| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
| Olympic Games | ||||
| 3 | Marathon 10km | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 1:51:53.6 |
| Heats | 1500m Freestyle | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 15:33.81 |
| World Championships Open Water | ||||
| 1 | Marathon 5km | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | 56:16.6 |
| 1 | Marathon 5km | 2010 | Roberval, QC, CAN | 57:42.6 |
| 1 | Marathon 5km | 2009 | Rome, ITA | 56:26.9 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Rome, ITA | 1:52:06.9 |
| 1 | Marathon 5km | 2008 | Seville, ESP | 54:57.3 |
| 1 | Marathon 5km | 2007 | Melbourne, VIC, AUS | 56:49.6 |
| 1 | Marathon 5km | 2006 | Naples, ITA | 1:04:32.3 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2006 | Naples, ITA | 2:10:39.4 |
| 1 | Marathon 5km | 2005 | Montreal, QC, CAN | 51:17.2 |
| 1 | 5km Freestyle - Team | 2004 | Dubai, UAE | 2:57:49.6 |
| 1 | 10km Freestyle - Team | 2004 | Dubai, UAE | 5:57:34.4 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2004 | Dubai, UAE | 1:54:38.0 |
| 2 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | 1:54:27.2 |
| 2 | Marathon 10km | 2007 | Melbourne, VIC, AUS | 1:55:32.5 |
| 2 | Marathon 10km | 2005 | Montreal, QC, CAN | 1:46:45.2 |
| 2 | 5km Freestyle - Team | 2002 | Sharm El Sheik, EGY | 2:43:37 |
| 3 | 5km Freestyle - Team | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | 57:44.2 |
| 3 | Marathon 10km | 2008 | Seville, ESP | 1:53:27.2 |
| 3 | 10km Freestyle - Team | 2002 | Sharm El Sheik, EGY | 5:37:41 |
| 3 | Marathon 5km | 2002 | Sharm El Sheik, EGY | 51:52.43 |
| 6 | Marathon 10km | 2010 | Roberval, QC, CAN | 2:01:08.5 |
| Marathon 25km | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | DNS | |
| European Championships Open Water | ||||
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | Eilat, ISR | 1:53:18.2 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2010 | Balatonfured, HUN | 1:54:22.5 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2008 | Dubrovnik, CRO | 1:52:48.9 |
| 3 | 5km Freestyle - Team | 2008 | Dubrovnik, CRO | 57:30.0 |
| 3 | Marathon 5km | 2008 | Dubrovnik, CRO | 54:04.3 |
| 4 | 5km Freestyle - Team | 2010 | Balatonfured, HUN | 1:00:13.5 |
| 5 | Marathon 5km | 2010 | Balatonfured, HUN | 59:20.3 |
| 6 | Marathon 5km | 2011 | Eilat, ISR | 54:35.3 |
| World Cup Open Water | ||||
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2012 | Cancun, MEX | 1:57:16.51 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | Hong Kong, CHN | 1:58:16.70 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | Shantou, CHN | 1:54:22.95 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | Santos, BRA | 2:06:05.77 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2010 | Setubal, POR | 2:01:05.6 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Dubai, UAE | 1:44:53.20 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Hong Kong, CHN | 1:58:22.5 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Shantou, CHN | 2:03:15.19 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Qiandaohu, CHN | 1:55:10.98 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | New York, NY, USA | 1:47:41.5 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Copenhagen, DEN | 1:57:40 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Annecy, FRA | 1:52:08.87 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Varna, BUL | 2:01:31.54 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Setubal, POR | 1:34:16.50 |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2008 | Cancun, MEX | 1:52:23.31 |
| 2 | Marathon 10km | 2012 | Eilat, ISR | 1:52:36.25 |
| 2 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | Cancun, MEX | 1:53:59 |
| 2 | Marathon 10km | 2010 | Hong Kong, CHN | 2:04:21.50 |
| 2 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | Sharjah, UAE | 1:49:15.56 |
| 3 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | Setubal, POR | 1:40:36.9 |
| World Cup Open Water (Ranking) | ||||
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2011 | 114 | |
| 1 | Marathon 10km | 2009 | 198 | |
Nickname
Thomsen, Panzer, Tommy (Athlete, 23 Feb 2007)
Hobbies
Skateboarding, listening to music, fishing. (NOC 2004; thomas-lurz.de, 14 Jul 2011)
Occupation
Armed Forces
Education
Social Work Studies - FH Wurzburg, Wurzburg, GER
Language(s) spoken
English, German
Club name
SV Wurzburg 05, Wurzburg, GER
Coach
Stefan Lurz [brother] (GER) from 2005 (thomas-lurz.de, 14 Jul 2011)
Position and style
Freestyle (Athlete, 23 Feb 2007)
Other sports
He is coached by his brother Stefan. His father Peter was the German Swimming Association's team manager. (1asport.de, 31 Aug 2006) His sister-in-law Annika Lurz is also a member of the German national swimming team. (1asport, 26 Jan 2007)
Debut
2001 for Germany, World Championships (Japan) (Athlete, 23 Feb 2007)
Injuries
He had an operation on his tonsils in December 2010. (FINA Aquatics World Magazine, 30 Apr 2011)
Additional information
Start of sporting career
He started swimming in 1988, in Wurzburg. (Athlete, 23 Feb 2007)
Reason for taking up this sport
He was influenced by his brother. (Athlete, 23 Feb 2007)
Ambitions
To win a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (thomas-lurz.de, 14 Jul 2011)
Training
He trains up to 12 times per week in the pool. Each day he swims an average of 15km. "I do some other land-based things like ergometer training on the bike and I am doing gym as well. I do weights twice a week and sometimes go three times." (thomas-lurz.de, 14 Jul 2011; swimnews.swimfacts.com, 31 Jan 2010)
Hero
German Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher and German footballer Franz Beckenbauer. (Athlete, 23 Feb 2007)
Most influential person in career
His brother, Stefan, who is also his coach. (Athlete, 23 Feb 2007)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Never give up." (freiwasserschwimmen.de, 01 Nov 2006)
Awards
He was named Swimming World Magazine's Open Water Swimmer of the Year in 2004, 2005 and 2006. (thomas-lurz.de, 01 Feb 2006)
In 2010 The FINA Aquatics World Magazine selected him as its Male Open Water Swimmer of the Decade. (dailynewsofopenwaterswimming.com, 23 Mar 2010)
On July 10, 2011 he was decorated with the Bavarian Sport Award [Bayerischer Sportpreis] for his outstanding athletic achievements. (svw05.de, 12 Jul 2011)
General
BREATHING
"I can only breathe on my left side. This makes it quite hard work in the pack." (Beijing INFO, 21 Aug 2008)
Previous Olympics
Beijing 2008, Athens 2004
