2025 World Championship Previews: German Duo & Wiffen Make Finke Not a Sure Shot in the 1500

2025 World Championships

• July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
• Singapore, Singapore
• World Aquatics Championships Arena
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Psych Sheet (Google Sheet Courtesy of Troyy)
• Psych Sheet (PDF)

By the Numbers – Men’s 1500 Free

• World Record: 14:30.67 – Bobby Finke, USA (2024)
• World Junior Record: 14:41.22 – Kuzey Tuncelli, TUR (2024)
• Championship Record: 14:31.54 – Ahmed Hafnaoui, TUN (2023)
• 2023 World Champion: Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN) – 14:31.54
• 2024 Olympic Champion: Bobby Finke (USA) – 14:30.67

Returning Olympic Finalists

•  Bobby Finke (Gold), Gregorio Paltrinieri (Silver), Daniel Wiffen (Bronze), David Betlehem (4th), Kuzey Tuncelli (5th), Ahmed Jaouadi (6th), David Aubry (7th), Damien Joly (8th)

As just one of two world records broken at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the men’s 1500 was our my pick for race of the meet, a controversial pick, as the comment section loudly let me know. I stand by the decision and, contrary to some opinions, not because of an American bias (but if I have to recognize a bias, it’s probably a bias against sprinting events; I’m a Masters swimmer and pay to enter the 200 fly rather than the 100 free).  But, in all honesty, not only was the former World Record much older in the 1500 than in the 100, but also the race strategy used by the winner was the complete anthesis of his normal strategy.

In 2021, American Bobby Finke blasted a come-from-behind win in the event, dropping a hammer of a last 50, going 25.78 to take the win in a time of 14:39.65. In 2022 and 2023, his competitors wised up to the strategy as Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri set a new Championship and European record by attacking from the get-go in lane 1, to create a lead too insurmountable for Finke to catch. The following year in Fukuoka, Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui saved enough in the last 100 to counter Finke’s late charge and held off his American foe by just .05, 14:31.55 to 14:31.59, both undercutting the previous year’s record.

The Olympics saw Hafnaoui withdraw before the meet, but had both Finke and Paltrinieri in the field, as well as the 2024 Doha champion Daniel Wiffen. Finke, 6th in prelims, took the silver medal in the 800, failing to run down Wiffen in the last 100, and opted for a different strategy in the 1500, attacking the race from the get-go, opening up a lead of over a second at the 200 and never looking back. He kept up his relentless pace and became the first swimmer ever to enter the 14:30 realm, as he stopped the clock in 14:30.67, undercutting the 12-year-old record of 14:31.02 set by China’s Sun Yang at the 2012 Olympics in London.

World Champions Paltrinieri and Wiffen claimed the last two spots on the podium, finishing in 14:34.55 and 14:39.63, meaning that the same swimmers collected all the 800 and 1500 medals. The three would have likely been the top picks to do so again this year had it not been for the resurgence of the German distance crew (and the withdrawal of Paltrinieri)

“It’s Gonna Be Me”

Want to know a fun fact? The two-time Olympic Champion and the current World Record holder, Finke, has never won a gold medal in this event at any international meet, other than at the Olympics.  It’s true, he placed 21st at the 2017 Worlds, missed the final at the 2018 Pan-Pacs due to the two per country rule. He was absent from the 2019 Worlds, claimed the silver in 2022 and 2023, and did not participate in 2024.

This season, based on his past performances, however, he seems poised to do so.  Finke, like many of his compatriots, took a break from racing, opting not to compete at the 2024 Short Course Worlds and instead only returned to racing this past January. He swam 14:58.68 at a local USA swimming meet in St. Petersburg, his home club, winning by nearly a minute and a half. In Fort Lauderdale, at the last Pro Swim Series stop, Finke again cleared the 15-minute barrier, swimming 14:54.49 to win by over 25 seconds. His time in Florida was his fastest time in the lead up to a selection meet and looked to set him up nicely for US Nationals.

Finke was slower in Indianapolis than he had been at the last four selection meets, going 14:48.56 to win the 1500, his first of three wins over the five-day meet. The swim, which was a timed final, was probably his roughest swim of the week, as later on he would take the 800 free and set a new PB in the 400 IM.

With the 1500 at the end of the schedule in Singapore, Finke should have plenty of time to acclimate to the conditions and should be a peak condition. He is seeded first with his time from Paris, but currently ranks 6th in the world (5th among entrants), so like last summer, Finke may not be the fastest out of the prelims, as he was 6th into the final, but there seems to be nothing to suggest he’s not in form to take the win.

“Zombie”

Florian Wellbrock from Germany at the World Aquatics Swimming Championship 25m Budapest 2024, December 10 , (Photo by Gian Mattia D’Alberto /LaPresse)

There may be nothing in the form that suggests Finke won’t be in a position to take the win, but that doesn’t mean he is the clear favorite to win the event.

