The 800 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 China's Zhang Lin and the US' Katie Ledecky, while the current short course world record holders are Ireland's Daniel Wiffen and Australia's Lani Pallister.
The men's event was first contested at the Olympic Games in 2020, while the women's event was introduced in 1968; the current Olympic champions are Wiffen and Ledecky. The men's event has been contested at the World Aquatics Championships since 2001, while the women's event has been contested since the inaugural championships in 1973; the current world champions (long course) are Tunisia's Ahmed Jaouadi, and Ledecky. The men's event has been contested at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) since 2022, while the women's event has been contested since the inaugural championships in 1993; the current world champions (short course) are Hungary's Zalán Sárkány, and Pallister.
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 25 800 m freestyle times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 800 m freestyle times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 800 m freestyle times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 800 m freestyle times
Men long course
Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 7:32.12 Zhang Lin 29 July 2009 Rome 2 2 7:35.27 Oussama Mellouli 29 July 2009 Rome 3 3 7:36.73 Samuel Short 10 June 2026 Sydney 4 4 7:36.88 Ahmed Jaouadi 30 July 2025 Singapore 5 5 7:37.00 Ahmed Hafnaoui 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 6 7:37.02Short #2 12 August 2026 Irvine 6 7 7:37.59 Johannes Liebmann 12 August 2026 Paris 8 7:37.76Short #3 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 9 7:37.94Liebmann #2 12 April 2026 Stockholm 7 10 7:38.12 Sven Schwarz 2 May 2025 Berlin 8 11 7:38.19 Daniel Wiffen 30 July 2024 Paris 9 12 7:38.57 Sun Yang 27 July 2011 Shanghai 10 13 7:38.65 Grant Hackett 27 July 2005 Montreal 11 14 7:38.67 Bobby Finke 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 15 7:38.75Finke #2 30 July 2024 Paris 16 7:38.98Schwarz #2 28 June 2025 Šamorín 12 17 7:39.10 Lukas Märtens 15 April 2025 Stockholm 13 18 7:39.16 Ian Thorpe 24 July 2001 Fukuoka 19 7:39.19Wiffen #2 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 14 20 7:39.27 Gregorio Paltrinieri 24 July 2019 Gwangju 21 7:39.36Finke #3 21 June 2022 Budapest 22 7:39.38Paltrinieri #2 30 July 2024 Paris 23 7:39.48Märtens #2 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 15 24 7:39.63 Florian Wellbrock 21 June 2022 Budapest 25 7:39.81Short #4 27 July 2026 Glasgow 16 7:40.08 Mykhailo Romanchuk 21 June 2022 Budapest 17 7:40.77 Gabriele Detti 26 July 2017 Budapest 18 7:41.28 Henrik Christiansen 24 July 2019 Gwangju 19 7:41.73 Wojciech Wojdak 26 July 2017 Budapest 20 7:41.75 Zalán Sárkány 12 August 2026 Paris 21 7:41.86 Ryan Cochrane 27 July 2011 Shanghai 22 7:42.08 David Aubry 24 July 2019 Gwangju 23 7:42.47 Aleksandr Stepanov 18 April 2023 Kazan 25 7:42.49 Zhang Zhanshuo 24 September 2026 Tokyo 24 7:42.51 Jack McLoughlin 14 June 2021 Adelaide
Men short course Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 7:20.46 Daniel Wiffen 10 December 2023 Otopeni 2 2 7:23.42 Grant Hackett 20 July 2008 Melbourne 3 7:25.28Hackett #2 3 August 2001 Perth 3 4 7:25.55 Samuel Short 29 September 2026 Sydney 4 5 7:25.73 Mykhailo Romanchuk 21 November 2020 Budapest 5 6 7:25.78 Henrik Christiansen 21 November 2020 Budapest 7 7:25.96Wiffen #2 15 December 2022 Dublin 6 8 7:26.84Zalán Sárkány 6 December 2025 Lublin 9 7:27.81Hackett #3 29 August 2007 Melbourne 7 10 7:27.94 Gregorio Paltrinieri 7 November 2021 Kazan 8 11 7:27.99 Florian Wellbrock 7 November 2021 Kazan 9127:28.03Lucas Henveaux6 December 2025 Lublin 10 13 7:29.17 