On July 16, Florian Wellbrock of Germany added another landmark achievement to his open-water legacy, securing gold in the men’s 10-kilometer final at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships on Sentosa Island. Clocking an impressive 1:59:55.5, Wellbrock clinched his seventh global open-water title in conditions described as “the warmest we’ve had to race in.”
Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, a six-time world champion across pool and open-water disciplines, put in a commendable performance to claim silver in 1:59:59.2—just 3.7 seconds behind the winner—marking his 17th World Championship medal. Australia’s Kyle Lee secured bronze in 2:00:10.3, narrowly defeating Germany’s Oliver Klemet by only 0.1 seconds.
The contest, originally scheduled for July 16, faced delays due to elevated water-quality readings—but the true challenge was the scorching water temperature. Wellbrock, 27, explained that extensive heat-specific training throughout the past year was key to his victory, enabling him to power through the demanding conditions.
During the final lap, the pressure climbed, particularly from Paltrinieri. Wellbrock recounted, “I knew Greg (Paltrinieri) was on my feet all the time. In the last lap, I saw it was Ollie (Klemet) and Greg on my back… it’s so dangerous when they’re so close, especially Greg.” Ultimately, his surge held, reaffirming his preeminence in the grueling discipline.
Now 30, Paltrinieri has cemented his place as one of the all-time great swimmers in distance events. With major medals including Olympic gold in the 1500m pool swim (2016), multiple world titles across the 800m and 1500m pool events and open water races, and current European long-course records in the 800m (7:39.27) and 1500m (14:32.80), Paltrinieri’s versatility is unrivaled.
In early 2025, he also dominated the European Open-Water Championships, capturing gold in both the 5 km and 10 km distances—a testament to his sustained elite performance.
Kyle Lee’s bronze places the Australian firmly among rising stars in the discipline. Meanwhile, Oliver Klemet, finishing fourth, edged closer to multiple podium finishes at global championships. The race featured 78 swimmers from 47 countries, underscoring the sport’s growing international depth.
Singapore’s hosting on Sentosa Island marks the first time the World Aquatics Championships have been held in Southeast Asia. The event introduced the 3 km knockout sprint race—a new fast-paced format—that is further diversifying athlete skill sets, demanding both ultra-endurance and sprint speed.
Experts note that this race exemplified vital lessons: acclimatization to extreme conditions, mastering pace tactics in close competition, and mental resilience. Heat adaptation, especially, proved essential, as evidenced by Wellbrock’s focused preparation. Meanwhile, Paltrinieri’s near comeback highlights the importance of strategic race planning and tactical positioning even in the closing stages.
Open-water athletes will now shift their attention to the upcoming 5 km events (July 18) and the Djokovic-style 3 km knockouts (July 19), culminating in a mixed 4×1500 m relay on July 20. The mixed relay, debuted in previous championships, continues to underscore the evolving nature of the sport.
As Wellbrock basks in another gold and Paltrinieri consolidates his extraordinary medal collection, the 2025 World Aquatics Championships have cemented their reputation as a stage for elite athletic prowess and transformative athletic innovation.