After a rough 1500 prelims that saw both of their top eight-seeded swimmers miss the final, the Germans have come back from the dead with a resurgence in the distance events. Olympic 3rd seed Florian Wellbrock was over 16 seconds out of qualifying, placing 14th overall, and his compatriot #7  Sven Schwarz placed 10th overall.

The pair rebounded quickly, making the trip to Budapest for Worlds, with Wellbrock winning the silver medals from the early heats and Schwarz finishing 5th, less than two seconds out of the medals, also swimming from the early heats.

This calendar year, the pair travelled to Stockholm in April, going 1-3 in the event, sandwiching fellow German Oliver Klemet. Wellbrock stopped the clock in 14:38.27, a world-leading time, with Klemet going 14:43.01 and Schwarz back at 14:52.62. With all three under the “A” Standard, the German Nationals were going to be a barn burner. Wellbrock, the 2019 World Champion in the event, cut more time and lowered his world-leading time to 14:36.25, which would have claimed the bronze in Paris. Schwarz avenged his loss in Stockholm, taking 2nd place over Klemet, 14:36.82 to 14:39.03, recording a new PB and becoming the 9th fastest performer of all time in the event.

Those times alone make them contenders for the medals, but part of my brilliance and/or procrastination in waiting ’til now to publish this article allows us to take into account the open water races in Singapore.

Wellbrock added his third gold medal in the open water 10k, outtouching Paltrinieri, and the next day did the same in the 5k. He finished a sweep with a 3km knockout sprints title on Saturday in Singapore.

While his performances certainly show that the German is on fine form, the swims also led to the Italian, Paltrinieri, withdrawing from the pool events as he injured his finger in the 10k.

“C’est La Vie”

Daniel Wiffen (photo: Jack Spitser)

2024 was a banner year for Daniel Wiffen. After finishing 4th in Fukuoka, Wiffen produced one of the swims of the 2024 Worlds in Doha, dropping a hammer of a swim, going 14:34.07, to not only reset his National Record and win gold, but also produce the 7th fastest performance ever in the event. He carried this momentum into Paris as the World champion in both the 800 and 1500, and did not let up, setting a new Olympic Record in the 800 free, holding off the likes of Finke and Paltrinieri.

After qualifying first into the final, Wiffen couldn’t quite match the power of the American and Italian and collected the bronze medal in 14:39.63. This season, like a number of his competitors, Wiffen opted out of Short Course Worlds, but hasn’t seemed to skip a beat swimming 15:03.20 at the BUCS in Febuary, 15:06.66 at the Edinburgh International meet in March and then a month later taking the win at the Irish Open Championships in 14:42.71, to currently sit 4th in the World.

Last month, Wiffen revealed that he has plans to relocate his training base back to Ireland, but it remains to be seen whether or not this change will affect his chances at defending his titles in Singapore.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Swimming is often a waiting game, with younger swimmers first having to get by the more experienced swimmers in their own nation and then having to burst through into the international realm. As the 1500 does not have any semifinals, earning a second swim is very difficult, especially as the likes of Finke, Wellbrock, and Paltrinieri continue their dominance in the event.

Three swimmers, all under the age of 20 (two were still teens, so I think this title can still fit), burst through in Paris, taking advantage of the poor performances by the Germans and by an Australian (more on him later). The eldest of the trio, Hungary’s David Betlehem, entered as the 9th seed with a seed time of 14:46.44 from his 4th place finish in Doha. The Hungarian was the 8th seed into the final in Paris, setting a new National record of 14:45.59, but really shone in the final, finishing 1.28 seconds outside of medals with a new PB of 14:40.91.

Kuzey Tuncelli
Courtesy of European Aquatics

Finishing in 5th and 6th behind him were Turkey’s Kuzey Tuncelli and Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaoudi. Tuncelli, who was then 16, finished 18 seconds faster than he did in Doha, setting not only a new national record but also slicing nearly four seconds off the World Junior Record, with a time of 14:41.22. 19-year-old Jaouadi may not have been the Tunisian anyone expected to make the final, but he too swam his way to a new PB of 14:43.35.

The three youngsters’ times rank them 18th, 20th, and 22nd amongst all-time performers and appear as the 6th through the 8th seeds on the entry lists. Of the three, Tuncelli has looked the best, having won the European junior title in this event for the third straight year. In Samorin, he won the event in 14:45.05, a time that ranks him 5th in the world and 4th fastest among entrants.

Betlehem isn’t too far behind as his season best of 14:48.73 from the Hungarian Nationals in April ranks him as the 7th fastest swimmer in the world this season. Jaouadi is a bit further down the list, coming in as the 24th fastest performer this season. The Tunisian has not swum the event often, with his best of 15:02.53 coming from a 3rd place finish at the Canet stop of the Mare Nostrum. The Tunisian does, however, have an ace up his sleeve as he did claim victory in the 1500 at Short Course Worlds, beating the likes of Wellbrock and Tuncelli.

