The 400 metres freestyle is an event in competitive swimming. World records are ratified by World Aquatics (formerly FINA). The current long course world record holders are Germany's Lukas Märtens and Canada's Summer McIntosh, while the current short course world record holders are France's Yannick Agnel, and McIntosh.
The men's event was first contested at the Olympic Games in 1908, while the women's event was introduced in 1924; the current Olympic champions are Märtens, and Australia's Ariarne Titmus. The men's and women's events have been contested at the World Aquatics Championships since the inaugural edition in 1973; the current world champions (long course) are Märtens and McIntosh. The men's and women's events have been contested at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) since the inaugural edition in 1993; the current world champions (short course) are Australia's Elijah Winnington, and McIntosh.
World record progression
Men long course
Men short course
Women long course
Women short course
All-time top 25 Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 400 m freestyle times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 400 m freestyle times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 400 m freestyle times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 400 m freestyle times
Men long course
Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 3:39.96 Lukas Märtens 12 April 2025 Stockholm 2 2 3:40.07 Paul Biedermann 26 July 2009 Rome 3 3 3:40.08 Ian Thorpe 30 July 2002 Manchester 4 4 3:40.14 Sun Yang 28 July 2012 London 5 3:40.17Thorpe #2 22 July 2001 Fukuoka 6 3:40.29Sun #2 23 September 2011 Rizhao 7 3:40.33Märtens #2 25 April 2024 Berlin 5 8 3:40.52 Samuel Short 14 August 2026 Irvine 9 3:40.54Thorpe #3 18 March 2002 Brisbane 10 3:40.59Thorpe #4 16 September 2000 Sydney 11 3:40.61Märtens #3 1 May 2025 Berlin 12 3:40.67Short #2 8 June 2026 Sydney 13 3:40.68Short #3 23 July 2023 Fukuoka 6 14 3:40.70 Ahmed Hafnaoui 23 July 2023 Fukuoka 15 3:40.76Thorpe #5 24 March 2001 Hobart 16 3:41.03Short #4 9 June 2025 Adelaide 7 17 3:41.11 Oussama Mellouli 26 July 2009 Rome 8 18 3:41.22 Elijah Winnington 18 June 2022 Budapest 19 3:41.25Short #5 25 July 2026 Glasgow 9 20 3:41.28 Zhang Zhanshuo 25 September 2026 Tokyo 21 3:41.33Thorpe #6 13 May 2000 Sydney 10 22 3:41.35 Zhang Lin 26 July 2009 Rome 23 3:41.38Sun #3 23 July 2017 Budapest 24 3:41.41Winnington #2 17 April 2024 Gold Coast 25 3:41.48Sun #4 5 April 2011 Wuhan 11 3:41.53 Park Tae-hwan 16 November 2010 Guangzhou 12 3:41.55 Mack Horton 6 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 13 3:42.42 Kim Woo-min 1 June 2024 Monaco 14 3:42.51 Grant Hackett 22 July 2001 Fukuoka 15 3:42.76 Guilherme Costa 27 July 2024 Paris 16 3:42.78 Larsen Jensen 10 August 2008 Beijing 17 3:42.81 Oliver Klemet 19 April 2024 Magdeburg 18 3:43.11 Peter Vanderkaay 10 August 2008 Beijing 19 3:43.14 Léon Marchand 16 August 2026 Paris 20 3:43.23 Gabriele Detti 19 July 2019 Gwangju 21 3:43.24 Felix Auböck 23 June 2024 Belgrade 22 3:43.27 Jack McLoughlin 12 June 2021 Adelaide 23 3:43.33 Rex Maurer 6 June 2025 Indianapolis 24 3:43.36 Danas Rapsys 12 May 2019 Budapest 25 3:43.40 Massimiliano Rosolino 16 September 2000 Sydney
