By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam
See all of our 2025 Swammy Awards here
Earlier this week, we published the Swammy Award for the top-10 yards races of 2025. This is the meters edition, and it was even harder to determine.
The 2025 calendar year saw a number of major meters meets, including the Long Course World Championships in Singapore, the SC World Cup series, and the SC European Championships. Between these meets, the World University Games, World Junior Championships, and all the international qualifying meets, there was a lot of fast swimming.
It is important to note that this list is not a world record ranking list, and that there are a variety of factors influencing placements. This list is entirely subjective, which means your top-10 might not align with ours. Feel free to share your top-10 races in the comments below.
We will, like usual, start with the Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):
Luca Urlando (USA), 200 Butterfly Final –2025 World Championships: The United States men struggled at the 2025 World Championships after dealing with illness during the meet. Luca Urlando, who had battled injury for years, was the bright spot on the roster, winning the men’s 200 fly final to pick up the only American men’s gold medal of the meet. He swam a new personal best 1:51.87 to become the 4th person in history under 1:50 in the event. Kate Douglass (USA), 100 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Cup Toronto: The 2025 World Cup was full of exceptional swims and the final stop in Toronto saw numerous World Records. Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh were locked in a fierce battle for the overall win, and the title came down to the 2nd-to-last event, the women’s 100 free final. Walsh had a very strong 100 fly which put Douglass in a position where she needed a World Record to win, and she delivered. After breaking the World Record in 50.19 the week prior, Douglass became the first woman in history to break the 50 second barrier, touching in 49.93. Pieter Coetze (RSA), 100 Backstroke Final — 2025 World University Games: Going into the year, there were a number of men who seemed to be contenders for the 100 backstroke world title, but South Africa’s Pieter Coetze was not on most people’s radars as one of them. That all changed at the 2025 World University Games in Berlin. In the semifinal, Coetze shattered his African Record of 52.58 to touch in 52.18, which was the 4th fastest time in the world. The following night, he swam an even more impressive 51.99 to become the 8th fastest man in history, break his own African and WUGs record, and officially cement himself as one of the top backstrokers in the world. This swim is what earned him an honorable mention spot on the list because it was so unexpected. At the World Championships, he ultimately won gold in 51.85 to tie for 3rd fastest all-time, but the WUGs was his official “coming out” ceremony. Rylee Erisman (USA), 100 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Junior Championships: Speaking of “coming out” ceremonies one of the top breakout swimmers of the year was American teenager Rylee Erisman. While she had broken NAG records and had strong sprint freestyle swims in yards, she had not seen huge success in long course. That changed at the 2025 World Junior Championships, particularly with her 100 freestyle performance. In the prelims, she dropped six tenths from her lifetime best 53.75 to swim 53.17, locking up the top spot in the semifinals and shattering the Championship Record. In the semifinal, she lowered the time even more to swim 53.09 to earn the middle lane for the final. On the 3rd day of the meet, she swam in the event final, throwing down a massive 52.79 which would have won the bronze medal at Worlds. She was just 0.9 seconds off Penny Oleksiak‘s WJR of 52.70 that she swam to win Olympic gold in 2016. Marrit Steenbergen (NED), 200 IM Final — 2025 European SC Championships: The 2025 European SC Championships was the best meet of Marrit Steenbergen‘s career so far. She swam four individual events and set five European Records, taking down legends Sarah Sjostrom and Katinka Hosszu. On the fifth day of competition, Steenbergen, who came into the meet with a lifetime best 2:04.94, blasted a 2:01.83 to drop three seconds and take three hundredths off Hosszu’s 2:01.86 record from 2014. She moved up to the 2nd fastest performer in history in the event, now only two tenths off Kate Douglass‘s World Record time of 2:01.63. Hubert Kos (HUN), 200 Backstroke Final — 2025 World Cup Toronto: Another World Cup World Record came from Hubert Kos in the men’s 200 backstroke. In the first two stops of the World Cup, Kos was more than a second over his best time with his Carmel swim coming in as the faster of the two in 1:46.84. In Toronto, he blasted a 1:45.12 in the event to take more than half-a-second off Mitch Larkins 10-year-old record of 1:45.63 from 2015. After missing the record by just two-hundredths last year, Kos finally picked up his first individual World Record. He went on to also break the 100 backstroke record at the meet and win the overall World Cup standings. American Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay — 2025 World Championships: Another year, another World Record for the American women’s medley relay. Despite battling illness all week that saw crucial legs Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske scratch individual events, the quartet of Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Walsh, and Huske came together to break the World Record set by Smith, Lilly King, Walsh, and Huske at the 2024 Olympics. On top of breaking the World Record, this team of four appears to be one of the most versatile medley relays in history with all four being world class swimmers in at least one other stroke. The scariest part about this relay is that they can still go faster with Smith, Huske, and Walsh all owning faster lifetime/relay split best times.Now to move on to our top-10 meters swims of 2025
10. Lukas Martens (GER) 400 Freestyle Final — 2025 Swim Open Stockholm
In April of this year, Germany’s Lukas Martens broke the super-suited World Record in the men’s 400 freestyle, swimming 3:39.96 to take just over a tenth off Paul Biedermann‘s 2009 record of 3:40.07.