Yannick Agnel 16 November 2012 Angers 14 7:29.39Christiansen #2 20 December 2019 Tilburg 15 7:29.50 Sarkany #2 18 October 2025 Westmont 16 7:29.99Paltrinieri #2 17 December 2022 Melbourne 17 7:30.14Wiffen #36 December 2025 Lublin 18 7:30.31Paltrinieri #3 16 December 2018 Hangzhou 11 19 7:30.32 David Aubry 10 December 2023 Otopeni 12 20 7:30.41 David Johnston 24 August 2022 Sydney 13217:30.47Johannes Liebmann6 December 2025 Lublin 22 7:30.56 Sarkany #3 14 December 2024 Budapest 23 7:30.79Christiansen #3 21 December 2019 Tilburg 247:30.94Liebmann #25 December 2025Lublin 14 25 7:31.18 Federico Colbertaldo 19 December 2009 Manchester 157:31.38Victor Johansson6 December 2025 Lublin 16 7:31.89 Felix Auböck 21 November 2020 Budapest 17 7:31.93 Ahmed Jaouadi 14 December 2024 Budapest 18 7:32.36 Savely Luzin 11 November 2025 Kazan 19 7:32.77 Alexander Nørgaard 18 December 2020 Helsingør 20 7:33.12 Logan Fontaine 17 December 2022 Melbourne 21 7:33.23 Jan Micka 16 November 2018 Plzeň 22 7:33.24 Sven Schwarz 14 December 2024 Budapest 23 7:33.44 Florian Vogel 21 November 2015 Wuppertal 24 7:33.56 Tyler Melbourne-Smith 14 December 2025 Sheffield 25 7:33.60 Wojciech Wojdak 19 December 2015 Lublin
Women long course
Correct as of August 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 8:04.12 Katie Ledecky 3 May 2025 Fort Lauderdale 2 8:04.79Ledecky #2 12 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 2 3 8:05.07 Summer McIntosh 8 June 2025 Victoria 4 8:05.62Ledecky #3 2 August 2025 Singapore 5 8:05.76Ledecky #4 3 June 2025 Indianapolis 3 6 8:05.98 Lani Pallister 2 August 2025 Singapore 7 8:06.10Pallister #2 15 August 2026 Irvine 8 8:06.68Ledecky #5 17 January 2016 Austin 9 8:07.07Ledecky #6 27 June 2023 Indianapolis 10 8:07.26Ledecky #7 15 August 2026 Irvine 11 8:07.27Ledecky #8 19 May 2018 Indianapolis 12 8:07.29McIntosh #2 2 August 2025 Singapore 13 8:07.39Ledecky #9 8 August 2015 Kazan 14 8:08.04Ledecky #10 24 June 2022 Budapest 15 8:08.57Ledecky #11 4 March 2026 Westmont 16 8:08.87Ledecky #12 29 July 2023 Fukuoka 17 8:09.13Ledecky #13 9 August 2018 Tokyo 18 8:09.27Ledecky #14 26 April 2022 Greensboro 19 8:09.85Ledecky #15 29 July 2025 Singapore 20 8:09.86 McIntosh #3 13 February 2025 Plantation 21 8:10.16Ledecky #16 17 January 2026 Austin 22 8:10.32Ledecky #17 2 July 2016 Omaha 23 8:10.45McIntosh #4 4 March 2026 Westmont 24 8:10.70Ledecky #18 19 May 2019 Bloomington 25 8:10.84Pallister #3 12 June 2025 Adelaide 4 8:12.29 Ariarne Titmus 3 August 2024 Paris 5 8:12.81 Simona Quadarella 2 August 2025 Singapore 6 8:13.00 Paige Madden 3 August 2024 Paris 7 8:13.31 Li Bingjie 29 July 2023 Fukuoka 8 8:14.10 Rebecca Adlington 16 August 2008 Beijing 9 8:14.64 Wang Jianjiahe 30 March 2019 Qingdao 10 8:15.54 Jazmin Carlin 21 August 2014 Berlin 11 8:15.92 Lotte Friis 1 August 2009 Rome 12 8:16.22 Janet Evans 20 August 1989 Tokyo 13 8:16.33 Leah Smith 10 April 2019 Richmond 14 8:16.37 Boglárka Kapás 12 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 15 8:16.43 Sarah Köhler 27 July 2019 Gwangju 16 8:16.66 Joanne Jackson 1 August 2009 Rome 17 8:16.70 Camelia Potec 22 April 2009 Montpellier 18 8:16.79 Kiah Melverton 2 August 2022 Birmingham 19 8:17.05 Katie Grimes 29 July 2021 Tokyo 20 8:17.21 Alessia Filippi 1 August 2009 Rome 21 8:17.53 Isabel Gose 17 February 2024 Doha 22 8:17.65 Lauren Boyle 8 August 2015 Kazan 23 8:18.00 Erika Fairweather 5 April 2023 Auckland 24 8:18.14 Jessica Ashwood 5 June 2016 Santa Clara 25 8:18.52 Kate Ziegler 31 March 2007 Melbourne
