Lukas Märtens Becomes First Man To Make 400 Free & 200 Back Olympic Final In 52 Years

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It’s already been a history-making Olympics for Lukas Märtens, and the accolades continued on Wednesday in the semi-finals of the men’s 200 backstroke.

After winning gold in the men’s 400 freestyle on the opening night of competition, the 22-year-old German became the first male swimmer since 1972 to make the final of both the 400 free and 200 back at the Olympics, advancing tied for 4th into tomorrow’s final of the latter.

Märtens joins Australian Brad Cooper as the only man to have made the final in both events at the same Olympics, with Cooper having done so at the 1972 Games in Munich—where he also won gold in the 400 free.

The only female swimmer to accomplish the feat at the same Games is Germany’s Dagmar Hase, who won 400 free gold and took 200 back silver at the 1992 edition in Barcelona.

MEN TO FINAL IN 200 BACK & 400 FREE AT SAME OLYMPICS OLYMPICS

WOMEN TO FINAL IN 200 BACK & 400 FREE AT SAME OLYMPICS

See a full list of the swimmers who have contested the 400 free and 200 back at the same Olympics below:

Additionally, Märtens is just the fourth swimmer to make the final of the 200 free and 200 back at the same Games, having placed 5th in the 200 free final on Monday.

The only other swimmers to make the final of both races are Americans Ryan Lochte (2012), Missy Franklin (2012) and John Naber (1976).

MEN TO FINAL IN 200 FREE & 200 BACK AT SAME OLYMPICS

WOMEN TO FINAL IN 200 FREE & 200 BACK AT SAME OLYMPICS

It’s worth noting that no women who made the final of either the 200 free or 400 free in Paris are entered to swim the 200 back.

Märtens is one of the most rangy freestylers in the world, having produced 5th-place finishes in the 800 and 1500 free at the 2023 World Championships in addition to taking bronze in the 400 free.

In the lead-up to Paris, he narrowed his focus away from the longer distances and opted to key in on the 200 and 400 free, with the 200 back a natural event to supplement his schedule given his ability—he came within 13 one-hundredths of the German Record in April in 1:56.00.

In Paris, he went 1:56.33 in the semis after going 1:56.89 in the prelims. With American Ryan Murphy shockingly missing the final, Märtens has a solid chance at another podium appearance, as 2023 world champion Hubert Kos was the only swimmer sub-1:56 in the semis (1:55.96).