Bad Nenndorf/Gold Coast.
The national team of the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) took fifth place in the national rankings at the Lifeguard World Championships on the Gold Coast, Australia. As in Italy two years ago, Australia won ahead of New Zealand and France. The German athletes returned with five titles and a total of eleven medals, all of which they won in the swimming pool. On the beach and in open water, they were not enough to make it to the top spots. “Fifth place is on target. Fourth place would have been possible if we had made it through without any injuries. But the first three nations were too strong,” said DLRG team manager Holger Friedrich.
The German women were particularly successful in the pool competitions. Exceptional swimmer Nina Holt was in top form just a few weeks after taking part in the Olympic Games in Paris. The 21-year-old won three gold medals in the individual event, topping her haul from two years ago when she became a two-time world champion. Nina Holt also won two relay events together with Alica Gebhardt, Lena Oppermann and Undine Lauerwald. In the final of the 4×25 meter rescue of a dummy, the quartet smashed the previous world record. Lena Oppermann (bronze and silver) and Undine Lauerwald (bronze) also secured their own medals in the individual event. Tim Brang (bronze) also managed the same for the men. The German team won two more bronze medals in team events.
After the competitions at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, the athletes from more than 50 nations moved to Kurrawa Beach. There, the German lifeguards fought for as many points as possible for the overall ranking and achieved some impressive results, but were unable to add a medal to their haul from the pool. The German women missed out on this, coming fourth in the lifeguard relay. Nina Holt, the best European in surf swimming, and Clemens Wulkopf, the second best European athlete in the lifeguard ski race, achieved the best individual results with their seventh place. Bitter for the German team: Alica Gebhardt seriously injured her foot, was unable to compete in two finals and was out completely on the second day of the competition.
Will lifesaving soon be an Olympic sport?
In Paris they had to watch, but in 2032 in Brisbane lifeguards may be able to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time. Rescue sport, the competitive version of lifesaving, is particularly popular in Australia. The World Championships on the Gold Coast are thus an application letter for a sport that emerged decades ago from water rescue. As a member association of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, the DLRG sends the national lifesaving team.
The Germans’ achievements at a glance:
Nina Holt (DLRG Harsewinkel) laid an almost perfect Meisin the pool: six medals in six disciplines, including five gold medals. Only in the 4×50 meter steeplechase did athletes from two other nations stand higher on the podium. The 21-year-old from Erkelenz defended her two titles from two years ago: she won both the 50 meter rescue (33.20 seconds) and the 100 meter combined rescue (1:05.75 minutes) in new world record times. She also crowned herself world champion in the 200 meter steeplechase for the first time – this time without a world record, but with a new national best time in the preliminary round (2:04.31 minutes). Press photos:
Undine Lauerwald (DLRG Halle-Saalekreis) completed the 100 meter rescue with fins and life jacket a little faster than when she won her world championship title two years ago. This time, however, the 21-year-old from Meißen had to admit defeat to two New Zealanders. In addition to bronze in the individual event, she was delighted with three medals in the team disciplines, including two gold medals, and a world record in the 4×25 meter rescue of a dummy. On the beach, she just missed out on a medal with fourth place in the team. Press photos:
Club cameraFROM Lena Oppermann (DLRG Halle-Saalekreis) schnitt even more successfully. In the individual event, the 19-year-old won silver in the 100-meter combined rescue exercise and bronze in the 50-meter rescue of a dummy. In the relay competitions, the youngest member of the team collected two gold and two bronze medals – including a world record. Press photos:
Alica Gebhardt (DLRG Harsewinkel) remained an individual medale denied this time. The 2022 vice world champion in the 200 meter super lifesaver discipline has two twelfth places in the pool. In the relays, she was happy with three medals, including two gold, and a world record in the 4×25 meter rescue of a doll. On the beach, the 26-year-old sustained a foot injury, which caused her to miss two finals and other competitions. Press photos:
