrainian Michailo Romantschuk (7: 42.33). Wellbrock, who does not come close to his German record time of 7: 41.77 minutes from the lead in 7: 42.68 minutes, is just behind. “Fourth place hurts, of course,” he says annoyed, “that was unfortunate. Today it wasn’t enough in the back, which was always my strength. ”
“In the end, everything felt very, very difficult”
In the next breath, however, the announcement of war follows. What does this result mean for his parade route in the basin, the 1500 meters? “I’ve already shown that I can handle something like this, that after a not so good race I can swim the 1500 meters very, very well,” he says calmly in the mixed zone of the Aquatics Center. “And back then, at the 2019 World Cup, the 800 meters were significantly worse.”
After Sarah Köhler finished the 13-year long Olympic dry spell of German swimmers with bronze the day before, the swimmers have to wait for the second medal. Köhler still has another chance, Wellbrock’s two tracks, on which he is the reigning world champion, are still to come.
Florian Wellbrock traveled to Tokyo as one of Germany’s great hopes for gold
Quelle: pa/picture allia/Ronny Hartmann
But what happened that made the medal slip away from him in the last few meters? “I picked up the pace at 650 meters because I saw that it was going to be very, very close,” he attempts an initial analysis. “It was maybe a little too hot or a little too early. In the end, it all felt very, very difficult. Normally I would have to have a Paltrinieri under control for the last few meters, which makes the whole thing even more annoying. ”
The fact that he still set the second fastest time that a German has ever swum – only he himself was faster two days earlier – only helped to a limited extent at first.
No mental trainer – Wellbrock writes everything down
Wellbrock, however, will quickly turn his gaze forward. On Friday he jumps into the pool in the 1500 meter freestyle run (final on Sunday 3.30 a.m. CET). At the 2019 World Cup in South Korea, he impressively demonstrated that he can switch quickly and tick off a disappointment. At that time he first won over ten kilometers in the open water – after that the pressure was great for the pool competitions, but the Magdeburg driver was eliminated in the pre-run over 800 meters.
“That was a kick in the face,” he recalls. “After the soaring, this low blow. Mastering this situation and picking myself up for the 1500 meters was quite a challenge. “
But he succeeded. And without a mental trainer. Wellbrock makes things out of itself. “I then turn on my cell phone and write whole novels in my notes app – everything that goes through my head,” he told WELT in an interview outside Tokyo. “This way I can collect and sort my thoughts and clear my head. That was very good for me in 2019. ”And how: He swam over 1,500 meters to gold and became the first ever swimmer to win gold both in the pool and in the open water at a World Cup.
This negative experience of the preliminary elimination certainly made him stronger, he adds. “I now know: even if I had a bad race, I’ll be able to get up again afterwards and do a top performance. Something like that doesn’t knock me out. “
In contrast to the World Cup, the open water races in Tokyo follow the pool competitions. Together with his Magdeburg team-mate Rob Muffels, Wellbrock wants to be at the forefront early Thursday morning, local time (Wednesday, August 4th, at 11.30 p.m. CET).
Melanie Haack – “That was a terrific race”
Sarah Köhler won the bronze medal in the 1500 meter freestyle at the Olympic Games. For the German pool swimmer, this is the first medal at the Olympics in thirteen years. Melanie Haack in Tokyo watched the race live.
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