Felix Aubeock Talks Training, Preparation for Paris, And Competitiveness in Men’s 400 Free
By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam
2024 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Monday, June 17th – Sunday, June 23th
Belgrade, Serbia
Prelims: 9:30 am local time/Finals: 6:30 pm local time
LCM (50 meters)
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Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
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Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
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Day 7 Prelims Live Recap | Day 7 Finals Live Recap
MEN’S 400 FREESTYLE – FINAL
World Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
European Record: 3:40.07 – Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009)
Championship Record: 3:42.50 – Lukas Martens, Germany (2022)
Felix Auboeck (AUT) – 3:43.24
Dimitrios Markos (GRE) – 3:47.44
Antonio Djakovic (SUI) – 3:47.62
Danas Rapsys (LTU) – 3;47.87
Bar Soloveychik (ISR) – 3:48.47
Krzysztof Chmielewski (POL) – 3:50.24
Ondrej Gemov (CZE) – 3:51.46
Jon Joentvedt (NOR) – 3:53.79
Austria’s Felix Auboeck swam to a new national record posting a 3:43.24 in the men’s 400 freestyle on the final night of competition in Belgrade, Serbia. Auboeck broke his previous national record of a 3:43.58 that he swam at the 2022 World Championships.
The 27-year-old recently changed training bases, moving from Loughborough University in England to now train with BSFZ Südstadt in Maria Enzersdorf, Austria. He spoke on what has been different with his recent training.
“I figured out that I needed to swim faster, my endurance was in a great place but I was not in a situation where I could hold a higher pace for a 400. With the change with the training I was hoping to get this higher speed and also speed endurance and I haven’t swam a best time in two years and today I swam a best time so it really worked out”
The 400 freestyle was Auboeck’s lone event of the 2024 European Championships as he did not compete through the first 6 days of competition and swam only in prelims and finals of the 400 free on the final day.
“We use these opportunities this week, I just came for the last day so I wanted to get a good week of training in at home. Race today, then we have two days off and we go straight back into hard work for three weeks before we get back to taper for the Olympics. I think emotionally this was a peak and the next three weeks will go a lot easier into Paris. ”
The 2024 Paris Olympics will be the 3rd Olympic Games for Aubeock who also swam in the 2016 Rio Games as well as the 2020(1) Tokyo Games. His highest finish in Rio was 25th in the 400 free in a 3:49.35. He made significant strides before Tokyo, swimming the 2nd fastest time in prelims of the 400 free with a 3:43.91 before swimming a 3:44.07 for 4th. It took a 3:43.94 to make the podium in Tokyo.
Since Tokyo, the men’s 400 freestyle has been increasingly competitive. Auboeck’s time from yesterday would have won gold in Tokyo. This season, it sits at #6 in the World as Germany’s Lukas Martens holds the fastest time in the World this year with a 3:40.33. Auboeck spoke on the competitiveness of the event.
“It’s crazy. There’s just a huge group of guys who have been pushing each other the last couple of years, pushing the times to 3:40s which is not unrealistic to swim, where a couple of years ago, 3:44 almost made a medal. So, super super competitive but I probably want to fuel those guys in there but I just want to take this chance so I can be one of those guys in the summer”
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