2025 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 2-7, 2025
- Lublin, Poland
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
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- Live Recaps:
The men’s 800m freestyle was one of the highlights of tonight’s session at the 2025 European Short Course Championships, with a trio of national records biting the dust in the fierce battle to the wall.
Leading the way to the top of the podium was 22-year-old Zalan Sarkany, with the Hungarian notching a blistering effort of 7:26.84 to touch first.
Sarkany, who competes for the Indiana Hoosiers in the NCAA, led nearly wire-to-wire en route to establishing the best time of his career and a new national record.
The former Hungarian benchmark entering this meet stood at the 7:29.50 Zarkany put up just this past October while racing at the Westmont stop of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.
That means tonight’s performance hacked nearly 3 seconds off that result to grab the gold.
But runner-up Lucas Henveaux of Belgium notched a new national record of his own en route to silver.
The 25-year-old former Cal Bear punched a result of 7:28.03 to secure 2nd place, erasing his former PB and national mark of 7:34.51. That, too, was established at Westmont, with Henveaux’s outing here ripping that to shreds in his first-ever foray under the 7:30 barrier.
Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen captured another medal, following up his 1500m free gold with bronze here in 7:30.14. Wiffen is the World Record holder in this event, courtesy of the monster 7:20.46 he turned in at the 2023 edition of this meet.
We reported how 4th place finisher Johannes Liebmann of Germany turned in new World Junior and European Junior records with his time of 7:30.47 this evening.
As for tonight’s top two finishers, Sarkany now inserts himself into the all-time performers list in slot #5 while Henveaux joins him in slot #8 worldwide.
Top 10 Men’s SCM 800 Freestyle Performers All-Time
- Daniel Wiffen (IRL) – 7:20.46, 2023
- Grant Hackett (AUS) – 7:23.42, 2008
- Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) – 7:25.73, 2020
- Henrik Christiansen (NOR) – 7:25.78, 2020
- Zalan Sarkany (HUN) – 7:26.84, 2025
- Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) – 7:27.94, 2021
- Florian Wellbrock (GER) – 7:27.99, 2021
- Lucas Henveaux (BEL) – 7:28.03, 2025
- Yannick Agnel (FRA) – 7:29.17, 2012
- David Aubry (FRA) – 7:30.32, 2023
MEN’S 800 FREESTYLE – Final
- WR: 7:20.46 – Daniel Wiffen, IRL (2023)
WJR: 7:30.94 – Johannes Liebmann, GER (2025)- ER: 7:20.46 – Daniel Wiffen, IRL (2023)
EJR: 7:30.94 – Johannes Liebmann, GER (2025)- CR: 7:20.46 – Daniel Wiffen, IRL (2023)
Top 8 Finishers
- Zalan Sarkany (HUN) – 7:26.84
- Lucas Henveaux (BEL) – 7:28.03
- Daniel Wiffen (IRL) – 7:30.14
- Johannes Liebmann (GER) – 7:30.47 WJ, EJ
- Victor Johansson (SWE) – 7:31.38
- Oliver Klemet (GER) – 7:35.71
- Henrik Christiansen (NOR) – 7:37.72
- Dimitrios Markos (GRE) — 7:43.59
After getting chased down in the men’s 1500 freestyle, Zalan Sarkany was not taking any chances in today’s 800 free final. He jumped out to the lead at the 50 meter mark, and slowly built his lead from there, securing enough of a cushion against Lucas Henveaux and Daniel Wiffen to earn the event win.
Sarkany also set a new Hungarian National Record in the event, taking down his own record time of 7:29.50 from the World Cup in October vy nearly three seconds.
At the 400 meter mark, Sarkany led Liebmann 3:42.32 to 3:43.73. Henveaux was 3rd in 3:44.71, and Wiffen was 6th at 3:45.87.
Liebmann fell off Sarkany’s pace around the 600 meter mark, dropping to 3rd behind Wiffen. A 75 later, Henveaux overtook him as well.
Wiffen sat in 2nd behind Sarkany for 100 meters, turning in 6:33.80 at the 700 mark to Sarkany’s 6:32.25. Henveaux was 3rd in 6:34.40.
At the 750 mark, Henveaux overtook Wiffen after splitting a monster 13.57 on his 25 to make up half-a-second on Wiffen’s 14.06.
Henveaux ultimately finished 2nd in 7:28.03, breaking the Belgian National Record in the event after splitting 1:51.10 on his final 200. He was not able to chase down Sarkany, who split the exact same 1:51.10.
Wiffen was 3rd in 7:30.14 with his final 200 split of 1:52.06, and Liebmann was 4th in 7:30.47, splitting 1:52.54.
Liebmann’s swim was a new WJR and EJR, taking down his own 7:30.94 from prelims.
