Over 200 meters dolphin

Espernberger in the final, LIVE from 8.30 pm

Martin Espernberger set a new OSV record in the 200-meter dolphin final.

(Bild: AFP/APA/SEBASTIEN BOZON)

Martin Espernberger finished the 200 meter dolphin final in sixth place and set a new OSV record in the process. In 1:54.17 minutes, he was 18 hundredths under the old record set by Dinko Jukic. "The atmosphere was incredible. That also gave me a boost," said the 20-year-old happily. Gold went to the Frenchman Leon Marchand.

The Upper Austrian had already caused a surprise by reaching the final. In the semi-final, Espernberger had already pushed his best time to 1:54.62. In the final he also broke Dinko Jukic's record, which he had set exactly twelve years ago when he finished fourth in London. 

Here is the result:

Nevertheless, he was even a little disappointed. "To be honest, I had even hoped for a time under 1:54," smiled Espernberger, who is studying electrical engineering at the University of Tennessee and has had an incredible six months.

New swimming trunks for the final
Only known to insiders, he surprisingly swam the limit for the Olympic Games in November, followed by World Championship bronze in the 200 meter dolphin in February. And yesterday the big final, for which he even bought a new pair of swimming trunks. "That's always a good feeling, plus it's nice and colorful, with lots of red," Espernberger winked.

As always, he was one of the slower runners at the start, but then caught up furiously. Driven by what was probably the most powerful atmosphere he had ever experienced. "In college, it's also really tough, but this was insane. You really felt it on the final stretch." No wonder, France's superstar Leon Marchand overtook world record holder Kristof Milak in the last 70 meters, taking his second gold in 1:51.21 minutes. And less than two hours later, he won his third in the 200-metre breaststroke in an Olympic record time of 2:05.85. Simply magnifique!