Swimming European Championships: Johannes Liebmann Breaks World Record in 1500m Freestyle

Johannes Liebmann from Magdeburg has achieved a sensational triumph in Paris, setting a new world record in the 1500-meter freestyle and securing the European Championship title.

The 19-year-old touched the wall first in the 1500-meter final with a time of 14:26.79 minutes. This performance shattered the previous record held by American Olympic champion Bobby Finke by almost four seconds. Liebmann is the first swimmer to break the 14:30-minute barrier.

This victory marks Liebmann's second title at the European Championships. He had previously won the 800-meter race earlier in the week with a European record. Alongside Liebmann's gold, Oliver Klemet from Frankfurt also earned a bronze medal in the 1500-meter freestyle.

Liebmann's achievement makes him only the second German swimmer in history to hold a world record, after Jörg Hoffmann in 1991. The previous world record of 14:30.67 minutes was set by Bobby Finke in 2024. In the Paris final, Hungarian swimmer Zalán Sárkány took silver, finishing ahead of Klemet.