A Distance Revolution: On Road to Paris, a Special Group Is Playing the Long Game
As 2023 nears its conclusion, and an Olympic year beckons, the sport’s distance events are loaded. Among the men, there are not just a few guys who can contend for the podium in international competition, but at least nine athletes who could claim Olympic hardware next summer in Paris…. Call it a rich era.
A stroll through history will reveal enticing rivalries across all strokes and distances. They date back well over a century and have produced some of the greatest duels the pool has seen. Weissmuller vs. Kahanamoku. Babashoff vs. East Germany. Thorpe vs. van den Hoogenband. Phelps vs. Lochte.
But there’s always been something special about the water world’s distance rivalries, taxing duels that measure equal parts talent and guts. Long ago, Australia’s Andrew Charlton and Sweden’s Arne Borg waged an intercontinental rivalry. In the middle of the 20th century, Aussie Murray Rose fended off the challenges of Japanese star Tsuyoshi Yamanaka. As the 2000s arrived, Australian Grant Hackett took the mantle from his countryman, Kieren Perkins.
Heck, epic distance battles are so deeply appreciated that one that never materialized—Brian Goodell vs. Vladimir Salnikov—has been often discussed as a missed opportunity. Blame political boycotts for the misfortune that kept the American and Soviet distance legends from squaring off on the Olympic stage.
A STACKED FIELD
Looking ahead to Paris 2024, it’s probably best to start by looking back at Fukuoka 2023. Of the nine medals allotted to the men’s distance-freestyle events at the summer’s World Championships in Fukuoka, eight were earned by a “Big Three”: Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui, Australia’s Sam Short and American Bobby Finke. With Hafnaoui and Short each medaling in all three distance races, and Finke medaling twice, a hierarchy has been established.
Still, it would be foolish to think their foes will not be factors in the chase for the Paris podium. Of the nine athletes featured in this article, only Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen has not secured a medal at either the Olympic Games or World Championships.
Here’s a look (alphabetically) at the power players in the men’s distance-freestyle realm:
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Bobby Finke: Finke is the reigning Olympic champion in the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle, and he has regularly relied on his spectacular closing speed to defeat the opposition. At the World Championships in Fukuoka, Finke was the silver medalist in the 1500 free, posting an American record and the No. 3 performance in history, and added a bronze medal in the 800 free.
Ahmed Hafnaoui: The reigning Olympic titlist in the 400 freestyle, the Tunisian was the class of the distance field at the World Champs. Hafnaoui won gold in the 800 free and 1500 free and finished just 2-hundredths outside of gold in the 400 free. Training at Indiana University—and the only man who can match Finke’s closing speed—Hafnaoui heads into the Olympic year with the most momentum and a legitimate chance at a Games triple.
Lukas Martens: Given his sub-1:45 talent in the 200 freestyle, the German star has the greatest range of this elite group. Martens has medaled at the past two World Champs in the 400 freestyle, including a bronze in the event this past summer. Martens was a finalist at Worlds in all three distance events.
Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Gregorio Paltrinieri: The Italian is a dual threat as a pool and open-water standout. While he didn’t have a strong showing at the World Championships in the pool, opting to leave the meet early, Paltrinieri is a three-time world champ in the 1500 free. The No. 4 performer in history, Paltrinieri has too much experience not to be a contender in Paris.
Mykhailo Romanchuk: A two-time Olympic medalist from the Ukraine, Romanchuk might not be at his peak any longer, but he still warrants recognition. The veteran reached the finals of the 800 free and 1500 free in Fukuoka, and has the skill to make a run at another podium.
Sam Short: The youngster, who turns 20 in mid-September, is the latest distance star from Australia. Short left the World Champs with gold in the 400 freestyle, silver in the 800 free and bronze in the 1500 free. His 3:40.68 mark in the 400 free made him the No. 4 performer in history.
Florian Wellbrock: After capturing a pair of gold medals in open-water action at the World Championships, Wellbrock struggled in the pool. In Paris, expect Wellbrock to be in contention for medals in the 800 free and 1500 free, particularly the longer distance. Wellbrock is the No. 6 performer of all-time over 30 laps.
Daniel Wiffen: Although Wiffen is the lone athlete on this list without a medal at either the Olympics or World Champs, the 22-year-old Irishman is a fast-rising talent. He is the No. 7 performer in the history of the 1500 freestyle, and he won the silver medal behind Short at last year’s Commonwealth Games. At the World Champs, he was fourth in both the 800 free and 1500 free, the shorter distance producing a European record.
