During the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, only three world records were broken: the men’s 200 IM (by France’s Leon Marchand), the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay, and the women’s 4×100 medley relay (both by the United States).
This marks one of the lowest tallies of world records ever. Out of 22 editions, only the 1998 Worlds (0), 2011 (2), and 2024 (1) had fewer.
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Was this truly one of the slowest Worlds of all time?
In terms of world records, yes. However, when examining the depth of competition, the picture changes.
Considering the 16th-fastest time in prelims (which qualifies for the semifinals) and the 8th-fastest time in semis (which qualifies for finals), several events were remarkably fast.
(In events like the 400, 800, and 1500, which lack semifinals, the 8th-fastest time from the prelims was used as the qualifier for finals.)
In Singapore, the 16th time in prelims was the fastest ever recorded in 11 events, and the 8th time in semis/finals qualification was the strongest ever in 12 events.
Fastest 16th qualifier ever before 2025 vs. 16th qualifier at 2025 Worlds (in bold, the faster)
| Gender | Event | Meet | 16th | 16th in 2025 |
| Women | 50 free | 2024 Olympics | 24.72 | 24.89 |
| Women | 100 free | 2021 Olympics | 53.71 | 54.38 |
| Women | 200 free | 2016 Olympics | 1:57.74 | 1:58.28 |
| Women | 400 free | 2021 Olympics | 4:08.27 | 4:10.37 |
| Women | 800 free | 2021 Olympics | 8:28.90 | 8:35.94 |
| Women | 1500 free | 2021 Olympics | 16:12.55 | 16:28.10 |
| Women | 50 fly | 2023 Worlds | 26.23 | 25.97 |
| Women | 100 fly | 2024 Olympics | 57.90 | 58.31 |
| Women | 200 fly | 2009 Worlds | 2:08.63 | 2:10.17 |
| Women | 50 back | 2017 Worlds | 28.22 | 27.97 |
| Women | 100 back | 2021 Olympics | 1:00.04 | 1:00.56 |
| Women | 200 back | 2024 Olympics | 2:10.51 | 2:10.35 |
| Women | 50 breast | 2023 Worlds | 30.75 | 30.76 |
| Women | 100 breast | 2023 Worlds | 1:06.87 | 1:06.96 |
| Women | 200 breast | 2021 Olympics | 2:24.27 | 2:26.82 |
| Women | 200 IM | 2024 Olympics | 2:11.96 | 2:12.29 |
| Women | 400 IM | 2008 Olympics | 4:38.90 | 4:49.50 |
| Men | 50 free | 2024 Olympics | 21.94 | 21.91 |
| Men | 100 free | 2023 Worlds | 48.34 | 48.33 |
| Men | 200 free | 2021 Olympics | 1:46.67 | 1:46.67 |
| Men | 400 free | 2009 Worlds | 3:47.05 | 3:47.57 |
| Men | 800 free | 2023 Worlds | 7:48.66 | 7:54.83 |
| Men | 1500 free | 2023 Worlds | 15:01.89 | 15:30.66 |
| Men | 50 fly | 2023 Worlds | 23.36 | 23.28 |
| Men | 100 fly | 2024 Olympics | 51.62 | 51.58 |
| Men | 200 fly | 2021 Olympics | 1:55.96 | 1:56.35 |
| Men | 50 back | 2009 Worlds | 25.01 | 24.89 |
| Men | 100 back | 2021 Olympics | 53.77 | 53.78 |
| Men | 200 back | 2016 Olympics | 1:57.58 | 1:57.11 |
| Men | 50 breast | 2019 Worlds | 27.33 | 27.20 |
| Men | 100 breast | 2021 Olympics | 59.68 | 59.98 |
| Men | 200 breast | 2021 Olympics | 2:09.70 | 2:11.34 |
| Men | 200 IM | 2021 Olympics | 1:58.15 | 1:59.50 |
| Men | 400 IM | 2021 Olympics | 4:15.76 | 4:16.91 |
Fastest 8th qualifier ever before 2025 vs. 8th qualifier at 2025 Worlds (in bold, the faster)
| Gender | Event | Meet | 8th | 8th in 2025 |
| Women | 50 free | 2021 Olympics | 24.32 | 24.45 |
| Women | 100 free | 2021 Olympics | 53.11 | 53.51 |
| Women | 200 free | 2017 Worlds | 1:56.34 | 1:56.03 |
| Women | 400 free | 2024 Olympics | 4:03.83 | 4:06.75 |
| Women | 800 free | 2021 Olympics | 8:20.58 | 8:27.51 |
| Women | 1500 free | 2021 Olympics | 15:58.96 | 16:08.19 |
| Women | 50 fly | 2017 Worlds | 25.73 | 25.62 |
| Women | 100 fly | 2024 Olympics | 56.93 | 57.11 |
| Women | 200 fly | 2009 Worlds | 2:06.85 | 2:07.95 |
| Women | 50 back | 2017 Worlds | 27.60 | 27.57 |
| Women | 100 back | 2021 Olympics | 59.30 | 59.56 |
| Women | 200 back | 2017 Worlds | 2:07.64 | 2:09.09 |
| Women | 50 breast | 2023 Worlds | 30.33 | 30.37 |
| Women | 100 breast | 2024 Olympics | 1:06.23 | 1:06.17 |
| Women | 200 breast | 2016 Olympics | 2:22.87 | 2:24.10 |
| Women | 200 IM | 2009 Worlds | 2:10.08 | 2:10.49 |
| Women | 400 IM | 2012 Olympics | 4:36.09 | 4:38.31 |
| Men | 50 free | 2024 Olympics | 21.64 | 21.77 |
| Men | 100 free | 2021 Olympics | 47.82 | 47.64 |
| Men | 200 free | 2021 Olympics | 1:45.71 | 1:45.60 |
| Men | 400 free | 2008 Olympics | 3:44.82 | 3:45.88 |
| Men | 800 free | 2024 Olympics | 7:44.59 | 7:46.36 |
| Men | 1500 free | 2024 Olympics | 14:45.59 | 14:51.06 |
| Men | 50 fly | 2022 Worlds | 23.04 | 22.91 |
| Men | 100 fly | 2009 Worlds | 51.07 | 50.88 |
| Men | 200 fly | 2024 Olympics | 1:54.62 | 1:54.94 |
| Men | 50 back | 2022 Worlds | 24.61 | 24.53 |
| Men | 100 back | 2024 Olympics | 52.95 | 52.57 |
| Men | 200 back | 2009 Worlds | 1:55.78 | 1:55.64 |
| Men | 50 breast | 2017 Worlds | 26.96 | 26.93 |
| Men | 100 breast | 2021 Olympics | 59.18 | 59.36 |
| Men | 200 breast | 2016 Olympics | 2:08.20 | 2:09.32 |
| Men | 200 IM | 2023 Worlds | 1:57.23 | 1:57.49 |
| Men | 400 IM | 2021 Olympics | 4:10.20 | 4:13.59 |
Standout performances include:
- 52.57 being the 8th-fastest semifinal time in the men’s 100 backstroke, which was 0.7% faster than the 52.95 recorded at the 2024 Olympic Games.
