In a historic performance at a swim meet in Sweden, Germany’s Lukas Maertens broke the men’s 400m freestyle world record, clocking in at 3:39.96. This remarkable feat surpasses the previous record of 3:40.07 set by fellow German Paul Biedermann in 2009 during the supersuit era .
Maertens’ achievement is particularly significant as it marks the first time an athlete has broken the 3:40 barrier using a textile suit, ending a record era that dated back to Ian Thorpe’s 2002 record of 3:40.08. Thorpe, who had held the fastest textile time for 23 years, congratulated Maertens for the landmark swim.
The 22-year-old from Magdeburg, who previously won Olympic gold in Paris with a time of 3:41.78 , expressed his elation after the race. “I am extremely happy and just overwhelmed, I can’t put into words what I am feeling now,” Maertens said .
Maertens’ victory not only cements his place in swimming history but also signals a new era in the sport, breaking barriers that have stood for over a decade.
