Fourth open water gold medal: Wellbrock makes history
Four races, four victories: swimming star Wellbrock wins open water relay, picking up his fourth medal in open water swimming events.
Singapore (dpa) - German swimmer Florian Wellbrock has won gold in the open water relay, picking up his fourth medal at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The 27-year-old won the 4x1,500 metre race together with Celine Rieder, Oliver Klemet and Isabel Gose.
No swimmer has ever won four open water titles at a world championship before. “We have made history today,” Wellbrock said. He had already set a new record when he came first on Saturday, scooping his third gold medal at the World Aquatics Championship. “It’s crazy,” said German national coach Bernd Berkhahn, referring to Wellbrock’s achievement. Having previously won three events - the ten and five kilometre races, and the new knockout sprint - it could by no means be taken for granted that Wellbrock would once again perform so strongly. During the course of his career, Wellbrock - who is from the German city of Bremen - has already won gold nine times in open water swimming at world championship events. Only the German swimmer Thomas Lurz has achieved even greater success, scooping twelve titles.
Wellbrock now has a few days to recover and prepare himself for the pool races. The exceptional athlete from SC Magdeburg also hopes to pick up the medals there.
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