The 1500 metres freestyle is an event in competitive swimming. World records are ratified by World Aquatics (formerly FINA). The current long course world record holders are Germany's Johannes Liebmann and the US' Katie Ledecky, while the current short course world record holders are Germany's Florian Wellbrock, and Ledecky.
The men's event was first contested at the Olympic Games in 1908, while the women's event was introduced in 2020; the current Olympic champions are the US' Bobby Finke and Ledecky. The men's event has been contested at the World Aquatics Championships since the inaugural championships in 1973, while the women's event has been contested since 2001; the current world champions (long course) are Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi, and Ledecky. The men's event has been contested at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) since the inaugural championships in 1993, while the women's event has been contested since 2022; the current world champions (short course) are Jaouadi, and Germany's Isabel Gose.
World record progression
Men long course
Men short course
Women long course
Women short course
All-time top 25 Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 1500 m freestyle times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 1500 m freestyle times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 1500 m freestyle times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 1500 m freestyle times
Men long course Correct as of August 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 14:26.79 Johannes Liebmann 15 August 2026 Paris 2 2 14:30.67 Bobby Finke 4 August 2024 Paris 3 3 14:31.02 Sun Yang 4 August 2012 London 4 4 14:31.54 Ahmed Hafnaoui 30 July 2023 Fukuoka 5 14:31.59Finke #2 30 July 2023 Fukuoka 5 6 14:32.80 Gregorio Paltrinieri 25 June 2022 Budapest 7 14:33.10Paltrinieri #2 13 August 2020 Rome 6 8 14:33.97 Samuel Short 15 August 2026 Irvine 9 14:34.04Paltrinieri #3 18 May 2016 London 7 10 14:34.07 Daniel Wiffen 18 February 2024 Doha 11 14:34.14Sun #2 31 July 2011 Shanghai 8 12 14:34.41 Ahmed Jaouadi 3 August 2025 Singapore 13 14:34.55Paltrinieri #4 4 August 2024 Paris 9 14 14:34.56 Grant Hackett 29 July 2001 Fukuoka 15 14:34.57Paltrinieri #5 13 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 10 16 14:34.89 Florian Wellbrock 21 April 2023 Berlin 17 14:34.91Wiffen #2 14 April 2023 Stockholm 18 14:35.43Sun #3 18 November 2010 Guangzhou 11 19 14:35.69 Sven Schwarz 3 August 2025 Singapore 20 14:35.79Wiffen #3 11 August 2023 Dublin 21 14:35.85Paltrinieri #6 30 July 2017 Budapest 12 22 14:36.10 Mykhailo Romanchuk 16 August 2022 Rome 23 14:36.15Wellbrock #2 5 August 2018 Glasgow 24 14:36.25Wellbrock #3 4 May 2025 Berlin 25 14:36.45Wellbrock #4 18 April 2021 Berlin 13 14:37.28 Oussama Mellouli 2 August 2009 Rome 14 14:39.03 Oliver Klemet 4 May 2025 Berlin 15 14:39.45 Zalán Sárkány 15 August 2026 Paris 16 14:39.48 Connor Jaeger 13 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 17 14:39.54 Mack Horton 13 April 2016 Adelaide 18 14:39.63 Ryan Cochrane 4 August 2012 London 19 14:40.28 Lukas Märtens 25 March 2022 Magdeburg 20 14:40.86 Gabriele Detti 13 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 21 14:40.91 Dávid Betlehem 4 August 2024 Paris 22 14:41.13 Yuriy Prilukov 15 August 2008 Beijing 23 14:41.22 Kuzey Tunçelli 4 August 2024 Paris 24 14:41.66 Kieren Perkins 24 August 1994 Victoria 25 14:42.42 Zhang Zhanshuo 22 September 2026 Tokyo