Men short course
Correct as of October 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 3:32.25 Yannick Agnel 15 November 2012 Angers 2 2 3:32.77 Paul Biedermann 14 November 2009 Berlin 3 3 3:33.20 Danas Rapšys 4 December 2019 Glasgow 4 3:34.01Rapšys #2 11 December 2018 Hangzhou 4 5 3:34.32 Péter Bernek 5 December 2014 Doha 5 6 3:34.38 Kieran Smith 15 December 2022 Melbourne 6 7 3:34.46 Duncan Scott 31 October 2024 Singapore 8 3:34.55Biedermann #2 10 December 2009 Istanbul 7 9 3:34.58 Grant Hackett 18 July 2002 Sydney 8 10 3:34.59 Park Tae-hwan 6 December 2016 Windsor 9 11 3:34.63 Ian Thorpe 21 January 2003 Stockholm 10 12 3:34.66 Zhang Lin 22 February 2009 Tokyo 11 13 3:34.81 Peter Vanderkaay 22 February 2009 Tokyo 14 3:34.98Biedermann #3 30 November 2008 Essen 15 3:35.01Hackett #2 2 April 1999 Hong Kong 12 16 3:35.05 Thomas Neill 15 December 2022 Melbourne 17 3:35.16Hackett #3 19 July 2008 Melbourne 13 17 3:35.16 Samuel Short 1 October 2026 Sydney 14 19 3:35.30 Aleksandr Krasnykh 6 December 2016 Windsor 20 3:35.36Hackett #4 31 August 2007 Melbourne 21 3:35.46Bernek #2 2 December 2015 Netanya 15 22 3:35.47 Daniel Wiffen 5 December 2023 Otopeni 23 3:35.49Rapšys #3 1 November 2020 Budapest 24 3:35.51Krasnykh #2 13 December 2017 Copenhagen 25 3:35.54Vanderkaay #2 18 December 2009 Manchester 16 3:35.67 Luke Hobson 26 August 2022 Sydney 17 3:35.75 Nikita Lobintsev 10 December 2009 Istanbul 18 3:35.89 Elijah Winnington 12 December 2024 Budapest 19 3:35.90 Felix Auböck 16 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 20 3:36.07 Carson Foster 1 October 2026 Baku 21 3:36.09 Tyler Melbourne-Smith 11 December 2025 Sheffield 22 3:36.30 Matthew Sates 21 October 2022 Berlin 23 3:36.33 Jack McMillan 2 December 2025 Lublin 24 3:36.35 James Guy 5 December 2014 Doha 25 3:36.43 Pan Zhanle 24 October 2024 Incheon
Women long course
Correct as of August 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 3:54.18 Summer McIntosh 7 June 2025 Victoria 2 3:55.37McIntosh #2 4 December 2025 Austin 2 3 3:55.38 Ariarne Titmus 23 July 2023 Fukuoka 4 3:55.44Titmus #2 10 June 2024 Brisbane 5 3:56.08 McIntosh #3 28 March 2023 Toronto 6 3:56.26 McIntosh #4 27 July 2025 Singapore 7 3:56.40 Titmus #3 22 May 2022 Adelaide 3 8 3:56.46 Katie Ledecky 7 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 9 3:56.69 Titmus #4 26 July 2021 Tokyo 10 3:56.81 Ledecky #2 1 May 2025 Fort Lauderdale 11 3:56.90 Titmus #5 13 June 2021 Adelaide 12 3:57.36 Ledecky #3 26 July 2021 Tokyo 13 3:57.49 Titmus #6 27 July 2024 Paris 14 3:57.94 Ledecky #4 27 May 2018 Indianapolis 15 3:58.06 Titmus #7 3 August 2022 Birmingham 16 3:58.15 Ledecky #5 18 June 2022 Budapest 4 17 3:58.21 Li Bingjie 27 July 2025 Singapore 18 3:58.28 McIntosh #5 1 May 2025 Fort Lauderdale 