Dive into the Thrilling Highlights of 2025's Top Meters Races in Our Swammy Awards Special!
What a groundbreaking year 2025 turned out to be for the swimming world—packed with heart-pounding races, unexpected comebacks, and records that left fans breathless. If you're a swimming enthusiast or just curious about the sport, you're in for a treat as we unveil our picks for the standout meters swims of the year. Earlier this week, we shared our Swammy Awards for the yards edition, and now it's time for the meters version, which proved even more challenging to compile due to the sheer depth of talent on display. But here's where it gets controversial: subjective rankings like this always spark debate—do you agree with our choices, or would you shake things up? Keep reading to see why these races captured our attention, and feel free to share your own top-10 list in the comments below to join the conversation!
The 2025 swimming calendar was buzzing with international action, from the prestigious Long Course World Championships in Singapore to the high-stakes Short Course World Cup series, the Short Course European Championships, and beyond. Throw in the World University Games, World Junior Championships, and various qualifying events, and you've got a recipe for non-stop fast-paced competition. Remember, this isn't a straightforward list of the fastest times ever; it's shaped by a mix of factors like drama, context, and sheer excitement. Our selections are entirely opinion-based, so they might not match what you'd choose. And this is the part most people miss: every race tells a story of perseverance, strategy, and sometimes, pure luck.
Before we dive into the top 10, let's give a shout-out to our Honorable Mentions. These weren't quite top-tier in our eyes, but they were incredible performances that deserve recognition (listed without a specific order):
Luca Urlando from the USA shone brightly in the 200 Butterfly Final at the 2025 World Championships. Amid a challenging meet where the American men battled illnesses, Urlando, who had overcome years of injuries, clinched the only men's gold for the States. His personal best of 1:51.87 made him the fourth swimmer ever to dip under 1:50 in this grueling event, proving that resilience can lead to glory.
Kate Douglass of the USA delivered a spectacular performance in the 100 Freestyle Final during the 2025 World Cup in Toronto. This meet was a record-breaking frenzy, and Douglass engaged in an intense rivalry with Gretchen Walsh for the overall title. In the women's 100 free final, after Walsh's strong 100 fly left Douglass needing a miracle, she smashed the World Record with a 49.93, becoming the first woman to break the 50-second barrier (following her 50.19 from the previous week).
Pieter Coetze of South Africa surprised everyone in the 100 Backstroke Final at the 2025 World University Games in Berlin. Not initially seen as a top contender, he demolished his African Record of 52.58 in the semis with a 52.18—the fourth-fastest globally. The next night, he went even faster at 51.99, claiming the eighth-fastest time ever, shattering his own African and Games records, and establishing himself as a backstroke powerhouse. Though he later won World Championship gold in 51.85 (tying for third all-time), this Games swim was his electrifying debut on the world stage.
Rylee Erisman, a young American talent, made waves in the 100 Freestyle Final at the 2025 World Junior Championships. Transitioning from yards dominance to long course success, she shattered her personal best of 53.75 with a prelim time of 53.17, securing the top semis spot and breaking the Championship Record. She improved to 53.09 in semis for the prized middle lane, then unleashed a 52.79 in the final that would have earned bronze at the Worlds. She was just 0.9 seconds shy of Penny Oleksiak's 2016 Olympic and World Junior Record of 52.70.
Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands had her career-defining moment in the 200 IM Final at the 2025 European Short Course Championships. Competing in four individual events and setting five European Records, she eclipsed icons like Sarah Sjöström and Katinka Hosszú. Starting with a lifetime best of 2:04.94, she powered to a 2:01.83—dropping over three seconds and edging Hosszú's 2014 record of 2:01.86 by three hundredths. This vaulted her to second-fastest ever, just 0.2 seconds behind Kate Douglass's World Record of 2:01.63.
Hubert Kós of Hungary set a new benchmark in the 200 Backstroke Final at the 2025 World Cup in Toronto. Having struggled earlier in the series (his best was a 1:46.84 at Carmel), he obliterated Mitch Larkin's 2015 record of 1:45.63 with a 1:45.12—more than half a second faster. This was his first individual World Record, narrowly missing it the year before, and he also shattered the 100 backstroke record at the meet while clinching the overall World Cup.
The American Women's 4×100 Medley Relay at the 2025 World Championships broke yet another World Record, despite illnesses sidelining key members Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske from their individual races. The team of Regan Smith, Kate Douglass, Walsh, and Huske outdid the 2024 Olympic squad (Smith, Lilly King, Walsh, Huske) and showcased incredible versatility—all four excel in multiple strokes. The real intrigue? They likely have even faster times in reserve with their untapped potential.
Now, onto the heart of our countdown: the top 10 meters swims of 2025. These selections were agonizingly close, often coming down to the smallest margins, and they highlight the sport's evolution.
Lukas Martens of Germany conquered the 400 Freestyle Final at the 2025 Swim Open Stockholm in April. Shattering the super-suit era World Record with a 3:39.96, he trimmed over a tenth from Paul Biedermann's 2009 mark of 3:40.07. Entering with a personal best of 3:40.33 (second-fastest in textile suits behind Sun Yang's 2012 3:40.14), Martens surged ahead, splitting 1:47.55 to lead Biedermann's pace by three seconds at the midpoint. Though the record pace closed in, his strong finish of 27.57 secured the win, leaving just four men's long course super-suit records intact.
