The German swimmers are still waiting for the first medal at the short course world championships in Abu Dhabi. On Saturday, Isabel Gose missed this goal in fourth in the 800 meter freestyle by just 0.27 seconds. Gose did a tough race and was half way up the bronze course. The Chinese Bingjie Li set a fast pace that only the Russian Anastasiia Kirpichnikowa, Gose and the Italian Simona Quadarella could follow to some extent. When Quadarella increased the pace of the pursuers, Gose could no longer keep up. Even the very good final sprint of the Magdeburg woman was not enough. “It’s a bit of a shame that I swam so narrowly past the medal and the German record. But I’ve now improved by 19 seconds within a few months, so I can be satisfied,” said Gose.
Her colleague Marco Koch experienced a less uplifting competition over 200 meters chest, he finished seventh in the victory of American Nic Fink. “I’ve been tired the whole short course season. It was nice to have reached the final again, even if I was slower than in the run-up,” said Koch.