19 3:58.34 Ledecky #6 23 July 2017 Budapest 20 3:58.35 Ledecky #7 15 June 2024 Indianapolis 21 3:58.37 Ledecky #8 23 August 2014 Gold Coast McIntosh #6 27 July 2024 Paris 5 23 3:58.42 Lani Pallister 14 August 2026 Irvine 24 3:58.44 Ledecky #9 30 June 2017 Indianapolis 25 3:58.47 Titmus #8 13 June 2023 Melbourne 6 3:59.15 Federica Pellegrini 26 July 2009 Rome 7 3:59.44 Erika Fairweather 11 February 2024 Doha 8 4:00.05 Claire Weinstein 6 June 2025 Indianapolis 9 4:00.60 Joanne Jackson 26 July 2009 Rome 10 4:00.65 Leah Smith 27 June 2016 Omaha 11 4:00.79 Rebecca Adlington 26 July 2009 Rome 12 4:01.13 Camille Muffat 18 March 2012 Dunkirk 13 4:01.23 Jazmin Carlin 7 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 14 4:01.31 Ajna Késely 21 July 2019 Gwangju 15 4:01.34 Simona Quadarella 16 August 2026 Paris 16 4:01.77 Allison Schmitt 29 July 2012 London 17 4:01.90 Yang Peiqi 10 November 2025 Shenzhen 18 4:01.95 Tang Muhan 20 September 2021 Xi'an 19 4:02.08 Paige Madden 15 June 2024 Indianapolis 20 4:02.13 Laure Manaudou 31 July 2006 Budapest 21 4:02.14 Isabel Gose 27 July 2024 Paris 22 4:02.20 Katie Hoff 16 February 2008 Columbia 23 4:02.35 Chen Qian 17 October 2009 Jinan 24 4:02.37 Boglárka Kapás 7 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 25 4:02.47 Melani Costa 28 July 2013 Barcelona
Women short course
Correct as of December 2025 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 3:50.25 Summer McIntosh 10 December 2024 Budapest 2 2 3:51.30 Li Bingjie 27 October 2022 Beijing 3 3 3:51.87 Lani Pallister 23 October 2025 Toronto 4 3:52.42Pallister #2 17 October 2025 Westmont 5 3:52.80McIntosh #2 28 October 2022 Toronto 4 6 3:52.88 Katie Ledecky 28 October 2022 Toronto 7 3:53.73Pallister #3 10 December 2024 Budapest 5 8 3:53.92 Ariarne Titmus 14 December 2018 Hangzhou 6 9 3:53.97 Wang Jianjiahe 4 October 2018 Budapest 10 3:54.04Ledecky #2 3 November 2022 Indianapolis 11 3:54.06Ledecky #3 6 October 2019 Indianapolis 12 3:54.16Pallister #4 25 October 2025 Toronto 7 13 3:54.33 Isabel Gose 2 December 2025 Lublin 14 3:54.38Pallister #5 10 October 2025 Carmel 8 15 3:54.52 Mireia Belmonte 11 August 2013 Berlin 16 3:54.55Pallister #6 1 October 2026 Sydney 17 3:54.56Wang #2 14 December 2018 Hangzhou 18 3:54.58Titmus #2 27 October 2020 Brisbane 19 3:54.63Wang #3 28 September 2018 Eindhoven 9 20 3:54.85 Camille Muffat 24 November 2012 Chartres 10 21 3:54.88 Mary-Sophie Harvey 10 December 2024 Budapest 11 22 3:54.92 Joanne Jackson 8 August 2009 Leeds 23 3:54.93Muffat #2 21 October 2012 Berlin 24 3:55.04Pallister #7 13 December 2022 Melbourne 12 25 3:55.12 Paige Madden 10 December 2024 Budapest 13 3:55.16 Lauren Boyle 8 August 2013 Eindhoven 14 3:55.89 Allison Schmitt 18 December 2009 Manchester 15 3:56.00 Erika Fairweather 13 December 2022 Melbourne 16 3:56.09 Laure Manaudou 9 December 2006 Helsinki 17 3:56.12 Claire Weinstein 10 December 2024 Budapest 18 3:56.24 Coralie Balmy 16 November 2008 Berlin 19 3:56.52 Siobhán Haughey 21 October 2022 Berlin 20 3:56.70 Simona Quadarella 2 December 2025 Lublin 21 3:56.71 Freya Colbert 2 December 2025 Lublin 22 3:56.84 Melani Costa 8 August 2013 Eindhoven 23 3:57.07 Katie Hoff 17 December 2010 Dubai 24 3:57.45 Holly Hibbott 21 December 2019 Las Vegas 25 3:57.59 Federica Pellegrini 6 March 2011 Rome