He came into the meet with a lifetime best 3:40.33, which was the 2nd fastest textile suit time in history, only behind Sun Yang‘s 2012 swim of 3:40.14. Martens got out fast, splitting 1:47.55 to get out more than three seconds ahead of Biedermann’s WR pace of 1:51.02 at the halfway mark. The world record slowly began creeping up on him, and Biedermann’s monster final 50 split of 25.77 almost caught him, but Martens came home in 27.57 to take another supersuit World Record of the books. Only four men’s long course records remain now.
video.wixstatic.com/video/746a76_b2ff54cce71d4a36bd4b2268d4fabc1e/720p/mp4/file.mp4Courtesy: Stockholm Open
9. Lani Pallister (AUS) 800 Free Final — 2025 World Cup Toronto
The World Cup stop in Toronto was one of the fastest World Cup stops in history, with only the World Cup in 2009 (the last year super suits were allowed) seeing eight world records. The final day of the stop was even more historic with five world records falling in one session, the 2nd most ever among world cup stops.
Lani Pallister started the world record palooza on the final night when she swam 7:54.00 to shatter Katie Ledecky‘s former world record time of 7:57.42 from 2022. This swim marked Pallister’s first individual world record and tied the bow on an exceptional year that saw her win the world silver medal in the long course 800 free and comeback from years of injury and illness.
Any time a Ledecky record goes down it’s notable, and Pallister did it in dramatic fashion.
via NBC Sports
8. Ahmed Jaouadi (TUN) 800 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Championships
Ahmed Jaouadi won the men’s 800 free final in Singapore, touching in 7:36.88 to drop more than five seconds from his previous best time of 7:42.07 that he swam at the 2024 Olympic Games to qualify for the final.
Jaouadi was not on most people’s radars as a contender for the gold medal with the “big five” as the favorites and Jaouadi as an outside shot. In fact, in SwimSwam’s 2025 pick-ems contest only two entrants out of 504 chose Jaouadi as the winner.
He didn’t just win the race though. He set the 3rd fastest time in history and set the textile suit record, taking down countrymate Ahmed Hafnaoui‘s 2023 time of 7:37.00. The only people who have been faster are world record holder Zhang Lin (7:32.12) and fellow Tunisian Ous Mellouli (7:35.27) who both swam in the infamous polyurethane supersuits.
via NBC Sports
7. Men’s 100 Free Final — 2025 World Championships
The men’s 100 freestyle final at the 2025 World Championships was one of the most anticipated races of the meet. The excitement started in the semifinals when the 2nd heat saw seven of the eight fastest times meaning world record holder and reigning Olympic and world champion Pan Zhanle was knocked out despite finishing 3rd in his heat.
American Jack Alexy was the top seed coming into the final with his 46.81 coming in just three hundredths ahead of Romania’s David Popovici.
The event final saw David Popovici put up the 2nd fastest time in history and a new European Record swim of 46.51 to take home the gold by four tenths over Alexy’s 46.92 for 2nd. Bronze went to Australia’s Kyle Chalmers in 47.17.
With that swim, Popovici now holds five of the top 10 swims in history with #2, #3, #6, #7, and #8.
via NBC Sports
6. Summer McIntosh (CAN) 200 Fly Final — 2025 World Championships
There is one supersuit world record remaining on the women’s books and Canada’s Summer McIntosh is not shy about the fact that she wants it.. and she wants it bad.
At the 2025 Canadian Trials, she swam 2:02.26 in the 200 fly to become just the 2nd woman in history under 2:03 in the event and put herself less than half-a-second away from Liu Zige‘s 2:01.81 from 2009. Before McIntosh nobody had been within a second-and-a-half of the record with the next fastest performer in history sitting at 2:03.41.
Going into the World Championships, one of the main questions on everyone’s mind was whether she would break it or not, and she went for it. She was out a smidge slower than Zige’s World Record pace, turning in 58.41 to Zige’s 58.08, but she came home strong with a split of 1:03.58 to Zige’s 1:03.73.
Ultimately, she touched in 2:01.99 to remain the 2nd fastest performer in history, missing the 2:01.81 mark by just under two tenths. World record or not, this was one of the most impressive swims of the year, and deserved a spot on this list.
via NBC Sports
5. Summer McIntosh (CAN) Three World Records in Five Days– 2025 Canadian Trials
While she didn’t break the 200 fly World Record, Summer McIntosh still broke records in 2025. At the 2025 Canadian Swimming Trials, she lit the world of swimming on fire when she broke three world records in five days. She started the meet by shattering the women’s 400 freestyle World Record. She touched in 3:54.18 to take more than a second off Ariarne Titmus‘ time of 3:55.38 and drop nearly two seconds from the 3:56.08 she swam in 2023, which was the World Record when she set it.
