Germany’s Sven Schwarz Overtakes Daniel Wiffen’s 800 Free European Record

2025 GERMAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day two finals of the 2025 German Swimming Championships started with a bang, as Sven Schwarz powered his way to a new European Record in the men’s 800m freestyle.

The 23-year-old ripped a huge lifetime best of 7:38.12 to claim gold, defeating Florian Wellbrock and Oliver Klemet in the process. The former settled for silver well back in 7:43.79 while the latter earned bronze in 7:44.61.

Schwarz’s time shaved .07 off the former European Record of 7:38.19 Irishman Daniel Wiffen put on the books en route to winning the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Schwarz was in that final, reaping a 5th-place finish in a result of 7:43.59, although that wasn’t his best-ever performance.

Entering this competition, Schwarz’s career-quickest mark rested at the 7:41.77 notched at the inaugural U23 Championships to claim the gold there. That means tonight’s groundbreaking outing hacked over 3 seconds off that prior PB.

He also dropped more than a second off the previous German national record of 7:39.48 Lukas Märtens established at the 2023 World Championships.

Splits for Sven Schwarz‘s New 7:38.12 European Record

With his monster performance, Schwarz now becomes the 5th-swiftest performer in history.

Top 10 Men’s LCM 800 Free Performers All-Time

  1. Zhang Lin (CHN) – 7:32.12, 2009
  2. Ous Mellouli (TUN) – 7:35.27, 2009
  3. Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN) – 7:37.00, 2023
  4. Sam Short (AUS) – 7:37.76, 2023
  5. Sven Schwarz (GER) – 7:38.12, 2025 *European Record
  6. Daniel Wiffen (IRL) – 7:38.19
  7. Sun Yang (CHN) – 7:38.57, 2011
  8. Grant Hackett (AUS) – 7:38.65, 2005
  9. Bobby Finke (USA) – 7:38.67, 2023
  10. Ian Thorpe (AUS) – 7:39.16, 2001

Schwarz is continuing the momentum Lukas Märtens kicked off with his 400m free World Record at April’s Swim Open Stockholm.

Since then, multiple age records have fallen, including Johannes Liebmann in the 1500m free and Kaii Winkler in the 100m free. Additionally, Anna Elendt produced a new national record of 2:23.93 in the women’s 200m breast at the Berlin Swim Open.

We reported how Olympic champion Wiffen has been vocal about his desire to grow his current world record resume from one (SCM 800 free) to four by the time LA 2028 rolls around. With the four-headed German monster of Schwarz, Märtens, Klemet and Wellbrock, however, he and the rest of the world will have their work cut out for them.

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Bathtub froth connoisseur
3 hours ago

Well what’s insane is how fast paltrinieri and finke can do the 8 while never touching sub 345

Bathtub froth connoisseur
3 hours ago

Any one know if rainer henkel still holds age group distance records in Germany?

Thomas The Tank Engine
4 hours ago

Germany should push for 4×800 in LA or Brisbane

Andre
4 hours ago

Jeez… a lot of mistakes in that top performers list

Joel
6 hours ago

Hackett still being number 8, 20 years later even with the evolution of men’s distance swimming 😮.

3:41.83 in a brief
6 hours ago

Daily chirp: what happened to young Lieberman?

Awsi Dooger
8 hours ago

Distance swimming is the most gender lopsided realm in sport. Second would be balance beam.

Olivia Smoliga 27.33 AR
Reply to  Awsi Dooger
6 hours ago

Quadarella missed the podium with 8:14 last year. I would argue it’s more of men’s distance swimming finally catching up to the women’s.

55.2 3rd 100 in a brief
Reply to  Olivia Smoliga 27.33 AR
2 hours ago

That’s like a guy going 7:42 and missing the podium😂. Yes, Jaouadi was 4th at 7:42, however that’s missing wellbrock, short, Hafnaoui, and martens. Men’s distance cleans

kekerek
Reply to  Awsi Dooger
2 hours ago

how is it lopsided

Thomas The Tank Engine
Reply to  kekerek
1 hour ago

Men’s distance events are super competitive now (has been since Fukuoka), and arguably the most exciting men’s events.

Women’s distance events are not competitive, Ledecky is GOAT, but women’s distance is the most boring women’s events as you can accurately predict the winner months in advance.

Krenzig
9 hours ago

Three different German distance swimmers leading the world rankings in the 400 (Märtens), 800 (Schwarz) an 1500 (Wellbrock), crazy depth

carlo
Reply to  Krenzig
6 hours ago

I wouldn’t call this crazy depth until they have great backstrokers, breaststrokers, and butterfliers in both genders.

Thomas The Tank Engine
Reply to  carlo
1 hour ago

Crazy depth as in men’s mid-d freestyle

Context matters.

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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