“Torn”

Australia’s Sam Short entered 2024 on a high from 023. In Fukuoka, he claimed gold in the 400 free, coming within .61 of the then World Record, earned silver in the 800 free after dueling eventual champion Hafnaoui and Finke, and won the bronze medal in the 1500.

Sam Short (Photo Credit: Delly Carr/Swimming Australia)

A stomach illness at the Australian Trials derailed his preparations for Paris, and he failed to medal in any event, and missed the final in both the 800 and 1500. The Australian has come back, however, and looks in strong form to make a run at the medals. He opened the season with a swim in the USA, competing at the first two stops of the Pro Swim Series, taking the 1500 in Sacramento in 15:03.87. He flew south to warmer climes and won the 1500 at the Brazilian World Championships Trials.

In June at the Australian Trials, Short won the event in 14:52.43, nearly six seconds faster than his 13th-place time in Paris. While a far cry from his PB of 14:37.28, the swim is a positive sign for the Australian, especially when coupled with his PB in the 200 free at Australian trials. Short’s time makes him the 14th fastest entrant, but he ranks 9th in the World (8th among entrants), so he could easily find a way into the final.

Short was the only Aussie in the event in Paris, but will be joined by Benjamin Goedemans, who has made massive drops in the event over the past 12 months. At the 2024 Trials, he finished 3rd in a time of 15:09.38, but over the course of the year, he has cut over 16 seconds from his PB to take 2nd behind Short with a new PB of 14:52.99.

“The Distance”

The last two finalists from Paris were the home nation’s hopes, David Aubry and Damien Joly. Aubry had claimed the bronze medal in Doha, and while he did finish 7th in Paris, he did set a new PB and French record of 14:44.66. Joly was well off making the final in Doha, finishing 16th in prelims, but dropped a massive new PB of 14:45.52, his first since the Rio Olympic Games, to make the finals in Paris, but ultimately finished last in 14:52.61.

The pair appear on the entry list as the 9th and 10th swimmers, but with Joly winning the French Trials in 14:58.78 and Aubry no-showing, their ability to replicate those performances comes under question especially with strong in season swims from Japan’s Kazushi Imafuku.

Now 18 but 17 at the Japanese Championships, Imafuku sliced four seconds off the 11-year-old national record, as he recorded a time of 14:50.18. Last summer, the young Japanese star won the 1500 at the Junior Pan Pacs in 14:59.97, but has made serious gains in the event, much like Australia’s Goedemans. Seeded 12th, but 7th fastest this season, Imafuku could be the next young star like Tuncelli and Jaoudi to break into the event.

“You Get What You Give”

Nine seconds separate what was 8th in the final in Fukuoka vs what was 8th in the final in Paris, although the stat is a little misleading as 9th in Prelims was 4.5 seconds slower than 8th, but based on the fact that event sees all but Paltinieri returning and with revenge tour of Wellbrock and Schwarz, its going to likely be a fast prelims.

Finke, Wellbrock, and Wiffen have the speed and experience to safely navigate through the prelims. Schwarz’s in-season times, are outstanding and likely will book him through into the final, but he will have to make sure he doesn’t save too much in the prelims, as he did in Paris.

After those four, Short has the fastest PB, and his strong return at the Australian Trials places him ahead of his younger competitors, Tuncelli, Betlehem, and Imafuku. The two Frenchmen and Jaouadi are big question marks, the lack of strong in-season times, and the lack of races make them big question marks. Of the three, Jaouadi would be our pick to place in the top 8, and he very well likely might, but the lack of information places him lower in our rankings. The same can be said for China’s Fei Liwei. He placed 9th in Paris, 4.5 back of Betlehem and while he sits in the entry lists as the 11th seed, he opted not to swim the event at China’s National Championships (he placed 2nd in both the 400 (3:45.57) and 800 (7:53.59).

David Johnston‘s omission was not intentional, but the American’s PB of 14:52.74 from last summer’s US Olympic Trials would have placed just 12th, and he struggled in Paris, ultimately finishing 18th with a time of 15:10.64. Entering this year’s Nationals, the Texas Longhorn hadn’t raced the 1500, and while he qualified for Singapore in the event, his time of 14:57.83 ranks 15th in the World.

SwimSwam’s Picks

Dark Horse: Zalan Sarkany (Hungary) – Sarkany sits even lower than Johnston in the World Rankings, coming in as the 25th fastest performer with his 15:03.26 from the Hungarian Nationals. Sarkany gets the edge over Johnston for this spot as not only did he finish ahead of him in Paris (11th in prelims – 14:52.42), but he did win the 800 at Short Course Worlds in Budapest. He also swam a new PB in the 1650 at NCAAs, winning the event from an outside lane in a new PB of 14:21.29, making him the 3rd fastest performer of all time behind only Finke and Zane Grothe.