Men short course Correct as of December 2025 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 14:06.88 Florian Wellbrock 21 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 2 2 14:08.06 Gregorio Paltrinieri 4 December 2015 Netanya 3 3 14:09.11 Daniel Wiffen 7 December 2023 Otopeni 4 4 14:09.14 Mykhailo Romanchuk 16 December 2018 Hangzhou 5 14:09.87Paltrinieri #2 16 December 2018 Hangzhou 6 14:09.88Wellbrock #2 4 November 2021 Kazan 5 7 14:10.10 Grant Hackett 7 August 2001 Perth 6 8 14:10.94 Ahmed Hafnaoui 21 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 9 14:11.47Romanchuk #2 21 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 10 14:13.07Paltrinieri #3 4 November 2021 Kazan 11 14:13.96Wiffen #2 4 December 2025 Lublin 12 14:14.45Wiffen #3 10 December 2022 Glasgow 13 14:14.59Romanchuk #3 15 December 2017 Copenhagen 7 14 14:15.10 Samuel Short 2 October 2026 Sydney 15 14:15.49Romanchuk #4 22 October 2016 Singapore 8 16 14:15.51 Park Tae-hwan 11 December 2016 Windsor Zalán Sárkány 4 December 2025 Lublin 18 14:16.10Paltrinieri #4 7 December 2014 Doha 10 19 14:16.13 Yuriy Prilukov 9 December 2006 Helsinki 11 20 14:16.40 Ahmed Jaouadi 10 December 2024 Budapest 21 14:16.88Paltrinieri #5 13 December 2022 Melbourne 22 14:17.14Paltrinieri #6 6 December 2019 Glasgow 23 14:17.27Wellbrock #3 10 December 2024 Budapest 12 24 14:18.00 Gabriele Detti 4 December 2015 Netanya 25 14:18.10Paltrinieri #7 5 December 2019 Glasgow 13 14:18.15 Henrik Christiansen 6 December 2019 Glasgow 14 14:18.79 Oussama Mellouli 7 December 2014 Doha 15 14:19.29 Connor Jaeger 12 December 2015 Indianapolis 16 14:19.62 Damien Joly 13 December 2022 Melbourne 17 14:19.65 Dávid Betlehem 4 December 2025 Lublin 18 14:20.44 Jan Wolfgarten 12 December 2009 Istanbul 19 14:20.64 Kuzey Tunçelli 10 December 2024 Budapest 20 14:21.78 David Aubry 7 December 2023 Otopeni 21 14:22.29 Sven Schwarz 10 December 2024 Budapest 22 14:22.47 Zhang Lin 21 February 2009 Tokyo 23 14:22.77 David Johnston 27 August 2022 Sydney 24 14:23.26 Kazushi Imafuku 29 March 2025 Tokyo 25 14:23.35 Ryan Cochrane 7 December 2014 Doha
Women long course
Correct as of August 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 15:20.48 Katie Ledecky 16 May 2018 Indianapolis 2 15:23.21Ledecky #2 14 January 2026 Austin 3 15:24.51Ledecky #3 30 April 2025 Fort Lauderdale 4 15:25.48Ledecky #4 4 August 2015 Kazan 5 15:25.62Ledecky #5 29 April 2026 Fort Lauderdale 6 15:26.27Ledecky #6 25 July 2023 Fukuoka 7 15:26.44Ledecky #7 29 July 2025 Singapore 8 15:27.71Ledecky #8 3 August 2015 Kazan 9 15:28.36Ledecky #9 24 August 2014 Gold Coast 10 