Two days later, she swam the 200 IM finals on day three of the meet, touching in 2:05.70 to take more than half-a-second off Katinka Hosszu‘s former world record time of 2:06.12 from back in 2015. The biggest difference in their splits came on the backstroke leg, where McIntosh was almost a second faster.
Finally, she wrapped up her meet by breaking her own world record in the 400 IM on day five. She touched in 4:23.65 to take more than half-a-second off her former record time of 4:24.38 from the 2024 Canadian Trials. This single meet performance of three world records is a feat that has only been accomplished by Michael Phelps before with the four individual world records he set in Beijing.
All videos courtesy of CBC Sports
4. Gretchen Walsh (USA) 100 Fly Final — 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale
As we continue to work our way up this ranking, determining placement becomes a matter of splitting hairs. One of the most dominant performances we saw in 2025 was Gretchen Walsh‘s 100 butterfly.
Her record-breaking year started in the short course NCAA season, but her first long course meet of the year came at the 2025 Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale. In the prelims of the 100 fly on day three of the meet, she broke her own World Record time, with a 55.09 to come in almost a tenth ahead of the 55.18 she swam in June of 2024.
In finals, she set an even more mind-boggling time of 54.60, becoming the first woman in history under 55 seconds in the event. Sarah Sjostrom is the 2nd fastest performer nearly a second back at 55.48.
At the World Championships in Singapore, Walsh was one of the victims of the illness that plagued Team USA, but she still set the 2nd fastest time in history in the 100 fly final, swimming 54.73 to win by more than a second.
via USA Swimming
3. Katie Ledecky (USA) 800 Freestyle Final — 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale
Gretchen Walsh was not the only record breaker in Fort Lauderdale. In the same session, American distance swimmer Katie Ledecky broke her own world record in the women’s 800 freestyle to set her first personal best time in the event in nine years.
Ledecky touched in 8:04.12 to take more than six tenths off the 8:04.79 she swam at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio when she was just 19 years old.
It was also her first world record since 2018 and it came after she set her 2nd fastest performances ever in the 400 free (3:56.81) and 1500 free (15:24.51). This swim marked a return to top form for the GOAT that we just watched continue through the remainder of the calendar year.
via USA Swimming
2. Leon Marchand (FRA) 200 IM Final — 2025 World Championships
Leon Marchand swam a pared back schedule at the 2025 World Championships, taking the 200 breast and 200 fly off his schedule to focus on the IM events only. This gave swimming fans pause, especially in the wake of his rib fracture and subluxated shoulder injury.
Fans did not need to worry, however, because in the men’s 200 IM semifinal, Leon Marchand shattered the world record, touching in 1:52.69 to bypass the 1:53 mark entirely and take down Ryan Lochte‘s 2011 world record time of 1:54.00.
With this swim he became the first person under 1:54 and the first person under 1:53. In the final, he became the first person to swim 1:53, touching in 1:53.68 to take home the gold medal.
1. Women’s 800 Freestyle Final — 2025 World Championships
Could it be anything else in the top spot? The most anticipated race of the 2025 World Championships in Singapore was also the best race of the meet and the best race of the year.
Coming into the meet, the conversation surrounding the race was the female GOAT Katie Ledecky, who was fresh off a world record in the event, versus the best female swimmer in the world Summer McIntosh, who had a very strong performance of 8:05.07 at Canadian Trials in the event.
Over the first six days of the meet, McIntosh picked up gold medals in the 400 free, 200 fly, and 200 IM meanwhile Ledecky won the 1500 free and finished 3rd in the 400 free.
The race started and Ledecky jumped out to an early lead, turning in 4:01.15 at the 400 mark. McIntosh was predictably right behind her, but Australia’s Lani Pallister was right there as well and the two turned in a perfect tie of 4:01.33 at halfway.
Pallister was the 3rd fastest performer in history coming into the meet behind McIntosh and Ledecky, but her best was 8:10.84 from the Australian Trials a month prior. This was a four second drop from her previous best 8:15.11 that she swam in 2023 which left many to assume that she didn’t have another huge drop in the tank, but she was staying in the mix with the other two.
At the 700 mark, McIntosh briefly took over the lead, splitting 7:05.71 to turn just over a tenth ahead of Ledecky’s 7:05.85 and four tenths ahead of Pallister’s 7:06.14.
The final 100 saw Ledecky jump back into the lead, splitting 59.77 with her final 50 of 29.53. McIntosh fell off the pace a bit, splitting 1:01.58 after splitting 30.95 on her final 50. Pallister had a monster final 100 of 59.84 after splitting 29.11 on her final 50 to jump into 2nd over McIntosh.
Ultimately, Ledecky earned the gold medal in 8:05.62, a new Championship Record. Pallister won the silver in 8:05.98, and McIntosh was bronze in 8:07.29.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2025 Swammy Awards: Top Races of 2025 (Meters Edition)
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