SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which super-suited world record is next to go down after what Lukas Märtens did in the 400 free in Stockholm:
Question: With the men’s 400 free world record falling, which remaining super-suited world record will fall next?
RESULTS
- M 50 free (20.91) – 40.6%
- W 200 fly (2:01.81) – 21.0%
- M 200 free (1:42.00) – 19.5%
- M 200 back (1:51.92) – 10.9%
- M 800 free (7:32.12) – 8.0%
After nearly 16 years, Paul Biedermann‘s super-suited world record in the men’s 400 freestyle fell by the wayside earlier this month, as fellow German Lukas Märtens clocked 3:39.96 to become the first man sub-3:40, lowering Biedermann’s mark of 3:40.07 from 2009.
With that swim, there are just five remaining individual super-suited long course world records, and we asked SwimSwam readers which of them will fall next in our latest poll.
The top option by a wide margin was the world record in the men’s 50 free, which has stood at 20.91 since Cesar Cielo produced that time at the Brazilian Nationals in late December 2009, just two weeks before the super-suits were banned.
In the 15-plus years since, no one has seriously approached the record, with no swims under 21 seconds. Caeleb Dressel has gotten the closest, twice clocking 21.04, while Cameron McEvoy (21.06) is the only other man to go sub-21.10 (along with Fred Bousquet, who was 20.94 suited).
In addition to that, there’s only one more active swimmer, Ben Proud (21.11), who has been sub-21.20, not including Florent Manaudou (21.19), who is taking a break from competing for the time being.
Regardless, 40.6% of readers believe this record will fall next. It’s possible there’s a belief that the 50 free record will be next to fall because of what Pan Zhanle did to the 100 free world record last year, obliterating it by four-tenths. Maybe some believe Pan focuses more on the 50 and can take this record down, or someone like McEvoy executes the perfect race and pulls it off.
Receiving the second-most votes in the poll was the women’s 200 fly, which for many years has been regarded as an untouchable record, but with the steady progression of Summer McIntosh, opinions are starting to change.
The record stands at 2:01.81, held by China’s Liu Zige, and up until last summer’s Olympics, no one had been within two seconds of that mark since Liu set the record in October 2009.
In Paris, McIntosh won gold in a time of 2:03.03, the #2 swim of all-time, with Regan Smith also cracking 2:04 for the second time in her career in 2:03.84 for silver.
Then, just last month, McIntosh produced a time of 2:04.00 at the Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont, a remarkable performance given it’s an in-season swim.
There were 21% who think Liu’s record falls next, with McIntosh the most likely candidate.
The men’s 200 free, which is Biedermann’s lone remaining world record (he initially held all four of the LC/SC 200/400 free), picked up 19.5% of votes, with David Popovici having entered into sub-1:43 territory in 2022, clocking 1:42.97 at the European Championships to pull within a second of Biedermann’s mark of 1:42.00.
No other active swimmer has been under 1:44, so Popovici is the clear candidate to take a run at this record, though Pan seemingly has some untapped potential in the event.
The other two records still on the books are the men’s 200 back and 800 free.
In the 200 back, Aaron Peirsol fired off a time of 1:51.92 at the 2009 World Championships in what was a redemption swim of sorts after he missed the final of the 100 back as the world record holder. Since then, the only swim sub-1:53 is the 1:52.96 produced by Ryan Lochte in 2011.
The 800 free is a completely different animal, with Zhang Lin‘s record of 7:32.12 from the 2009 Worlds final sitting more than three seconds faster than the second-fastest swim ever, which was the 7:35.27 produced by Oussama Mellouli in the same race.
Since then, no one has broken 7:37, with Ahmed Hafnaoui (7:37.00) and Sam Short (7:37.76) the only other swimmers under 7:38.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: What most excites you about the stacked Fort Lauderdale Pro Swim?
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
Rumor has it that Pan would zero in on 100 free along with making an effort to adapt to the tempo of 200, but not 50 free at the moment.
He said in an interview that 50 free is only on the table after he gets “old” and grows more muscle
I really really want fort Lauderdale to have fireworks but the pro series usually disappoints. Now it’s not a never thing but pray for this one boys
Yes some swimmers are capable of swimming very fast in season (more so on the women’s side) but the goal is not to peak now. It’s to peak in Singapore in late July-early August.
Caribe wants sub 21,3 at least tonight
He beat Crooks to the feet on the first 25 for the ncaa 50, and he would have been out with Pan had he hypothetically swum that fast at the Olympics, just adding to the hype
hmmm definitely not but I hope I’m proven wrong
popovici and beidermann will only be able to watch and weep as luke hobson corrects his mistakes from the last 50 of the paris 200 free and breaks the record with no reaction except a horns up wave to his friends
The 1.42 will be there a LONG time
I can’t believe the disrespect shown to my king Lukie Pookie Hobson. You are telling me you watched this man take back the NCAA record from Leon like a true patriot and you weren’t moved to tears? And you have the audacity to bet against this man on the biggest stage, his stage?? The 200 free is yet another stop on my king’s way to cementing himself as the greatest mid-distance swimmer of all time.
I hate texas but love Luke Hobson