Women short course Correct as of December 2025 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 7:54.00 Lani Pallister 25 October 2025 Toronto 2 2 7:57.42 Katie Ledecky 5 November 2022 Indianapolis 3 3 7:59.34 Mireia Belmonte 10 August 2013 Berlin 4 4 7:59.44 Wang Jianjiahe 6 October 2018 Budapest 5 8:00.58Ledecky #2 29 October 2022 Toronto 5 6 8:01.06 Camille Muffat 16 November 2012 Angers 6 7 8:01.22 Lauren Boyle 7 August 2013 Eindhoven 8 8:01.43Belmonte #2 7 August 2013 Eindhoven 9 8:01.66Pallister #2 2 October 2026 Sydney 7 10 8:01.90 Isabel Gose 5 December 2025 Lublin 11 8:01.95Pallister #3 11 December 2024 Budapest 12 8:02.02Pallister #4 12 October 2025 Carmel 8 13 8:02.09 Li Bingjie 29 October 2022 Beijing 14 8:02.53Boyle #2 10 August 2013 Berlin 15 8:02.90Li #2 18 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 9 16 8:03.00 Simona Quadarella 5 December 2025 Lublin 17 8:03.17Pallister #5 19 October 2025 Westmont 18 8:03.41Belmonte #3 4 December 2014 Doha 19 8:03.86Wang #2 30 September 2018 Eindhoven 20 8:04.07Pallister #6 14 December 2022 Melbourne 21 8:04.35Wang #3 13 December 2018 Hangzhou 10 22 8:04.53 Alessia Filippi 12 December 2008 Rijeka 11 23 8:04.61 Lotte Friis 14 November 2009 Berlin 12 24 8:04.65 Anastasiya Kirpichnikova 3 November 2021 Kazan 25 8:04.77Friis #2 16 December 2011 Atlanta 13 8:05.32 Coralie Balmy 12 December 2008 Rijeka 14 8:05.90 Katie Grimes 11 December 2024 Budapest 15 8:07.12 Summer McIntosh 5 November 2022 Indianapolis 16 8:07.22 Paige Madden 11 December 2024 Budapest 17 8:07.67 Leah Smith 7 December 2016 Windsor 18 8:08.00 Kate Ziegler 14 October 2007 Essen 19 8:08.02 Kristel Köbrich 14 November 2009 Berlin Sarah Köhler 14 November 2019 Berlin 21 8:08.16 Jazmin Carlin 4 December 2014 Doha 22 8:08.17 Sharon van Rouwendaal 4 December 2014 Doha 23 8:08.25 Rebecca Adlington 10 April 2008 Manchester 24 8:08.41 Katinka Hosszú 24 October 2014 Beijing 25 8:09.69 Erika Fairweather 25 October 2025 Toronto
Olympic champions Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Tokyo 2020 7:41.87 Paris 2024 7:38.19
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Mexico City 1968 9:24.0 Munich 1972 8:53.68 Montreal 1976 8:37.14 Moscow 1980 8:28.90 Los Angeles 1984 8:24.96 Seoul 1988 8:20.20 Barcelona 1992 8:25.52 Atlanta 1996 8:27.89 Sydney 2000 8:19.67 Athens 2004 8:24.54 Beijing 2008 8:14.10 London 2012 8:14.63 Rio de Janeiro 2016 8:04.79 Tokyo 2020 8:12.57 Paris 2024 8:11.04
World champions (long course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Fukuoka 2001 7:39.16 Barcelona 2003 7:43.82 Montreal 2005 7:38.65 Melbourne 2007 7:47.91 Rome 2009 7:32.12 Shanghai 2011 7:38.57 Barcelona 2013 7:41.36 Kazan 2015 7:39.96 Budapest 2017 7:40.77 Gwangju 2019 7:39.27 Budapest 2022 7:39.36 Fukuoka 2023 7:37.00 Doha 2024 7:40.94 Singapore 2025 7:36.88
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 8:52.97 Cali 1975 8:44.75 CR West Berlin 1978 8:24.94 CR Guayaquil 1982 8:27.48 Madrid 1986 8:28.24 Perth 1991 8:24.05 CR Rome 1994 8:29.85 Perth 1998 8:28.71 Fukuoka 2001 8:24.66 Barcelona 2003 8:23.66 CR Montreal 2005 8:25.31 Melbourne 2007 8:18.52 CR Rome 2009 8:15.92 CR Shanghai 2011 8:17.51 Barcelona 2013 8:13.86 Kazan 2015 8:07.39 Budapest 2017 8:12.68 Gwangju 2019 8:13.58 Budapest 2022 8:08.04 Fukuoka 2023 8:08.87 Doha 2024 8:17.44 Singapore 2025 8:05.62 CR
World champions (short course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Melbourne 2022 7:29.99 CR Budapest 2024 7:30.56
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Palma de Mallorca 1993 8:22.43 CR Rio de Janeiro 1995 8:26.46 Gothenburg 1997 8:26.45 Hong Kong 1999 8:20.13 CR Athens 2000 8:17.03 CR Moscow 2002 8:16.34 CR Indianapolis 2004 8:18.21 Shanghai 2006 8:11.99 CR Manchester 2008 8:08.25 CR Dubai 2010 8:11.61 Istanbul 2012 8:08.62 Doha 2014 8:03.41 CR Windsor 2016 8:10.17 Hangzhou 2018 8:04.35 Abu Dhabi 2021 8:02.90 CR Melbourne 2022 8:04.07 Budapest 2024 8:01.95 CR
Notes
References