Swimming World Championships in Singapore: Fourth gold medal: Wellbrock also wins with the relay

Florian Wellbrock swam to gold with the open water relay team, winning his fourth title at the World Championships in Singapore. The 27-year-old won alongside Celine Rieder, Oliver Klemet, and Isabel Gose. The German quartet prevailed over the Italian team in the 4x1500 meters in the ocean at Palawan Beach. Hungary took bronze.

No other male or female swimmer has ever won four open water titles at a World Championship. Wellbrock had already set a record with his first place in the new Knockout Sprint on Saturday—his third gold at these World Championships.

Four starts, four victories: It doesn't get any better than this. The Bremen native has already won nine World Championship gold medals in open water in his career. Only Thomas Lurz has been more successful, with twelve titles.

In another tropical heat wave early in the morning, Rieder led the German relay team into the race. The 24-year-old held off the top nations and handed over to Klemet. The Olympic silver medalist and Frenchman Marc-Antoine Olivier pulled away from their competitors.

Gose, who celebrated her open water debut at the World Championships in Singapore, also swam strongly. The 23-year-old sent Wellbrock into the final lap with a lead of about ten seconds over the closest competitors. The most influential athlete in these championships so far brought home the victory.

Wellbrock now has a few days to recover and prepare for the races in the pool. The exceptional athlete from SC Magdeburg also wants to compete for medals there. The indoor competitions begin next Sunday (July 27).