Olympic champions Men
Edition Winner Time Notes London 1908 5:36.8 Stockholm 1912 5:24.4 Antwerp 1920 5:26.8 Paris 1924 5:04.2 Amsterdam 1928 5:01.6 Los Angeles 1932 4:48.4 Berlin 1936 4:45.5 London 1948 4:41.0 Helsinki 1952 4:30.7 Melbourne 1956 4:27.3 Rome 1960 4:18.3 Tokyo 1964 4:12.2 Mexico City 1968 4:09.0 Munich 1972 4:00.27 Montreal 1976 3:51.93 Moscow 1980 3:51.31 Los Angeles 1984 3:51.23 Seoul 1988 3:46.95 Barcelona 1992 3:45.00 Atlanta 1996 3:47.97 Sydney 2000 3:40.59 Athens 2004 3:43.10 Beijing 2008 3:41.86 London 2012 3:40.14 Rio de Janeiro 2016 3:41.55 Tokyo 2020 3:43.36 Paris 2024 3:41.78
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Paris 1924 6:02.2 Amsterdam 1928 5:42.8 Los Angeles 1932 5:28.5 Berlin 1936 5:26.4 London 1948 5:17.8 Helsinki 1952 5:12.1 Melbourne 1956 4:54.6 Rome 1960 4:50.6 Tokyo 1964 4:43.3 Mexico City 1968 4:31.8 Munich 1972 4:19.04 Montreal 1976 4:09.89 Moscow 1980 4:08.76 Los Angeles 1984 4:07.10 Seoul 1988 4:03.85 Barcelona 1992 4:07.18 Atlanta 1996 4:07.25 Sydney 2000 4:05.80 Athens 2004 4:05.34 Beijing 2008 4:03.22 London 2012 4:01.45 Rio de Janeiro 2016 3:56.46 Tokyo 2020 3:56.69 Paris 2024 3:57.49
World champions (long course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 3:58.18 Cali 1975 3:54.88 CR West Berlin 1978 3:51.94 CR Guayaquil 1982 3:51.30 CR Madrid 1986 3:50.05 CR Perth 1991 3:48.04 CR Rome 1994 3:43.80 Perth 1998 3:46.29 Fukuoka 2001 3:40.17 Barcelona 2003 3:42.58 Montreal 2005 3:42.91 Melbourne 2007 3:44.30 Rome 2009 3:40.07 Shanghai 2011 3:42.04 Barcelona 2013 3:41.59 Kazan 2015 3:42.58 Budapest 2017 3:41.38 Gwangju 2019 3:42.44 Budapest 2022 3:41.22 Fukuoka 2023 3:40.68 Doha 2024 3:42.71 Singapore 2025 3:42.35
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 4:20.28 CR Cali 1975 4:16.87 CR West Berlin 1978 4:06.28 Guayaquil 1982 4:08.98 Madrid 1986 4:07.45 Perth 1991 4:08.63 Rome 1994 4:09.64 Perth 1998 4:06.72 Fukuoka 2001 4:07.30 Barcelona 2003 4:06.75 Montreal 2005 4:06.44 Melbourne 2007 4:02.61 CR Rome 2009 3:59.15 Shanghai 2011 4:01.97 Barcelona 2013 3:59.82 Kazan 2015 3:59.13 CR Budapest 2017 3:58.34 CR Gwangju 2019 3:58.76 Budapest 2022 3:58.15 CR Fukuoka 2023 3:55.38 Doha 2024 3:59.44 Singapore 2025 3:56.26
World champions (short course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Palma de Mallorca 1993 3:42.95 CR Rio de Janeiro 1995 3:45.14 Gothenburg 1997 3:43.44 Hong Kong 1999 3:35.01 Athens 2000 3:41.13 Moscow 2002 3:38.29 Indianapolis 2004 3:40.79 Shanghai 2006 3:38:08 Manchester 2008 3:37.35 Dubai 2010 3:37.06 Istanbul 2012 3:39.15 Doha 2014 3:34.32 CR Windsor 2016 3:34.59 Hangzhou 2018 3:34.01 CR Abu Dhabi 2021 3:35.90 Melbourne 2022 3:34.38 Budapest 2024 3:35.89
Women