Josha Salchow Goes Through The 48 Barrier With German 100 Free Record Of 47.85 In Berlin
Josha Salchow propelled himself into the German record books and the world top 10 in 2024 as he went 47.85 in the 100 free at the Berlin Swim Open.
Salchow split 23.11/24.74 to take 0.07 from the national standard of 47.92 set by Rafael Miroslaw in the 2022 edition of the event in the German capital.
It sent the 24-year-old just behind Great Britain’s Matt Richards in the rankings, the Briton having clocked 47.84 en-route to gold and ticket to Paris at the recent British trials.
Pan Zhanle heads the rankings with his 46.80 world record from the 2024 World Championships but there are a host of men jostling on 47s with Salchow now amongst them.
It was also well inside the ‘A’ cut for the Olympics in the French capital with Salchow clearly benefiting from a training stint in Australia alongside Kyle Chalmers, the Rio 2016 champion, and Matt Temple.
It was a first trip inside 48secs for Salchow who told the German federation before the Berlin meet:
“I would like to crack the individual standard over 100 metres and would also like to be the fastest freestyler in the medley relay.”
Behind him came Ole Mats Eidam (49.18) and Timo Sorgius (49.77)
Melvin Imoudu booked a ticket to Paris last weekend when he went 59.07 for a new 100m breaststroke PB at the Eindhoven Qualification Meet.
On Friday, he split 27.62/31.89 to stop the clock at 59.51 and lead home Subäjr Biltaev who set a German junior record of 1:01.36 in second with Volodymyr Lisovets third in 1:02.43.
David Thomasberger from second at the final turn to overhaul leader Ramon Klenz and win the 200 fly in 1:57.78 with Louis Schubert making up a deficit of almost a second at the 150 to come past and touch in 1:58.26 to Klenz’s 1:58.32.
Jessica Felsner won the 50 free in 24.88, the only woman inside 25, and Nele Schulz was the sole swimmer to break 2mins in the 200 free in 1:59.54.
Lebanese swimmer Lynn Hajj won the 100m breaststroke in 1:10.82 while Anja Crevar of Serbia dominated the women’s 400IM in 4:46.96 with Laura Kohlmann – nine years her junior – the first German swimmer home in second in 4:50.01.
Ole Braunschweig was the only man inside 25secs as he enjoyed a clear win in the 50 back in 24.70, 0.13 outside his national record of 24.57 from last year’s Berlin Swim Open.