Koch Puts Up Second Fastest 200 Breaststroke; Team Of 30 For Euro Champs Announced

The final night of the German National Championships in Berlin saw two German stars put up times that rank both number two in the world.

The man who brought home the only medal from the World Championships in Barcelona, Marco Koch, was the second swimmer of the evening to put up a time that ranks second in the world. Koch, who finished second in the 200 breaststroke in Barcelona, won the same event in Berlin posting a time of 2:08.51.

The only man having swum faster this year is Michael Jamieson of Great Britain, who he will have to beat to earn the European Championship crown. For Koch this is a season’s best and just outside of this lifetime best of 2:08.33 which he recorded in 2009.

In the men’s 100 butterfly Steffen Deibler took the event in a time of 51.86. Deibler’s time puts him second in the world rankings, just behind Takuro Fujii of Japan who has posted 51.84. 

Deibler’s previous best this season was a 52.13, which he put up in March. In August he will once again hit the water in Berlin chasing the European Championship in the event. Deibler finished third in December in the European Short Course Championships being beaten by Yevgeny Hovorov of the Ukraine and Jeremy Stravius of France.

Deibler also finished second in the men’s 50 freestyle posting a time of 22.42 while Bjorn Hornikel came away with the win in a time of 22.36.

World record holder Paul Biedermann continued how well he has recovered from the illness that kept him out of the pool for the 2013 season. Biedermann won the men’s 200 freestyle in a time of 1:46.25, a time that puts him in the sixth place spot in the world rankings.

On Friday Biedermann captured the 400 freestyle title in a time of 3:47.89, ninth in the world and on Saturday took the 100 freestyle in a time of 48.31, which ranks fifth in the world.

19 year old Alexandra Wenk took the women’s 100 butterfly in a time of 58.49 breaking the German age group record. The swim is a lifetime for Wenk, beating her previous best of 58.59 that she posted in 2010. She was followed by Franziska Hentke who finished in a time of 59.43 and Theresa Michalak who touched in a time of 59.76.

Vanessa Grimberg took the women’s 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:26.54. She was followed by Julia Willers who finished in a time of 2:29.24 breaking the age group record for 18 year olds. They were followed by Michelle Lambert who finished third in a time of 2:30.42.

Jan-Philip Glania took the men’s 100 backstroke in a time of 54.46 while Jenny Mensing took the same event in a time of 1:00.50.

Full results can be found here

The German also announced the team they will be sending to the European Championships which will be held on home soil:

Men:

• Paul Biedermann – 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle
• Steffen Deibler – 100 freestyle, 50 butterfly and 100 butterfly
• Bjorn Hornikel – 100 freestyle
• Robin Backhaus – 200 freestyle
• Yannick Lebherz – 200 freestyle, 200 backstroke and 400 IM
• Clemens Rapp – 200 and 400 freestyle
• Florian Vogel – 400 freestyle
• Soren Meibner – 800 and 1500 freestyle
• Nicolas Graesser – 50 backstroke
• Carl Louis Schwarz – 50 backstroke
• Christian Diener – 50 and 200 backstroke
• Jan-Philip Glania – 50 and 100 backstroke
• Hendrik Feldwehr – 50 and 100 breaststroke
• Macrco Koch – 50 and 200 breaststroke
• Markus Deibler – 200 IM
• Philip Heintz – 200 IM
• Jacob Heidtmann – 400 IM

Women:

• Dorothea Brandt – 50 freestyle, 50 breaststroke, 50 butterfly
• Johanna Friedrich – 400 freestyle
• Sarah Kohler – 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle
• Jaana Ehmcke – 400 freestyle
• Leonie Antonia Beck – 800 and 1500 freestyle
• Isabelle Harle – 1500 freestyle
• Jenny Mensing – 100 and 200 backstroke
• Lisa Graf – 200 backstroke
• Sonnele Ozturk – 200 backstroke
• Caroline Ruhanau – 50 breaststroke
• Alexandra Wenk – 50 and 100 butterfly
• Franziska Hentke – 200 butterfly and 400 IM