SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers if Lukas Märtens‘ 400 free world record goes down this year:
Question: Who finishes this summer as the men’s 400 free world record holder?
RESULTS
- Lukas Märtens (no ones goes under 3:39.96) – 42.0%
- Sam Short – 39.5%
- Lukas Märtens (he re-breaks the record) – 13.4%
- Zhang Zhanshuo – 2.5%
- Other – 2.5%
After Sam Short‘s dominant showing at last week’s Australian Swimming Trials that included a new personal best time in the 400 free, the conversation surrounding what he might be capable of later this summer was a natural topic that arose.
Short, 22, is firing on all cylinders for the first time since 2023, having an injury and illness-plagued 2024 and 2025, and it showed last week in Sydney, as he swept the men’s 200 (1:45.16), 400 (3:40.67), 800 (7:36.73) and 1500 free (14:42.09), setting a new textile world record in the 800 and new best times in all but the 1500.
In the 400 free, Short was under world record pace through the final turn, but didn’t quite have the closing speed to nab the record, missing the 3:39.96 mark established last year by German’s Lukas Märtens by just over seven-tenths of a second.
In our most recent poll, we asked SwimSwam readers who would hold the 400 free record at the end of this year’s championship meets, and the leading option was Märtens, with 42% believing his current mark stands.
However, the remaining 58% of voters think the record will fall. A massive 39.5% think Short takes hold of it, while 13.4% think Märtens re-lowers the mark.
China’s Zhang Zhanshuo was also featured in the poll, and he picked up 10% of votes, as did the ‘other’ option.
Since the start of 2025, the only three swimmers in the world that have broken 3:42 are Märtens, Short and Zhang, with Zhang setting a new World Junior Record of 3:41.55 earlier this year. The 19-year-old was 4th in the 2025 World Championship final behind Märtens, Short, and South Korea’s Kim Woomin.
So far in 2026, Short’s 3:40.67 ranks him #1 in the world by a wide margin, with Zhang (3:41.55) sitting 2nd and Märtens (3:41.76) back in 3rd.
This summer, it will be interesting to see how the chips fall. Short will have two opportunities to tackle the record, starting at the Commonwealth Games in late July and then just two weeks later at the Pan Pacific Championships.
Märtens will then contest the European Championships in the second week of August, while Zhang’s target meet will be the Asian Games, which won’t run until September. Zhang will also be swimming the event on the final day of the Chinese National Swimming Championships this Sunday.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: In terms of winning times, which international meet will be fastest this year:
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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
I’d feel better about Short doing it if he took like, two dolphin kicks off the wall lol. He pushes off and does a little kick to bring himself to the surface.
7:34 at euros/commies in the 800 by one of the Germans and or Sam short. Book it