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Germany’s Lukas Maertens set a new world record in the men’s 400-metre freestyle on Saturday, breaking a 15-year-old mark at the Stockholm Open.
The 23-year-old Olympic champion touched the wall in 3 minutes 39.96 seconds, shaving 0.11 seconds off the previous record of 3:40.07 held by fellow German swimmer Paul Biedermann. That record had stood since July 2009, when Biedermann set it at the World Championships in Rome while wearing a now-banned polyurethane swimsuit.
Maertens’ performance not only secured victory in the Swedish capital but also confirmed his status as the dominant force in the event, having won Olympic gold in Paris last year with a time of 3:41.78.
Prior to Saturday’s swim, Maertens’ personal best over the distance was 3:40.33, clocked at the 2024 German Championships.
His record-breaking display marks a significant moment for the sport, as it finally surpasses one of the few remaining world records set during the now-outlawed super-suit era.
