Antibiotics four times: Märtens forgoes short course championships
European swimming champion Lukas Märtens will have to miss the short course championships starting on Friday in Wuppertal. The reason for this is a series of infections with which the 21-year-old is struggling. "I have to take antibiotics for the fourth time this season," Märtens told the Volksstimme newspaper. "My body still needs time."
A start at the European Short Course Championships in Romania at the beginning of December is not planned for the World Championship bronze medallist in the 400-metre freestyle anyway. Märtens does not expect to take part in another competition this year.
The Magdeburg native had already traveled late to the training camp of national long-distance coach Bernd Berkhahn due to a flu-like infection. After a few days in the Sierra Nevada, Märtens had to stop training in the water as the doctor had diagnosed a sinus infection. After returning to Germany, he was also diagnosed with a coronavirus infection.
Despite the antibiotics, Lukas Märtens regrets missing the short course championships in Wuppertal, as he was aiming to improve his performances in the short course format. Due to his current health condition, Märtens has decided not to participate in any other competitions this year, including the planned European Short Course Championships in Romania.
Source: www.dpa.com
