Women’s 400 Freestyle Soared in 2025 with Best Days Seemingly Ahead
In the second article in a series that examines event growth in the sport of swimming, we profile the women’s 400-meter freestyle and the combination of firepower and depth currently seen in the discipline.
********************
After repeating as Olympic champion in the 400-meter freestyle at the 2024 Games in Paris, Australian Ariarne Titmus opted to take a well-deserved break from competition. The plan is for Titmus to return to international action during the 2026 season, with the ultimate target the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Despite Titmus’ absence from global waters during 2025, the 400 freestyle flourished. The world record in the event was obliterated. Four women cracked the 3:59 barrier in the final at the World Championships. And the all-time top-10 saw a quartet of new entries.
At the Canadian Trials for the World Championships, Summer McIntosh took the 400 freestyle into new territory. En route to breaking Titmus’ world record of 3:55.38 by more than a second, the teenager became the first sub-3:55 performer with a global standard of 3:54.18. A few months later, McIntosh claimed the world title, going 3:56.26 for a comfortable triumph.
The return of Titmus could mean an impending showdown between the two-fastest women in history. Titmus has always loved a challenge, evident in her successful pursuit of Katie Ledecky during the early stages of her career. Meanwhile, McIntosh continually produces mind-boggling performances, and taking the world record even lower is on the radar.
The bronze medalist in the 400 freestyle at the World Champs, Ledecky nearly matched her personal best during a stellar 2025. At the TYR Pro Series in May, a meet in which she broke her world record in the 800 freestyle, Ledecky clocked 3:56.81 to scare her top effort of 3:56.46, delivered at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
China’s Li Bingjie and Aussie Lani Pallister made huge strides in 2025, as both women broke the four-minute mark for the first time and ultimately landed in sub-3:59 range. Behind a performance of 3:58.21, Li edged Ledecky for the silver medal at the World Champs, while Pallister moved into the No. 5 slot in the all-time rankings, thanks to a time of 3:58.87.
Also moving into the historical top-10 during 2025 was the United States’ Claire Weinstein, who is now a freshman at Cal-Berkeley. Weinstein registered a time of 4:00.05 at Nationals, good for eighth all-time, and appeared headed for a sub-4:00 effort at the World Champs before illness forced her to withdraw from the event.
The 400 freestyle was a must-watch event during 2025, but the eight-lap discipline likely has its greatest days ahead.
The All-Time Top-10 Performers
- Summer McIntosh, Canada (2025) – 3:54.18
- Ariarne Titmus, Australia (2023) – 3:55.38
- Katie Ledecky, United States (2016) – 3:56.46
- Li Bingjie, China (2025) – 3:58.21
- Lani Pallister, Australia (2025) – 3:58.87
- Federica Pellegrini, Italy (2009) – 3:59.15
- Erika Fairweather, New Zealand (2024) – 3:59.44
- Claire Weinstein, United States (2025) – 4:00.05
- Joanne Jackson, Great Britain (2009) – 4:00.60
- Leah Smith, United States (2016) – 4:00.65