As a specialisttin for the disciplines on the beach and outdoorswater remained Lea Kötter (DLRG Lüneburg) only played the role of a cheering spectator at the medal ceremony in the pool. With the life jacket relay team, she narrowly missed out on a medal herself, coming fourth at Kurrawa Beach. In the beach sprint discipline Beach Flags, she achieved her best result of tenth place. In the 90-meter beach sprint (15th) and in the race with the rescue ski (13th), she collected further points for the team ranking. Press photos:
Also Anna-Fiona Volz (DLRG Nieder-Olm/Wörrstadt) stood for the disciplines outside the swimming pool. She was also part of the women’s quartet in the life jacket relay team, which had to settle for fourth place. In the individual event, she achieved her best result of sixteenth place in the Oceanwoman discipline. Press photos:
Max Tesch (DLRG Luckenwalde) remained a medal in Australien. At his second World Championship with the national team, he qualified for three B finals in the pool. Tenth place in the 200 meter Super Lifesaver was his best individual placing. The 28-year-old from Sarnow, who lives in Berlin, fought his way to several more placings in A finals together with his teammates. Press photos:
Brang Team (DLRG Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock) it was not possibledefend his title in the discipline of 100 meters rescue with fins and belt rescue. The 26-year-old missed the A final and secured ninth place with his victory in the B final. The next day he took third place in the 100 meters rescue with fins (without belt) and won an individual medal. He was delighted to win another bronze medal in the mixed rescue relay. Press photos:
Adrian Bierewitz (DLRG Rheindahlen) qualified at of his first World Championships, he qualified for a final in the first heat. The 24-year-old finished the final in obstacle swimming in a strong sixth place, which was also his best result. In the 50 rescue of a doll, he came in the top ten, finishing tenth. Together with his teammates, he made it to several finals in the relay competitions. Press photos:
Two years agoen in Italy missed Jan Laufer (DLRG Hamburg Altona) finished eleventh in both sprint disciplines, just short of a place in the top ten. This time, the 24-year-old finished tenth in both. However, there was no medal with the relay this time. Press photos:
Felix Hofmann (DLRG Kelkheim) achieved four starts in the Pool three new personal bests. In the 200 meter Super Lifesaver he unexpectedly achieved a strong fourth place. The 19-year-old also rewarded his good performance with bronze in the mixed rescue relay. In the sea he and Clemens Wulkopf also achieved tenth place in the rescue with the rescue board. Press photos:
Clemens Wulkopf (DLRG Harsewinkel) was appointed as a specialist forr the open water disciplines. The European champion in the rescue ski race also achieved his best result in this competition, coming seventh. Only one European, Briton Phillips, finished ahead of him. The 21-year-old collected further points for the team rankings by coming twelfth on the rescue board and fifteenth in the Oceanman. Together with Felix Hofmann, Wulkopf also came tenth in the rescue with the rescue board. Press photos:
LUCK 2024
The Lifesaving World Championships (LWC), organized by the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS), take place every two years. In addition to the competition between nations, other competitions are held with athletes from all over the world, such as those for age group athletes aged 30 and over (Masters) or those for clubs (Interclubs).
More information about LWC 2024 on www.lwc2024.com
About rescue sport
Rescue sport is the competitive version of lifesaving. It was born out of the idea of getting people involved in water rescue services. Good rescue athletes are also good lifeguards. The sport can help save lives in an emergency. Strength, stamina, speed and mastery of rescue equipment are prerequisites for being able to compete.
Further information on the World Lifesaving Championships as well as all results and many pictures can be found at dlrg.de/wm. High-resolution images for reporting purposes are available in DLRG Media Portal to find.
Press contact: Martin Holzhause Head of DLRG Press Office Telephone: 05723 955 442 Mobile: 0162 175 12 04 E-mail: [email protected]
Additional material: www.presseportal.de Source: DLRG – German Life-Saving Association
