World Championships: Solidarity And Smiles Shine Through For Mykhailo Romanchuk and Florian Wellbrock

FASTEST QUALIFIER: The Ukraine's Mykhailo Romanchuk heads the qualifiers for the 800m freestyle final. Photo Courtesyt Peter H Bick.

World Championships: Solidarity Shines As Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk and Florian Wellbrock

The smiles of solidarity, friendship and the true values of sport said it all when the Ukraine’s Mykhailo Romanchuk turned to his German training partner and Olympic open water champion Florian Wellbrock at the completion of the fourth heat of the men’s 800m freestyle in Budapest tonight.

And it wasn’t just that Romanchuk had touched first in 7mins 44.75 in what would be the fastest time of the morning but that his close friend Wellbock had finished second – just a touch behind in 7:44.80 in what will continue to play out as one of swimming’s feel good stories of these World Championships.

As Swimming World’s European correspondent Elizabeth Byrnes reported on the weekend, Wellbrock’s invitation to Romanchuk to join him in Magdeburg, Germany, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February has touched the swimming world.

“Wellbrock looked on from Germany and contacted Romanchuk on Instagram, inviting him to Magdeburg where he trains with Bernd Berkhahn’s group,” wrote Byrnes.

“Two weeks later the Ukrainian accepted his invitation.”

Speaking at the opening press conference ahead of the World Championships in Budapest, Wellbrock said: “The important thing is for him to have a safe place, to follow his dreams and to continue his sport.

“I think for a special situation he is really good. His mind is in a good situation and his body is in a perfect shape.

“I really like to train with him because every training session is on a really high level, it is like a competition.

“He is one of my biggest competitors: his personal best in the 1500 is so close to my PB and I really enjoy to race him in every training and to learn from his technique and his mind so I benefit a lot.”

Romanchuk, born in Rivne in western Ukraine has claimed Olympic, World and European medals in the long-distance events in the pool.

The 25-year-old also holds National records in the 400-800-1500 free in both the long and short-course pools.

It was only fitting that they swam together in the heat and tomorrow night the pair will share the yellow centre lanes of the Duna Arena for what will be one of the most anticipated events of these Championships – and although a podium finish for these two special training partners would be a fairytale, there has been so much more at stake.

The stage is set for what will be a special race for both Romanchuk and Wellbrock no matter what the result.

Italy’s 2017 and 2019 World Champions Gabriele Detti (7:46.08) and Gregorio Paltrinieri (7:46.24) will join them in what will be a thrilling 16-lap final if today’s heats are any indication after Paltrinieri out-touched duel US Olympic champion Bobby Finke (7:46.36).

Also qualifying were Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen (7:46.32), Brazil’s Guilherme Costa (7:46.90) and Frenchman Damien Joy (7:47.46) with Australia’s Sam Short agonisingly close, missing the top eight, despite his personal best of 7:48.28.

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