Swimming – world record with aftermath in German swimming

Lukas Märtens is still amazed when he thinks back to the past six months. Since his Olympic victory in Paris a year ago, the life of the Magdeburg native has changed noticeably: media hype, honors, vacation – and two nose operations. The 23-year-old only returned to regulated training in January. “After that you could see how quickly the season took off again,” says Märtens in conversation with “ND” – and almost adds incredulously: “Although I don’t really feel any great pressure at all.” A privilege that he owes the Olympic bold over 400 meters freestyle.

But the mixture of inner calm and newly obtained maturity soon paid off spectacularly: On April 12, Märtens ensured a historical exclamation mark at the Swim Open in Stockholm. In 3: 39.89 minutes, he undercut the 15-year-old world record of his compatriot Paul Biedermann-that from the era of high-tech suits-by eleven hundredths of a second. “You really couldn’t count here with such a time,” commented home trainer Bernd Berkhahn astonished. And Märens himself also needed a moment to understand what he had succeeded. Since that Saturday he has been the first person to have ever covered the eight lanes of crawl under 3:40 minutes.

The congratulations of the dethroned record holder Biedermann were not long in coming, a meeting between the new world recordler and his former model is already being considered. “Unfortunately, that has not worked yet,” says Märtens regretfully. Both are heavily clamped, and an appointment has not yet arisen. “But I’m sure it will work at some point.”

On the other hand, the next big appointment is certain: On Sunday morning, the hunt for the next precious metal begins for Märtens at the swimming World Cup in Singapore. Then Germany’s best pelvic swimmer is then entering the starting block for the first time – on its parade discipline. Paris’s Olympic champion should give the German team with a medal-ideally gold-for the upcoming World Cup week in the pool.

“It worked well in the past,” says Märtens confidently. Already at the World Championships 2022 in Budapest (silver), 2023 in Fukuoka and 2024 in Doha (bronze each), he regularly won a medal over 400 meters freestyle at the start of the title fights.

Nevertheless, the Magdeburg’s gaze has long been looking forward – also with a view to the structural challenges of German swimming sports. Since this year, the pelvic swimmers have had to make do with shortened federal funds – despite the Olympic success of Märtens and his training colleague Isabel Gose, who won bronze over 1500 meters in Paris.

Märtens has felt little of the cuts so far. The regular height training camp of his Magdeburg training group continues to be fully financed. But it is clear: Success like his Olympic victory – the first of a German swimmer over a pool route since Michael Groß and Uwe Dassler in 1988 – should again enable stronger public funding in the future. Accordingly, Märtens sees himself in his still young career on a kind of permanent mission.

»We try to bring new names into play as an association through such successes. I started with the pelvic swimming last year, “he emphasizes – and adds combative:” There is definitely more. “

For Märtens, the World Cup in Singapore is more than just a start of over 400 meters freestyle: in addition to its parade route, it also occurs over 800 meters freestyle, 200 meters back and in two seasons. Despite all the records and medals, the glowing supporter of the 1st FC Magdeburg continues to wait for his first world championship title.

The forced break last year had the freestyle specialist mature. “Celebrate with friends or just make nonsense – that has sometimes been neglected in recent years,” he looks back. The relaxation phase in autumn 2024 finally culminated in a world record in spring 2025. Whether Märtens can also call up its April cupboard in Singapore, the swimming fans will be excited from Sunday.