Overview

• Lukas Märtens, 22, announced his withdrawal from the Short Course World Championships in Budapest due to health concerns.
• The swimmer reported experiencing a night of throat pain, coughing, and body aches, leading to his decision to return home early.
• Märtens had been scheduled to compete in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay and the 400-meter freestyle individual event later this week.
• The German Swimming Federation quoted Märtens as saying it would not make sense to compete in his current condition, despite his usual willingness to push through minor discomforts.
• Märtens previously secured a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle at the 2024 Paris Olympics, solidifying his status as one of Germany's top swimmers.