The German Swimming Federation (DSV) has nominated a 40 swimmer team for the 2026 European Championships in Paris.
That roster is significantly larger than the 24 they sent to the 2024 European Aquatics Championships and the 28 they sent to the 2022 European Aquatics Championships. In fact, it is more swimmers than they have sent as far back as rosters that were readily available which means at least 2012.
“The Olympic Games in Paris and the World Championships in Singapore have given us a lot of momentum recently, which we now want to use to our advantage upon our return to the French capital. However, the focus is not only on the fight for medals. We want to give younger talents the opportunity to gain important experience for their future careers,” said Christian Hansmann, Head of Performance Sport at the German Swimming Federation (DSV).
Included on the roster is American-trained Julian Koch, who is coming off a breakthrough season in the NCAA. He didn’t compete at the German National Championships that were the primary selection meet, nor in long course at all during the qualifying period.
In spite of that absence, he has been “provisionally called up” to the European Championship team because he “fell ill during the qualification period,” the DSV said. He will undergo a performance assessment ahead of the championships to confirm his place on his team.
The team will include most of the country’s stars, including World Champion Anna Elendt, and the deep men’s distance group with names like Lukas Maertens, Sven Schwarz, and Johannes Liebmann.
Liebmann is the breakthrough swimmer of the spring for Germany after setting a European Record in the 800 free in Stockholm in April.
While countries can enter up to four events in prelims of the European Aquatics Championships, only two can advance to the semifinals or finals.
Specific event entries will be announced at a later date.
The biggest name missing is Florian Wellbrock, who also skipped the German National Championships. His times at the Swim Open Stockholm in April of 3:50.37 in the 400 free, 7:57.51 in the 800 free, and 15:15.79 in the 1500 free were not enough to earn him a provisional entry.
Besides Koch, other American-trained swimmers in the group include Kaii Winkler, who is a dual U.S. citizen training at NC State who has decided to represent Germany internationally.
Aside from those already mentioned, returning European Championship medalists include the defending champion in the men’s 100 breaststroke Melvin Imoudu, and the defending bronze medalist in the women’s 200 free Nicole Maier.
Germany scored 7 total medals, including Imoudu’s lone gold, at the last European Championships, but this year’s team is their best in a decade, on paper. In 2024, they medaled in all three mixed relays, but none of the men’s or women’s events. That was even without heavy hitters from places like France and Great Britain in attendance.
The entire German team will race at the German Sprint and Individual Medley Championships in Hanover from July 23-26.
The European Aquatics Championships will take place from July 31 to August 16, with the swimming portion taking place the last week of that period, from August 10-16.
Women (15)
Men (25)