World record progression 1500 metres freestyle


The first world record in the men's 1500 metres freestyle in a long course swimming pool was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908. In short course pools, the world's governing body recognizes world records since March 3, 1991.

All-time top 25

Men long course

  • Correct as of August 2025
TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
1114:30.67Bobby Finke4 August 2024Paris
2214:31.02Sun Yang4 August 2012London
3314:31.54Ahmed Hafnaoui30 July 2023Fukuoka
414:31.59Finke #230 July 2023Fukuoka
4514:32.80Gregorio Paltrinieri25 June 2022Budapest
614:33.10Paltrinieri #213 August 2020Rome
714:34.04Paltrinieri #318 May 2016London
5814:34.07Daniel Wiffen18 February 2024Doha
914:34.14Sun #231 July 2011Shanghai
61014:34.41Ahmed Jaouadi3 August 2025Singapore
1114:34.55Paltrinieri #44 August 2024Paris
71214:34.56Grant Hackett29 July 2001Fukuoka
1314:34.57Paltrinieri #513 August 2016Rio de Janeiro
81414:34.89Florian Wellbrock21 April 2023Berlin
1514:34.91Wiffen #214 April 2023Stockholm
1614:35.43Sun #318 November 2010Guangzhou
91714:35.69Sven Schwarz3 August 2025Singapore
1814:35.79Wiffen #311 August 2023Dublin
1914:35.85Paltrinieri #630 July 2017Budapest
102014:36.10Mykhailo Romanchuk16 August 2022Rome
2114:36.15Wellbrock #25 August 2018Glasgow
2214:36.25Wellbrock #34 May 2025Berlin
2314:36.45Wellbrock #418 April 2021Berlin
2414:36.56Wellbrock #528 July 2019Gwangju
2514:36.60Finke #33 August 2025Singapore
1114:37.28Oussama Mellouli2 August 2009Rome
1114:37.28Samuel Short30 July 2023Fukuoka
1314:39.03Oliver Klemet4 May 2025Berlin
1414:39.48Connor Jaeger13 August 2016Rio de Janeiro
1514:39.54Mack Horton13 April 2016Adelaide
1614:39.63Ryan Cochrane4 August 2012London
1714:40.28Lukas Märtens25 March 2022Magdeburg
1814:40.86Gabriele Detti13 August 2016Rio de Janeiro
1914:40.91Dávid Betlehem4 August 2024Paris
2014:41.13Yuriy Prilukov15 August 2008Beijing
2114:41.22Kuzey Tunçelli4 August 2024Paris
2214:41.66Kieren Perkins24 August 1994Victoria
2314:44.66David Aubry4 August 2024Paris
2414:45.03Jordan Wilimovsky13 August 2016Rio de Janeiro
2514:45.29Larsen Jensen13 August 2004Athens
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Men short course

  • Correct as of December 2025
TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
1114:06.88Florian Wellbrock21 December 2021Abu Dhabi
2214:08.06Gregorio Paltrinieri4 December 2015Netanya
3314:09.11Daniel Wiffen7 December 2023Otopeni
4414:09.14Mykhailo Romanchuk16 December 2018Hangzhou
514:09.87Paltrinieri #216 December 2018Hangzhou
614:09.88Wellbrock #24 November 2021Kazan
5714:10.10Grant Hackett7 August 2001Perth
6814:10.94Ahmed Hafnaoui21 December 2021Abu Dhabi
914:11.47Romanchuk #221 December 2021Abu Dhabi
1014:13.07Paltrinieri #34 November 2021Kazan
1114:13.96Wiffen #24 December 2025Lublin
1214:14.45Wiffen #310 December 2022Glasgow
1314:14.59Romanchuk #315 December 2017Copenhagen
1414:15.49Romanchuk #422 October 2016Singapore
71514:15.51Park Tae-hwan11 December 2016Windsor
71514:15.51Zalán Sárkány4 December 2025Lublin
1714:16.10Paltrinieri #47 December 2014Doha
91814:16.13Yuriy Prilukov9 December 2006Helsinki
101914:16.40Ahmed Jaouadi10 December 2024Budapest
2014:16.88Paltrinieri #513 December 2022Melbourne
2114:17.14Paltrinieri #66 December 2019Glasgow
2214:17.27Wellbrock #310 December 2024Budapest
112314:18.00Gabriele Detti4 December 2015Netanya
2414:18.10Paltrinieri #75 December 2019Glasgow
122514:18.15Henrik Christiansen6 December 2019Glasgow
1314:18.79Oussama Mellouli7 December 2014Doha
1414:19.29Connor Jaeger12 December 2015Indianapolis
1514:19.62Damien Joly13 December 2022Melbourne
1614:19.65Dávid Betlehem4 December 2025Lublin
1714:20.44Jan Wolfgarten12 December 2009Istanbul
1814:20.64Kuzey Tunçelli10 December 2024Budapest
1914:21.78David Aubry7 December 2023Otopeni
2014:22.29Sven Schwarz10 December 2024Budapest
2114:22.47Zhang Lin21 February 2009Tokyo
2214:22.77David Johnston27 August 2022Sydney
2314:23.26Kazushi Imafuku29 March 2025Tokyo
2414:23.35Ryan Cochrane7 December 2014Doha
2514:23.98Victor Johansson3 December 2025Lublin
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Women long course