15:29.51Ledecky #10 4 March 2020 Des Moines 11 15:29.64Ledecky #11 1 July 2023 Indianapolis 12 15:30.02Ledecky #12 31 July 2024 Paris 13 15:30.15Ledecky #13 20 June 2022 Budapest 2 14 15:31.79 Simona Quadarella 29 July 2025 Singapore 15 15:31.82Ledecky #14 25 July 2017 Budapest 16 15:34.23Ledecky #15 19 June 2014 Shenandoah 17 15:34.66Ledecky #16 17 June 2026 Indianapolis 18 15:35.35Ledecky #17 26 July 2021 Tokyo 19 15:35.65Ledecky #18 1 June 2017 Santa Clara 20 15:35.98Ledecky #19 7 December 2019 Greensboro 21 15:36.09Ledecky #20 12 August 2026 Irvine 22 15:36.53Ledecky #21 30 July 2013 Barcelona 23 15:36.68Ledecky #22 28 July 2025 Singapore 24 15:36.76Ledecky #23 7 June 2025 Indianapolis 25 15:36.87Ledecky #24 16 February 2025 Plantation 3 15:38.62 Lani Pallister 12 August 2026 Irvine 4 15:38.88 Lotte Friis 30 July 2013 Barcelona 5 15:40.14 Lauren Boyle 4 August 2015 Kazan 6 15:40.35 Anastasiya Kirpichnikova 31 July 2024 Paris 7 15:41.16 Isabel Gose 31 July 2024 Paris 8 15:41.41 Erica Sullivan 28 July 2021 Tokyo 9 15:41.49 Wang Jianjiahe 26 July 2021 Tokyo 10 15:42.54 Kate Ziegler 17 June 2007 Mission Viejo 11 15:42.91 Sarah Köhler 28 July 2021 Tokyo 12 15:43.94 Li Bingjie 19 May 2025 Shenzhen 13 15:44.89 Katie Grimes 20 June 2022 Budapest 14 15:44.93 Alessia Filippi 28 July 2009 Rome 15 15:46.13 Maddy Gough 15 June 2021 Adelaide 16 15:47.09 Boglárka Kapás 4 August 2015 Kazan 17 15:47.26 Jazmin Carlin 26 June 2013 Sheffield 18 15:50.89 Mireia Belmonte 25 July 2017 Budapest 19 15:51.68 Delfina Pignatiello 15 June 2019 Barcelona 20 15:52.10 Janet Evans 26 March 1988 Orlando 21 15:52.17 Jessica Ashwood 4 August 2015 Kazan 22 15:52.37 Camelia Potec 26 April 2009 Montpellier 23 15:52.50 Maya Werner 14 August 2026 Paris 24 15:53.49 Moesha Johnson 12 August 2026 Irvine 25 15:54.19 Ashley Twichell 23 July 2019 Gwangju
Women short course Correct as of November 2025 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 15:08.24 Katie Ledecky 29 October 2022 Toronto 2 2 15:13.83 Lani Pallister 19 October 2025 Westmont 3 3 15:18.01 Sarah Köhler 16 November 2019 Berlin 4 4 15:18.30 Anastasiya Kirpichnikova 5 November 2021 Kazan 5 15:18.68Pallister #2 29 September 2026 Sydney 5 6 15:19.71 Mireia Belmonte 12 December 2014 Sabadell 7 15:20.12Kirpichnikova #2 8 December 2023 Otopeni 8 15:21.43Pallister #3 16 December 2022 Melbourne 6 9 15:22.68 Lauren Boyle 9 August 2014 Wellington 10 15:24.63Pallister #4 24 August 2022 Sydney 7 11 15:24.69 Isabel Gose 15 December 2024 Budapest 12 15:25.50Gose #2 19 November 2023 Wuppertal 13 15:26.08Kirpichnikova #3 4 November 2021 Kazan 14 15:26.95Belmonte #2 29 November 2013 Castellón de la Plana 15 15:28.33Pallister #5 29 November 2020 Brisbane 8 16 15:28.65 Lotte Friis 28 November 2009 Birkerød 9 17 15:29.74 Simona Quadarella 5 March 2021 Rome 24 April 2021 Pietralata 19 15:29.93Quadarella #3 7 December 2025 Lublin 20 15:30.14Quadarella #4 13 December 2024 Budapest 10 21 15:30.22 Erika Fairweather 19 October 2025 Westmont 11 22 15:31.19 Maddy Gough 26 September 2020 