Maertens hails German success after world 400m freestyle gold / Photo: MANAN VATSYAYANA - AFP
-
Sundar and Jadeja follow Gill's lead as defiant India draw fourth Test with England
-
Piastri turns personal disappointment into motivation to win at Spa
-
Bayern agree deal to sign Liverpool winger Diaz: reports
-
WHO says malnutrition reaching 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
Russia's Egorian wins world fencing gold as neutral athlete
-
Greece wildfires abating as firefighters contain outbreaks
-
Competitive element of Tour de France final stage removed after rain
-
Piastri holds off Norris at Spa, extends championship lead
-
Piastri wins Belgian GP, extends championship lead
-
Late Odegaard penalty gives Arsenal 3-2 win over Newcastle
-
Sundar and Jadeja follow Gill's lead as India frustrate England in fourth Test
-
Thais and Cambodians refuse to quit homes on clash frontier
-
Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel says opening aid routes
-
Godzilla fans fete the monster as it turns 70
-
Rashford makes Barcelona debut in Japan friendly win
-
Spanish veteran Garcia wins stage 2 of women's Tour de France
-
McIntosh makes golden start as Australia win world relay double
-
Rain delays start to Belgian Grand Prix
-
Chinese swimmer reaches world championships final aged 12
-
McIntosh 'in shape of my life' after romping to first Singapore gold
-
England see off record-breaker Gill as they push for India series win
-
Maertens hails German success after world 400m freestyle gold
-
Thailand and Cambodia to hold peace talks after more border clashes
-
McIntosh romps to world 400m freestyle gold, Ledecky third
-
Stokes strikes as England finally see off India's KL Rahul in fourth Test
-
Maertens wins thrilling world 400m men's freestyle gold
-
Questions swell in Eswatini over five men deported from US
-
Activist boat Handala seized off Gaza brought to Israel
-
Humanoid robots embodiment of China's AI ambitions
-
Israel says opening routes into Gaza to increase food aid
-
Greece gets EU help to battle disastrous wildfires
-
Pogacar leads peloton into Paris for Tour de France climax
-
Trump's Turnberry visit puts British Open back on agenda
-
Israel declares Gaza fighting pause amid deepening hunger crisis
-
McIntosh launches bid for world domination as Ledecky fires warning
-
Australia beat WIndies by three wickets in fourth T20I match
-
Kalinskaya meets Fernandez, De Minaur faces Spaniard in DC finals
-
Iraqi women table tennis players chase Paralympic dreams
-
Urgent need for 'global approach' on AI regulation: UN tech chief
-
Amateur football leagues win over cynical Chinese fans
-
US Fed poised to hold off on rate cuts, defying Trump pressure
-
Battling tariffs is no trivial pursuit for US games retailer
-
Ecuador deports more than 600 Colombian inmates as Bogota cries foul
-
Trump, EU chief seek deal in transatlantic tariffs standoff
-
Wallabies hire New Zealand's Donnelly to help Schmidt
-
New Zealand farmers battle pine forests to 'save our sheep'
-
Wallabies will not 'wallow in self-pity' after crushing Lions loss
-
Thailand, Cambodia clash despite ceasefire hopes
-
'Project Hail Mary' sends Ryan Gosling, and Comic-Con, into outer space
-
'Welcome to hell': Freed migrants tell of horrors in Salvadoran jail
NYSE - LSE
| RBGPF | -1.52% | 73.88 | $ | |
| GSK | -0.68% | 37.97 | $ | |
| NGG | -0.11% | 72.15 | $ | |
| AZN | -1.4% | 72.66 | $ | |
| RELX | -1.86% | 52.73 | $ | |
| BTI | -0.71% | 52.25 | $ | |
| RIO | -1.16% | 63.1 | $ | |
| CMSC | 0.24% | 22.485 | $ | |
| RYCEF | -0.3% | 13.2 | $ | |
| SCS | 0.66% | 10.58 | $ | |
| SCU | 0% | 12.72 | $ | |
| BCC | 1.94% | 88.14 | $ | |
| JRI | -0.46% | 13.09 | $ | |
| BCE | -0.95% | 24.2 | $ | |
| BP | 0.22% | 32.2 | $ | |
| VOD | -0.79% | 11.43 | $ | |
| CMSD | 0.17% | 22.89 | $ |
Maertens hails German success after world 400m freestyle gold
Lukas Maertens said German swimming had taken a "big step forward" after he won a nail-biting 400m freestyle gold at the world championships on Sunday, to add to Florian Wellbrock's success in Singapore.
Maertens, the Olympic champion and world record holder in the event, pipped Australia's Sam Short by 0.02sec. to become world champion for the first time.
Countryman Wellbrock won four golds in the open water events at this year's world championships and Maertens said the German team were enjoying the fruits of their hard work.
"I think we did a big step forward, the whole team," said Maertens.
"All the girls and guys are a really young team and there are a lot to come.
"Now I'm one of the old guys and I'm 23. That means a lot and I'm really proud to be in the German team."
Maertens came home in 3min 42.35sec after a fierce battle with Short, the 2023 world champion.
South Korea's Kim Woo-min, the reigning world champion, was third in 3:42.60.
Maertens was the favourite for the title after breaking the world record in Stockholm in April, a mark that had stood since 2009.
But Short fought him every stroke of the way, losing out after an incredible tussle to the finish.
"There was a lot of pressure, also as the world record holder, it wasn't easy to fight these guys," said Maertens.
"I tried my best, I gave everything, and I'm really happy and proud to be a world champion now.
"Germany has a new world champion and that's not usual, I think."
Australia's Elijah Winnington, the Paris Olympics silver medallist, surprisingly failed to qualify for the final.
Short finished fastest in the morning heats ahead of Maertens.
C.Hamad--SF-PST