Elijah Winnington: The Australian had a lackluster World Champs, finishing seventh in the 400 freestyle. But he was the 2022 world champion in the event and boasts a finishing surge that will make him dangerous if he can stay with the leaders into the stretch run.
WHAT THEY’RE TARGETING
The world records in the three distance events have all been around for a minimum of a decade, two of which have endured since 2009! While the 400 freestyle and 1500 freestyle standards are within reach, the 800 freestyle seems untouchable. Here’s a glance at the world records and their vulnerability:
400 Freestyle: The world record sits at 3:40.07, set by German Paul Biedermann at the 2009 World Champs in Rome. That was the year in which high-tech suits led to an assault on the world-record book. With Short (3:40.68) and Hafnaoui (3:40.70) going sub-3:41 in Fukuoka, Biedermann’s standard is attainable.
800 Freestyle: En route to the gold medal at the World Championships, Hafnaoui produced a time of 7:37.00, making him the No. 3 performer ever. Yet, that swim was still nearly five seconds shy of the world record of 7:32.12, set at the 2009 World Champs by China’s Zhang Lin. Hafnaoui was also more than a second behind the No. 2 performer of all-time, fellow Tunisian Ous Mellouli, who went 7:35.27 to place behind Zhang at the 2009 Worlds.
1500 Freestyle: At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, China’s Sun Yang dropped the world record to 14:31.02. Due to a closing split of 25.68 by Sun, anyone with designs on the world record will likely have to be comfortably ahead of world-record pace heading into the final lap. But with Hafnaoui and Finke both going under 14:32 at the World Championships, they have demonstrated the standard is within striking range. More, seven of the top-10 all-time performers posted their best times between 2022 and 2023.
GOING THE DISTANCE
At next year’s Olympic Games, the distance-freestyle events will be must-watch affairs. Due to the incredible depth found around the world, even maneuvering through prelims will require speedy performances. With only eight slots available in each final, it is too risky to coast in qualifying.
Will Ahmed Hafnaoui and Sam Short again triple? Can Bobby Finke return to the top of the pedestal? Which of the other distance stars will make a run at the podium? Certainly, we are in a unique period for distance racing, and the sport is better for it.
A LOOK AT HISTORY’S TOP MALE PERFORMERS IN DISTANCE FREESTYLE (LONG COURSE)
400 METER FREESTYLE
- Paul Biedermann, Germany (2009) 3:40.07
- Ian Thorpe, Australia (2002) 3:40.08
- Sun Yang, China (2012) 3:40.14
- Sam Short, Australia (2023) 3:40.68
- Ahmed Hafnaoui, Tunisia (2023) 3:40.70
- Ous Mellouli, Tunisia (2009) 3:41.11
- Elijah Winnington, Australia (2022) 3:41.22
- Zhang Lin, China (2009) 3:41.35
- Tae Hwan Park, Korea (2010) 3:41.53
- Mack Horton, Australia (2016) 3:41.55
- Lukas Martens, Germany (2022) 3:41.60
800 METER FREESTYLE
- Zhang Lin, China (2009) 7:32.12
- Ous Mellouli, Tunisia (2009) 7:35.27
- Ahmed Hafnaoui, Tunisia (2023) 7:37.00
- Sam Short, Australia (2023) 7:37.76
- Sun Yang, China (2011) 7:38.57
- Grant Hackett, Australia (2005) 7:38.65
- Bobby Finke, United States (2023) 7:38.67
- Ian Thorpe, Australia (2001) 7:39.16
- Daniel Wiffen, Ireland (2023) 7:39.19
- Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2019) 7:39.27
- Lukas Martens, Germany (2023) 7:39.48
- Florian Wellbrock, Germany (2022) 7:39.63
- Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine (2022) 7:40.05
1500 METER FREESTYLE
- Sun Yang, China (2012) 14:31.02
- Ahmed Hafnaoui, Tunisia (2023) 14:31.54
- Bobby Finke, United States (2023) 14:31.59
- Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy (2022) 14:32.80
- Grant Hackett, Australia (2001) 14:34.56
- Florian Wellbrock, Germany (2023) 14:34.89
- Daniel Wiffen, Ireland (2023) 14:34.91
- Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine (2022) 14:36.10
- Sam Short, Australia (2023) 14:37.28
- Ous Mellouli, Tunisia (2009) 14:37.28
* Active swimmers in bold/italics
Thank goodness for Bobby Finke. The lists here reflect essentially the top 34 distance freestyle swims in history. Only two, and both by one athlete, are included. Quite an indictment of American distance swimming over the last 20+ years.