Brisbane 12 23 15:32.90 Kate Ziegler 12 October 2007 Essen 24 15:33.40Quadarella #5 14 November 2024 Riccione 25 15:33.42Kirpichnikova #4 26 October 2023 Angers 13 15:34.31 Kareena Lee 29 November 2020 Brisbane 14 15:36.43 Martina Caramignoli 5 March 2021 Rome 15 15:37.78 Erika Villaecija 26 November 2009 Castellón de la Plana 16 15:38.64 Phoebe Hines 29 November 2020 Brisbane 17 15:40.05 Leonie Beck 25 October 2019 Wuppertal 18 15:40.52 Moesha Johnson 29 November 2020 Brisbane 19 15:41.29 Jillian Cox 13 December 2024 Budapest 20 15:41.80 Li Bingjie 28 October 2022 Beijing 21 15:42.05 Katie Grimes 4 November 2022 Indianapolis 22 15:42.14 Kseniya Misharina 10 November 2025 Kazan 23 15:42.18 Caitlin Deans 19 October 2025 Westmont 24 15:42.39 Laure Manaudou 20 November 2004 La Roche-sur-Yon 25 15:43.31 Petra Schneider 10 January 1982 Gainesville
Olympic champions Men
Edition Winner Time Notes London 1908 22:48.4 Stockholm 1912 22:00.0 Antwerp 1920 22:23.2 Paris 1924 20:06.6 Amsterdam 1928 19:51.8 Los Angeles 1932 19:12.4 Berlin 1936 19:13.7 London 1948 19:18.5 Helsinki 1952 18:30.3 Melbourne 1956 17:58.9 Rome 1960 17:19.6 Tokyo 1964 17:01.7 Mexico City 1968 16:38.9 Munich 1972 15:52.58 Montreal 1976 15:02.40 Moscow 1980 14:58.27 Los Angeles 1984 15:05.20 Seoul 1988 15:00.40 Barcelona 1992 14:43.48 Atlanta 1996 14:56.40 Sydney 2000 14:48.33 Athens 2004 14:43.40 Beijing 2008 14:40.84 London 2012 14:31.02 Rio de Janeiro 2016 14:34.57 Tokyo 2020 14:39.65 Paris 2024 14:30.67
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Tokyo 2020 15:37.34 Paris 2024 15:30.02
World champions (long course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 15:31.85 Cali 1975 15:28.92 CR West Berlin 1978 15:03.99 CR Guayaquil 1982 15:01.77 CR Madrid 1986 15:05.31 Perth 1991 14:50.36 Rome 1994 14:50.52 Perth 1998 14:51.70 Fukuoka 2001 14:34.56 Barcelona 2003 14:43.14 Montreal 2005 14:42.58 Melbourne 2007 14:45.94 Rome 2009 14:37.28 Shanghai 2011 14:34.14 Barcelona 2013 14:41.15 Kazan 2015 14:39.67 Budapest 2017 14:35.85 Gwangju 2019 14:36.54 Budapest 2022 14:32.80 CR Fukuoka 2023 14:31.54 CR Doha 2024 14:34.07 Singapore 2025 14:34.41
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Fukuoka 2001 16:01.02 CR Barcelona 2003 16:00.18 CR Montreal 2005 16:00.41 Melbourne 2007 15:53.05 CR Rome 2009 15:44.93 CR Shanghai 2011 15:49.59 Barcelona 2013 15:36.53 Kazan 2015 15:25.48 Budapest 2017 15:31.82 Gwangju 2019 15:40.89 Budapest 2022 15:30.15 Fukuoka 2023 15:26.27 Doha 2024 15:46.99 Singapore 2025 15:26.44
World champions (short course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Palma de Mallorca 1993 14:42.04 CR Rio de Janeiro 1995 14:48.51 Gothenburg 1997 14:39.54 CR Hong Kong 1999 14:32.87 CR Athens 2000 14:47.57 Moscow 2002 14:33.94 Indianapolis 2004 14:39.16 Shanghai 2006 14:23.92 CR Manchester 2008 14:22.98 CR Dubai 2010 14:24.16 Istanbul 2012 14:30.01 Doha 2014 14:16.10 CR Windsor 2016 14:15.51 CR Hangzhou 2018 14:09.14 CR Abu Dhabi 2021 14:06.88 Melbourne 2022 14:16.88 Budapest 2024 14:16.40
Women