Gose ecstatically swims towards the World Cup final, now unimpeded
Isabel Gose Aims for Medal Glory in 800m Freestyle Final at Singapore World Swimming Championships
Isabel Gose, a Berlin native who has been training with national coach Bernd Berkhahn in Magdeburg for years, is set to compete in the final of the 800m freestyle at the Singapore World Swimming Championships on Saturday. The final is scheduled for 14:21 CEST.
Gose qualified for the final with the fourth-fastest prelim time of 8:20.21 minutes. After qualifying, Gose was visibly relieved. However, the journey to this point has been a mixed bag for the swimmer.
In open water events, Gose has shown exceptional form and speed, particularly in the 3k knockout where she is considered a top contender. In contrast, in pool swimming events, Gose did not reach the finals, such as in the 400m freestyle.
After a difficult experience in the 1500m event, resulting in an early exit, Gose found distraction and fun with her team helpful in bouncing back. Gose hinted that she put too much pressure on herself and that it was getting to her after the 1500m event.
In the 800m freestyle final, Gose will face stiff competition from Olympic champions Katie Ledecky (USA), Summer McIntosh (Canada), Lani Pallister (Australia), and defending champion Simona Quadarella from Italy.
The competition for the medals in the 800m freestyle final is very different this time due to some top stars skipping the title fights in February due to the Summer Olympics. Gose won silver in the 800m at the World Championships last year and is looking forward to the chance to crown her emotional Southeast Asia journey with a medal in the pool on Saturday.
Gose has changed her routines before the final to stay out of the big hustle and bustle in the World Aquatics Championships Arena. She won gold in the relay with Florian Wellbrock, Oliver Klemet, and Celine Rieder two weeks ago at the World Championships, competing in open water for the first time.
Despite the challenges faced in the pool events, Gose remains optimistic and determined to make a splash in the final. With her strong performances in open water events, particularly the 3k knockout, Gose is expected to be difficult to beat in the upcoming knockout races.
Gose, having shown exceptional form in open water events, is also a top contender in the 3k knockout race. In addition to her pursuit for the medal in the 800m freestyle final, she aims to excel in the knockout races as well.
