Overview

• Florian Wellbrock swept every open water race in Singapore, seizing gold in the 10 km, 5 km and inaugural Knockout Sprint before anchoring Germany’s mixed relay to victory.
• His fourth triumph in the mixed relay raised his career World Championship golds to ten, making him the second-most decorated open water swimmer behind Thomas Lurz.
• Wellbrock’s run caps a comeback from his disappointing 2024 Paris Olympics, a turnaround credited to his work with coach Bernd Berkhahn in Magdeburg.
• The new Knockout Sprint format tested athletes across elimination rounds of 1500 m, 1000 m and 500 m, where Wellbrock dominated each heat.
• Competitors battled in water temperatures above 30 °C and oppressive tropical heat, underscoring the endurance required for open water events in Singapore.