Lani Pallister of Australia dominated the 800 Freestyle Final at the 2025 World Cup in Toronto. This stop was historic, with eight World Records (matching the super-suit era of 2009), and the final session saw five fall in one night—the second-highest ever. Pallister ignited the fireworks with a 7:54.00, eclipsing Katie Ledecky's 2022 record of 7:57.42. Her first individual World Record capped a comeback year from injuries and illnesses, including a silver at the long course Worlds.
Ahmed Jaouadi of Tunisia claimed victory in the 800 Freestyle Final at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore with an astounding 7:36.88. Dropping over five seconds from his 2024 Olympic qualifier of 7:42.07, he upset expectations—only two of 504 in our pick-'em contest backed him over the favored "big five." This third-fastest time ever set a new textile-suit record, surpassing countryman Ahmed Hafnaoui's 2023 mark of 7:37.00. (Only Zhang Lin's 7:32.12 and Ous Mellouli's 7:35.27, both in banned suits, are faster.)
The Men's 100 Freestyle Final at the 2025 World Championships was electric, building buzz from semis where seven of eight qualifiers posted record-breaking times, ousting World Record holder Pan Zhanle. American Jack Alexy led with a 46.81, just ahead of Romania's David Popovici. Popovici triumphed in the final with a European Record 46.51 (second-fastest ever), edging Alexy (46.92) for gold and Kyle Chalmers (47.17) for bronze. Popovici now owns five of the top 10 all-time performances.
Summer McIntosh of Canada pushed boundaries in the 200 Butterfly Final at the 2025 World Championships. Aiming for the last women's super-suit record (Liu Zige's 2009 2:01.81), she came agonizingly close. At Canadian Trials, her 2:02.26 made her the second woman under 2:03, trailing Zige by less than half a second. In Singapore, a strong 58.41 start (vs. Zige's 58.08) and 1:03.58 back half yielded a 2:01.99—missing by 0.18 seconds. Still, it's a masterpiece deserving this spot.
Summer McIntosh's Record-Shattering Week at the 2025 Canadian Trials earned this accolade for her three World Records in five days. She began by demolishing the 400 Freestyle record with a 3:54.18, slashing over a second from Ariarne Titmus's 3:55.38 and two from her 2023 own mark. Two days later, she claimed the 200 IM in 2:05.70, outpacing Katinka Hosszú's 2015 record by over half a second, largely on her backstroke leg. On day five, she reclaimed the 400 IM record at 4:23.65, improving her 2024 time by more than half a second. This trio matches Michael Phelps's four in Beijing, showcasing dominance.
Gretchen Walsh of the USA ruled the 100 Butterfly Final at the 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale. Her dominance shone early in short-course NCAA, but long-course kicked off here. In prelims, she reset her World Record to 55.09 (vs. her 2024 55.18). Finals brought a jaw-dropping 54.60—first under 55 seconds, with Sarah Sjöström second at 55.48. At Worlds, illness struck Team USA, but Walsh still posted a 54.73 for silver and the second-fastest ever.
Katie Ledecky of the USA reclaimed her throne in the 800 Freestyle Final at the 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale. Amid Walsh's records, Ledecky, the GOAT of distance, smashed her own mark with an 8:04.12—her first in nine years, trimming 0.67 from her 2016 Rio time. It followed near-records in the 400 (3:56.81) and 1500 (15:24.51), signaling her resurgence, which continued strongly.
Leon Marchand of France dazzled in the 200 IM Final at the 2025 World Championships. Opting for a reduced schedule (skipping 200 breast and fly due to a rib fracture and shoulder injury), he silenced doubters. In semis, a 1:52.69 obliterated Ryan Lochte's 2011 record of 1:54.00, making him the first under 1:54 and 1:53. Finals saw a 1:53.68 for gold—first ever under 1:53.
The Women's 800 Freestyle Final at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore was the year's pinnacle—most anticipated, most thrilling. Katie Ledecky, fresh from her record, faced Summer McIntosh (8:05.07 at Trials) and Lani Pallister (third-fastest ever at 8:10.84). Ledecky led at 400 (4:01.15), with McIntosh and Pallister tied at 4:01.33. McIntosh surged at 700 (7:05.71 vs. Ledecky's 7:05.85), but Pallister stayed close. Ledecky's 59.77 final 100 (29.53 last 50) clinched a Championship Record 8:05.62 gold. Pallister took silver in 8:05.98 (59.84/29.11), McIntosh bronze in 8:07.29 (1:01.58/30.95).
There you have it—a recap of 2025's most mesmerizing meters races. But here's the controversy: Is subjective ranking fair in a sport measured by milliseconds, or should records alone dictate greatness? Do you think injuries and comebacks add drama, or detract from pure performance? Share your thoughts in the comments—agree, disagree, or propose your own top swims. What made 2025 special to you? Let's discuss!