  • Correct as of July 2025
TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
1115:20.48Katie Ledecky16 May 2018Indianapolis
215:23.21Ledecky #214 January 2026Austin
315:24.51Ledecky #330 April 2025Fort Lauderdale
415:25.48Ledecky #44 August 2015Kazan
515:26.27Ledecky #525 July 2023Fukuoka
615:26.44Ledecky #629 July 2025Singapore
715:27.71Ledecky #73 August 2015Kazan
815:28.36Ledecky #824 August 2014Gold Coast
915:29.51Ledecky #94 March 2020Des Moines
1015:29.64Ledecky #101 July 2023Indianapolis
1115:30.02Ledecky #1131 July 2024Paris
1215:30.15Ledecky #1220 June 2022Budapest
21315:31.79Simona Quadarella29 July 2025Singapore
1415:31.82Ledecky #1325 July 2017Budapest
1515:34.23Ledecky #1419 June 2014Shenandoah
1615:35.35Ledecky #1526 July 2021Tokyo
1715:35.65Ledecky #161 June 2017Santa Clara
1815:35.98Ledecky #177 December 2019Greensboro
1915:36.53Ledecky #1830 July 2013Barcelona
2015:36.68Ledecky #1928 July 2025Singapore
2115:36.76Ledecky #207 June 2025Indianapolis
2215:36.87Ledecky #2116 February 2025Plantation
2315:37.34Ledecky #2228 July 2021Tokyo
2415:37.35Ledecky #2319 June 2024Indianapolis
2515:37.99Ledecky #2414 January 2023Knoxville
315:38.88Lotte Friis30 July 2013Barcelona
415:39.14Lani Pallister14 June 2025Adelaide
515:40.14Lauren Boyle4 August 2015Kazan
615:40.35Anastasiia Kirpichnikova31 July 2024Paris
715:41.16Isabel Gose31 July 2024Paris
815:41.41Erica Sullivan28 July 2021Tokyo
915:41.49Wang Jianjiahe26 July 2021Tokyo
1015:42.54Kate Ziegler17 June 2007Mission Viejo
1115:42.91Sarah Köhler28 July 2021Tokyo
1215:43.94Li Bingjie19 May 2025Shenzhen
1315:44.89Katie Grimes20 June 2022Budapest
1415:44.93Alessia Filippi28 July 2009Rome
1515:46.13Maddy Gough15 June 2021Adelaide
1615:47.09Boglárka Kapás4 August 2015Kazan
1715:47.26Jazmin Carlin26 June 2013Sheffield
1815:50.89Mireia Belmonte25 July 2017Budapest
1915:51.68Delfina Pignatiello15 June 2019Barcelona
2015:52.10Janet Evans26 March 1988Orlando
2115:52.17Jessica Ashwood4 August 2015Kazan
2215:52.37Camelia Potec26 April 2009Montpellier
2315:54.19Ashley Twichell23 July 2019Gwangju
2415:54.30Kristel Kobrich29 July 2013Barcelona
2515:54.48Ajna Késely22 July 2019Gwangju

Women short course

TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
1115:08.24Katie Ledecky29 October 2022Toronto
2215:13.83Lani Pallister19 October 2025Westmont
3315:18.01Sarah Köhler16 November 2019Berlin
4415:18.30Anastasiia Kirpichnikova5 November 2021Kazan
5515:19.71Mireia Belmonte12 December 2014Sabadell
615:20.12Kirpichnikova #28 December 2023Otopeni
715:21.43Pallister #216 December 2022Melbourne
6815:22.68Lauren Boyle9 August 2014Wellington
915:24.63Pallister #324 August 2022Sydney
71015:24.69Isabel Gose15 December 2024Budapest
1115:25.50Gose #219 November 2023Wuppertal
1215:26.08Kirpichnikova #34 November 2021Kazan
1315:26.95Belmonte #229 November 2013Castellón de la Plana
1415:28.33Pallister #429 November 2020Brisbane
81515:28.65Lotte Friis28 November 2009Birkerød
91615:29.74Simona Quadarella5 March 2021Rome
91615:29.74Simona Quadarella24 April 2021Pietralata
1815:29.93Quadarella #37 December 2025Lublin
1915:30.14Quadarella #413 December 2024Budapest
102015:30.22Erika Fairweather19 October 2025Westmont
112115:31.19Maddy Gough26 September 2020Brisbane
122215:32.90Kate Ziegler12 October 2007Essen
2315:33.40Quadarella #514 November 2024Riccione
2415:33.42Kirpichnikova #426 October 2023Angers
2515:34.16Quadarella #65 November 2021Kazan
1315:34.31Kareena Lee29 November 2020Brisbane
1415:36.43Martina Caramignoli5 March 2021Rome
1515:37.78Erika Villaecija26 November 2009Castellón de la Plana
1615:38.64Phoebe Hines29 November 2020Brisbane
1715:40.05Leonie Beck25 October 2019Wuppertal
1815:40.52Moesha Johnson29 November 2020Brisbane
1915:41.29Jillian Cox13 December 2024Budapest
2015:41.80Li Bingjie28 October 2022Beijing
2115:42.05Katie Grimes4 November 2022Indianapolis
2215:42.14Kseniya Misharina10 November 2025Kazan
2315:42.18Caitlin Deans19 October 2025Westmont
2415:42.39Laure Manaudou20 November 2004La Roche-sur-Yon
2515:43.31Petra Schneider10 January 1982Gainesville