By Ian Ransom
PARIS (Reuters) – Germany’s Lukas Maertens won his first Olympic gold in the men’s 400 metres freestyle at the Paris Olympics on Saturday as he emerged triumphant from a final stacked with world champions.
Maertens touched the wall in a time of 3:41.78 to finish ahead of Australian silver medallist Elijah Winnington and South Korean bronze-winner Kim Woo-min at La Defense Arena.
The 22-year-old from Magdeburg came into the race with the fastest time this year and duly converted on the biggest stage to become the first German winner in the event since Uwe Dassler took the title for East Germany at the 1988 Seoul Games.
Maertens’ victory erases his record as a nearly-man in men’s swimming, following two bronzes and a silver at the last three world championships.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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