He was already the Olympic champion, now Lukas Märtens has won the next milestone of his swimming career: the 23-year-old broke Paul Biedermann’s almost 16 year old world record over 400 meters freestyle. Märtens struck the Swim Open from Stockholm after 3: 39.96 minutes and amazed the experts. The Magdeburg was eleven hundredths of a second faster than Biedermann in the summer of 2009. In particular: Märtens not undercut the time at the long -term highlight of the season, but in the first international competition since the 2024th Olympics. Height training camp felt good and knew that I was in shape – but I really didn’t expect such a time, ”he said. “The world record came surprisingly, I have to let it sink.” Biedermann also congratulated. “Congratulations: What a blatant performance! I am very pleased that the record in Saxony-Anhalt will remain!”, The former top athlete from Halle on the Saale on Instagram.märtens once again underlined his exceptional class with the record-and that it can also be expected in the Nach-Olympic season. The football fan and perfume lover has developed into a big show swimmer of the German team.2022, 2023 and 2024, the protégé of long-distance national coach Bernd Berkhahn each won a medal at the World Championships. At the summer games of Paris, the crowning glory followed: gold over 400 meters freestyle. Even then, Märtens had the world record in mind. It didn’t work in 3: 41.78 minutes. “It is afraid for me whether it has fallen or not,” he said at the time. Now he also fulfilled this dream. “Lukas swam into a intoxication here. With such a time you couldn’t actually expect it here,” said Berkhahn. Even his super swimmer does not get setbacks out of the concept. Märtens had to stop longer last autumn. In order to get rid of repeating nasal sinus problems, he had his nose operated on twice. With his historical time, he has now also put a respect for the world championships. At the highlight of the season at the end of July and early August in Singapore, the Magdeburger is one of the very big favorites.
