Men's 400m freestyle: Lukas Maertens (GER) wins gold
 |
| Jack Spitser/Spitser Photography |
Germany's Lukas Maertens clinched the first swimming gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the men's 400m freestyle final. The competition was intense, with a notable absence of the Tokyo 2020 medallists, including the defending champion Ahmed Hafnaoui.
Race Highlights:
- Fast Start: South Korea’s Kim Woomin, the current world champion, had the quickest reaction off the blocks. He secured his title in Doha earlier this year.
- Early Lead: Lukas Maertens took an early lead after the first 100 meters, with the front runners keeping pace under the world record split.
- Mid-Race Positioning: By the 200-meter mark, Maertens remained ahead, but Kim was close behind in lane 1. The competitors were still under world record pace, despite the record being set with a slow start and fast finish.
- Challengers Emerge: At 250 meters, Australia's Sam Short moved into third place, surpassing his teammate Elijah Winnington. As they approached the 300-meter mark, Maertens continued to lead, staying ahead of the world record split.
- Final Stretch: The last 100 meters saw Maertens, Kim, and Short maintain their positions. Although the world record line was out of reach, Maertens managed to hold his lead.
Final Results:
- Gold: Lukas Maertens (Germany) - 3:41.78
- Silver: Elijah Winnington (Australia) - 3:42.21 (+0.43)
- Bronze: Kim Woomin (South Korea) - 3:42.50 (+0.72)
Additionally, Guilherme Costa from Brazil set a new Americas record with a time of 3:42.76, finishing in fifth place.
Lukas Maertens' victory marks a significant achievement for Germany in the swimming events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, showcasing his exceptional talent and determination in the pool.