World’s Fastest 800m Freestyle – Men’s Short Course

World Record: Daniel Wiffen, Ireland, 7:20.46 – 10 December 2023, European Championships
World Junior Record: Sven Schwarz, Germany, 7:36.00, 16 November 2019, German Championships
Commonwealth Record: Grant Hackett, AUS, 7:23.42, 20 July 2008, Victorian Championships

Top 7 All-time Performers:

  1. Daniel Wiffen 7:20.46
  2. Grant Hackett 7:23.42
  3. Mykhailo Romanchuk 7:25.73
  4. Henrik Christiansen 7:25.78
  5. Gregorio Paltrinieri 7:27.94
  6. Florian Wellbrock 7:27.99
  7. Yannick Agnel 7:29.17

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The chart below compares the World’s Fastest 800m Freestyle – Men’s Short Course. Swimmers and coaches can looks at the individual Splits, Stroke Counts and the first 50m split compared to swimmers 50m PB. All swim data has been collected from our team reviewing race footage where possible.

Men's 800m Freestyle - Short Course
Daniel WiffenGrant HackettMykhailo RomanchukHenrik ChristiansenGregorio PaltrinieriFlorian WellbrockYannick Agnel
Height:6 ft 4 in 194cm6 ft 6 in 197cm6 ft 3 in 191cm6 ft 3 in 191cm6 ft 3 in 191cm6 ft 4 in 192cm6 ft 8 in 202cm
Weight:176 lb 80kg212Ib 96kg174 Ib 79kg159 Ib 72kg154 Ib 70kg198 Ib 90kg
Country:IRLAUSUKRNORITAGERFRA
DOB:2001-07-141980-05-091996-08-07 1996-09-10 1994-09-05 1997-08-19 1992-06-09
Meet:2023 European Short Course Swimming ChampionshipsVictoria Championships 2008ISL Test EventISL Test EventEuropean Short Course Swimming Championships 2021European Short Course Swimming Championships 2021French National Championships (25m)
1st 25m Split11.99
Strokes10
2nd 25m Split13.45
Strokes1317
Split Time:25.4425.3926.4426.0325.5825.76
50m PB:23.6323.7625.7323.5425.5824.9622.06
Time off 50m PB:1.811.630.712.4900.8
Percentage of 50m PB:107.660%106.860%102.759%110.578%100.000%103.205%
3rd 25m Split13.67
Strokes1316
4th 25m Split13.71
Strokes1417
Split Time:52.8252.9254.3454.2653.0653.18
5th 25m Split13.86
Strokes1317
6th 25m Split13.93
Strokes1416
Split Time:1:20.611:20.761:22.501:22.581:21.051:21.10
7th 25m Split14.03
Strokes17
8th 25m Split13.96
Strokes1417
Split Time:1:48.601:48.551:50.561:51.021:49.391:49.38
9th 25m Split14.05
Strokes
10th 25m Split13.86
Strokes
Split Time:2:16.512:16.472:18.642:19.242:17.682:17.58
11th 25m Split14.06
Strokes
12th 25m Split14.16
Strokes
Split Time:2:44.732:44.622:46.722:47.312:46.142:46.17
13th 25m Split14.03
Strokes1417
14th 25m Split14.19
Strokes
Split Time:3:12.953:12.833:14.883:15.483:14.773:14.68
15th 25m Split14.04
Strokes
16th 25m Split13.92
Strokes
Split Time:3:40.913:41.023:43.083:43.653:43.263:43.30
17th 25m Split13.80
Strokes
18th 25m Split13.86
Strokes
Split Time:4:08.554:08.994:11.214:11.814:11.774:11.65
19th 25m Split13.72
Strokes1417
20th 25m Split13.88
Strokes1417
Split Time:4:36.154:37.224:39.324:40.054:40.254:40.39
21st 25m Split13.97
Strokes
22nd 25m Split13.92
Strokes
Split Time:5:04.045:05.435:07.255:08.005:08.525:08.75
23rd 25m Split14.01
Strokes17
24th 25m Split13.89
Strokes1418
Split Time:5:31.945:33.755:35.275:36.085:37.065:37.11
25th 25m Split13.79
Strokes1417
26th 25m Split13.98
Strokes1317
Split Time:5:59.716:01.926:03.186:03.926:05.556:05.59
27th 25m Split13.81
Strokes1417
28th 25m Split14.00
Strokes
Split Time:6:27.526:30.096:31.136:31.756:34.016:34.17
29th 25m Split13.40
Strokes
30th 25m Split13.55
Strokes
Split Time:6:54.476:57.296:59.026:59.527:01.827:01.91
31st 25m Split13.27
Strokes
32nd 25m Split12.72
Strokes1719
Total Time:7:20.467:23.427:25.737:25.787:27.947:27.997:29.17

Daniel Wiffen’s remarkable achievement of completing the 800m freestyle in a swift 7:20.46 this morning undoubtedly draws comparisons to the legendary Grant Hackett’s performance in the same event. Grant Hackett, a renowned name in the swimming world, previously held the record with a time of 7:23.42.

In the context of their respective eras, these two extraordinary swimmers have left an indelible mark on the sport. Grant Hackett’s record, set in a different competitive landscape, reflected the pinnacle of swimming excellence during his time. Wiffen’s ability to surpass this record showcases the evolution of swimming techniques, training methods, and the ongoing pursuit of athletic perfection.

Statistical Insights:

  • Time Differences:
    • The top 7 all-time performers are separated by 8.71 seconds. This range underscores the competitiveness of the event and the elite standards required to be among the fastest.
  • Average Time of Top 7 Performers:
    • The average time of the top 7 swimmers is approximately 7:25.07, highlighting the benchmark for elite performance in this event.

Note: World’s Fastest 800m Freestyle – Men’s Short Course Updated Dec 2023

Additionally, here are our Top 5 Swim Calculators from our web traffic:

  1. Swim Pace Calculator – Help you determine your pace, time, and distance based on your goals and performances. Optional settings for MIN/100YDS and MIN/100M
  2. Swim Split Calculator/Goal Time Calculator – Breaks the swim down to the individual target splits for Meters racing
  3. Yards Goal Calculator – Breaks the swim down to the individual target splits for Yards racing
  4. Race Review Calculator – Allows the coach, swimmer or parent to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a race that has been swum.
  5. Medley Relay Calculator – This Calculator allows coaches to quickly compose the fastest relay team available to them. Enter up to 6 swimmers, enter their personal bests for each event and then hit calculate. The Medley Relay Calculator will then provide you with the fastest relay combination available to you.
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