Johannes Liebmann Claims 800 Free Title at AP Race London; Filip Nowacki Secures 200 Breast Crown
The 2026 edition of the AP Race Lond International concluded on Monday at the London Aquatic Centre, which was the site of the 2012 Olympic Games. The Day Three finals featured appearances from rising German distance star Johannes Liebmann and the United States’ Anna Moesch, who headed into the final session with victories in the 50-meter freestyle and 200 freestyle already secured.
Moesch was dazzling in the 100 freestyle on the final night of action, as she set an American record of 51.94 and became the No. 2 performer in the history of the event, behind only Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom. The former American record belonged to Simone Manuel, who went 52.04 at the 2019 World Championships.
Read more about Moesch’s performance.
Here is a recap of the rest of the Night Three finals:
Johannes Liebmann Powers German Contingent
Coming off a European record in the event from last month, Germany’s Johannes Liebmann prevailed in the 800 freestyle behind a time of 7:44.12. The effort was the latest proof from Liebmann that the 19-year-old is prepared to take over the throne of German distance swimming, as he finished ahead of American Ryan Erisman (7:45.42) and the German tandem of Oliver Klemet (7:47.87) and Florian Wellbrock (7:55.26).
Liebmann owns the European record at 7:37.94, a time he posted at the Swim Open Stockholm, and is part of a spectacular training group in Magdeburg. Coached by Bernd Berkhahn, Liebmann trains daily with Klemet, Wellbrock, Lukas Martens and Isabel Gose. The target for the summer will be the European Championships in Paris.
In finishing second, Erisman sliced six seconds from his previous best of 7:51.74 and is now the seventh-fastest American performer in event history.
While Liebmann prevailed in the men’s 800 freestyle, another German emerged triumphant in the women’s edition of the event. Already the victor in the 400 freestyle and 1500 freestyle, Isabel Gose added the title over 16 laps to her collection. Gose touched the wall in 8:24.26, more than four seconds clear of the United States’ Mila Nikanorov (8:28.41).
Angelina Kohler snared her second victory of the meet in the 100 butterfly, where she went 57.00. Kohler won the 50 butterfly on Sunday and finished ahead of Slovakia’s Tamara Potocka in the 100 fly, as Potocka touched in 57.32.
Filip Nowacki Edges Oliver Dawson in 200 Breast Duel
In what could be a preview of the Commonwealth Games later this summer, British teenager Filip Nowacki fended off Canadian Oliver Dawson for the title in the 200 breaststroke. Nowacki came through with a time of 2:08.85, followed by Dawson in 2:08.93. Dawson already set Canadian records in London in the 50 breast and 100 breast, and he just missed another in the 200 distance, as Mike Brown’s standard has stood at 2:08.84 since 2008.
A pair of teenagers shared first place in the 200 individual medley, as Great Britain’s Amalie Smith and the United States’ Audrey Derivaux notched matching times of 2:10.32. The winner of the 400 IM on Sunday, Smith erased a deficit through the 150-meter mark to pull even at the touch. Third place was earned by Abbie Wood in 2:11.20.
Matt Richards capped the night with a victory in the 200 freestyle, as his 1:47.13 bettered the 1:47.33 of Germany’s Jarno Baschnitt and the 1:47.43 of James Guy. Oliver Morgan was the lone athlete to break the 54-second barrier in the men’s 100 backstroke, winning the event in 53.81.
In Other Action…
Bound for the University of Tennessee, rising American Charlotte Crush notched her second backstroke victory of the competition. After winning the 100 backstroke on Sunday, Crush clocked 2:08.63 to win the 200 back on the last day of the meet. That time landed Crush a comfortable margin over Ireland’s Ellen Walshe, who was timed in 2:10.88.
Estonia’s Daniel Zaitsev won the men’s 50 butterfly in 23.25 while countrywoman Eneli Efimova topped the field in the 50 breaststroke, on the strength of a 30.39 showing.
