Johannes Liebmann sets 1,500m freestyle world record

At the European Swimming Championships in Paris, 19-year-old Johannes Liebmann set a new world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle. Swimming for SC Magdeburg, Liebmann clocked a time of 14:26.79 on the 50-meter course, breaking the previous record held by American Bobby Finke by nearly four seconds.

Liebmann, described as a ‘German wunderkind,’ also secured gold in other events, building on a European record he set earlier in the 800-meter freestyle. His performance drew praise from established stars, including Romanian swimmer David Popovici.

Liebmann’s success is attributed to the training system in Magdeburg led by coach Bernd Berkhahn. The Magdeburg training group has become a central hub for elite swimming, producing multiple champions including Florian Wellbrock and Lukas Märtens, and attracting international talent such as Sharon van Rouwendaal.