2024 GERMAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (OLYMPIC TRIALS)
On the first night of competition in Berlin, Lukas Märtens posted a 3:40.33 in the men’s 400 freestyle, the fastest time in the World this season.
Märtens swims a world-leading time after both Elijah Winnington and Sam Short of Australia posted what previously were the fastest two times in the World this season just last week as they swam a 3:41.41 and a 3:41.64 respectively. Märtens had been #4 in the World this season as he swam a 3:42.96 at the 2024 World Championships in Doha in February.
TOP 5 TIMES IN THE WORLD THIS SEASON
- Lukas Märtens, GER, 3:40.33 (2024 German Champs)
- Elijah Winnington, AUS, 3:41.41 (April 2024)
- Sam Short, AUS, 3:41.64 (April 2024)
- Woomin Kim, KOR, 3:42.71 (2024 Worlds)
- Oliver Klement, GER, 3:42.81
Märtens previous personal best time stood at a 3:41.60 that he swam in April 2022 at the Stockholm Open. At 2022 Worlds just two months later, he swam a 3:42.85 for silver.
Märtens will look to make waves in the event this summer at the 2024 Paris Olympics but the battle will not be easy. He has been a consistent member on the podium in the event at the last three World Championships as he won bronze in 2023 and 2024 and silver in 2022. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Märtens did not make the event’s final as he was 12th in prelims with a 3:46.30.
Not only was Märtens’ time the fastest in the World this season but he also was just off of Paul Biedermann‘s World Record of a 3:40.07 that he set at the 2009 World Championships in the super-suit era. Märtens’ swim makes him the #4 performer of all-time, climbing from his previous rank of 11th.
Top 4 Men’s LCM 400 Freestyle Performers All-Time
- Paul Biedermann (GER) – 3:40.07, 2009
- Ian Thorpe (AUS) – 3:40.08, 2002
- Sun Yang (CHN) – 3:40.14, 2012
- Lukas Märtens (GER) – 3:40.33, 2024
- Sam Short (AUS) – 3:40.68, 2023
- Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN) – 3:40.70, 2023
- Ous Mellouli (TUN) – 3:41.11), 2009
- Elijah Winnington (AUS) – 3:41.22
- Lin Zhang (CHN) – 3:41.35
- Park Tae Hwan (KOR) – 3:41.53, 2010
Split Comparison:
| Märtens | Märtens | Biedermann | |
| Split | 2022 | Thursday | 2009 |
| 50m | 25.71 | 25.00 | 26.29 |
| 100m | 28.21 (53.92) | 27.37 (52.37) | 28.13 (54.42) |
| 150m | 28.31 | 27.87 | 28.01 |
| 200m | 28.29 (56.60/1:50.52) | 28.35 (56.22/1:48.59) | 28.59 (56.60/1:51.02) |
| 250m | 27.77 | 28.21 | 27.76 |
| 300m | 27.94 (55.71) | 28.01 (56.22) | 28.39 (56.15) |
| 350m | 27.97 | 28.12 | 27.13 |
| 400m | 27.40 (55.37/1:51.08) | 27.40 (55.52/1:51.74) | 25.77 (52.90/1:49.05) |
Biedermann closed much faster than Märtenss but it is notable that the super suit typically helped swimmers finish better
SwimSwam Magazines are big, coming in at nearly a pound per issue. We provide you four massive print issues designed to sit on your coffee table like a piece of artwork. With your yearly subscription, you receive over 600 of pages of swimming’s highest quality print content, and another 3000+ pages of digital issues, going back to the first issue produced.