- The cut-off for the men’s 50 fly into the final being 22.91, marking the first time a sub-23 was required to make the top eight.
- Sub-28 and sub-27 required to reach the semis in the women’s 50 backstroke and 50 butterfly, respectively, for the first time ever.
Notably, in all 50s of stroke (except the women’s 50 breaststroke), qualification times for both semifinals and finals in Singapore were the fastest in history. Could this already reflect the inclusion of these events in the Olympic program?
In comparison:
- The 16th-fastest prelim time is the fastest ever seen in 13 events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, followed by 11 in Singapore.
- For the 8th-fastest time (finals qualifiers), the 2025 Worlds lead with 12, followed by 7 at the Tokyo Olympics.
- Curiously, the Paris Olympics falls behind on both counts (3 and 6, respectively), echoing complaints about the “slow pool.”
There may have been a few world records in Singapore. However, in terms of event depth—especially regarding qualification for finals—there are strong arguments that this World Championships was the fastest meet ever, particularly when looking at how the cutoff times stacked up.
Seeing this reminds me of how fast the 400 IM prelims were in Tokyo. 4:10.2 just to make the final is brutal. I believe at the time that would’ve been fast enough to enter the top 25 in that event
Leon Marchand he’s so known as the butterfly and breastroke beast
And I don’t even know how many times he won the 200 and 400 meter IM
Known as the beast 😁 in butterfly (in 200 no of course up to now at least) and in breastroke (200 too maybe in the next years, we’ll see).
The best male Imer in the world now and the second (already? yes I’m fine with it) best of all time (Olympic champion in 200 and 400im and OR holder, 3x world champion in 200 and 400im and WR holder in SCM and LCM in all except 400im scm (please take this one in world cup) and 100im scm (but ER holder and third time in history, beat Dressel in this will be very hard but he seems more powerful (in back especially) now than last year, so lowering it, is… Read more »
why downvoting?
Don’t think it’s because I said he is the best male Imer now, obviously he is but the second of all time
Ok let’s say Darnyi is the second, the third so (up to now) 🙂
Lochte? At least debate worthy and has it in longevity.
Leon Marchand is clearly the best butterfly swimmer in history I mean look at this!How did he beat Michael Phelps record when he was so young.
🤣 😂 😂
Epic trolling.
And this is all achieved with many top swimmers suffering from GI virus that caused many swimmers to scratch and some elite swimmers decided to take a year off (Sarah Sjostrom, Ariarne Titmus, etc).
I feel like you should look at the average podium time and the 4th place time as well.
There are a number of events (especially the men’s 100 back and fly, women’s 800 free) where I’m certain it’s the fastest podium ever by a mile, and the fastest 4th place time ever
I don’t think the pre-2025 numbers in women’s 800 should be used for any comparison. It’s like dignifying an era before people believed in evolution
Only time will tell how close 8:04 is to the limit of this event. While its depth wasn’t the best indeed this year’s podium was still faster than any other and the event moving forward is worthy of notice.
Summer was aiming under 8.
Budapest 2022 had a faster podium in the M 100 Back.
yes, the 0.25 difference between the gold medal times (along with current wr status of the 2022 time) far outweighs the ~0.06 improvement of the silver and bronze times
Oh wow. So it did. I forgot how fast that podium was.
Singapore had a faster top 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 though!
True
Yes of course the depth was faster – As will be the case in 20 years when the times posted in the 2025 WC will be slow.
That women’s 800 free will NEVER be counted as slow
Like the top 2 in the women’s 400 in ‘78
Wrong an absolute of “never” is incongruous
If the semis tactics, a.k.a. collusions, hadn’t been abused by swimmers, the finals’ field would have been deeper.
Luckily swimmers like Richards, Pan & Matsushita etc. have learned of the plotting others made the most of from the schedule setup.
It’s time to move past the debacle that was USA Swimming at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships and commence the previews for the 2025-2026 NCAA DI Season:
DeSorbo >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Capitani
The Texas two-step: peak in Nov, crater in Mar
Now that that other troll is gone, you are back to being the most insufferable, congratulations!
A great suggestion bring on the NCAA previews which is the greatest meet in the world with the greatest athlete/swimmers. LC is boring and unAmerican….yards is where it is BABY!