Elijah Winnington Becomes #5 Performer Of All-Time With 3:41.22 400 Free

2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Australian swimmer Elijah Winnington put on a show in the men’s 400 free at the 2022 World Championships, racing a time of 3:41.22 to win the gold medal. This race was a one of redemption for the 22-year-old, who had the fastest time in the world last year from Australian trials but finished sixth at the Olympics.

With his swim, Winnington becomes the fifth-fastest performer in the history of the men’s 400 free. He is also the fastest performer in this event since Sun Yang went 3:40.14 in 2012, and the ninth man to go under the 3:42 barrier.

Top 5 Performers Of All-Time, Men’s 400 Free:

  1. Paul Biedermann, Germany – 3:40.07 (2009)
  2. Ian Thorpe, Australia – 3:40.08 (2002)
  3. Sun Yang, China – 3:40.14 (2012)
  4. Ous Mellouli, Tunisia – 3:41.11 (2009)
  5. Elijah Winnington, Australia – 3:41.22 (2022)

For the majority of the race, Winnington and Germany’s Lukas Märtens were in a tight battle. Winnington took out the early lead before Märtens came in front in the middle part of the race. However, Winnington came home in a scorching 26.50 final 50 to overtake Martens for the win. Märtens, the favorite to win this race and the top seed by over a second with his season-best of 3:41.60, faded to second. He clocked a time of 3:42.85, coming home in a 28.34 last 50- the slowest in the field.

Winnington vs. Martens, Comparative Splits:

Elijah Winnington Lukas Martens
25.30 25.53
27.66 28.20
28.26 28.13
28.75 28.28
28.69 28.15
28.23 28.02
27.83 28.20
26.50 28.34
3:41.22 3:42.85

Behind Winnington and Märtens, Brazil’s Guilherme Costa took bronze in a time of 3:43.31, breaking his own South American record from prelims. The entire podium of this race was faster than Ahmed Hafnoui‘s time of 3:43.36 that won Olympic gold last year.

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L14M
2 years ago

one of the best redemption swims ever

Fergie Farkle
2 years ago

Wow Elijah’s first 100 and 2nd add up to a blazing 1:47.29. Leaving his middle 200 at a 1:53.93. It’s a tale of two races.

Boomer
2 years ago

So happy for Elijah!

MTK
2 years ago

I did NOT see anyone being faster than like 3:42.5 here, absolutely blazing fast finish by Winnington here.

Catherine
2 years ago

where was the Olympic gold medalist? I didn’t see his name in the prelims list.

Sub13
Reply to  Catherine
2 years ago

He isn’t at the meet. I believe he’s doing final high school exams or something that couldn’t be rescheduled and he has to graduate now to swim at university

Admin
Reply to  Sub13
2 years ago

That’s correct, as confirmed by Indiana coaches.

2 beat kick
2 years ago

Finally let the big dog out on the last 50

Gheko
2 years ago

Dean Boxall best psychologist!

Troyy
Reply to  Gheko
2 years ago

“I was probably in this shape, if not better, last year so it’s really just the mental game now. Everybody at this international stage, they put in work, they’re all talented so it’s who’s tougher in the mind.”

swifter
2 years ago

Dean Boxall – the best middle distance freestyle coach in the world today…? Uhmm… Yeah

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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