2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
- Day 6 Prelims Live Recap | Day 6 Finals Live Recap
- Day 7 Prelims Live Recap | Day 7 Finals Live Recap
- Day 8 Prelims Live Recap | Day 8 Finals Live Recap
In an incredible men’s 1500 free race during the 2023 World Championships, Ahmed Hafnaoui and Bobby Finke became the second and third-fastest swimmer of all time, touching in times of 14:31.54 and 14:31.59 respectively. The two swimmers were neck-and-neck during the entire race, with Hafnaoui ultimately out-touching Finke by a margin of 0.05 seconds.
Both swimmers were just over half a second off of Sun Yang’s world record time of 14:31.02 from 2012.
All-Time Top Performers, Men’s 1500 Free:
- Sun Yang, China — 14:31.02 (2012)
- Ahmed Hafnaoui, Tunisia — 14:31.54 (2023)
- Bobby Finke, United States — 14:31.59 (2023)
- Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:32.80 (2022)
- Grant Hackett, Australia — 14:34.56 (2001)
Hafnaoui also beat out Oussama Mellouli’s supersuited African record time of 14:37.28 from 2009, while Finke crushed his own American record time of 14:36.70 from the 2022 Worlds by over five seconds.
For the majority of the race, both Finke and Hafnaoui were sitting behind Australia’s Sam Short, who went out super fast. By the 1050-meter mark though, Hafnaoui and Finke were ahead of Short. Then, from the 1200-meter mark and onwards, Hafnaoui took the lead and never lost it. And even though Finke out-split him 26.19 to 26.23 on the last 50, it was not enough to overtake him.
For the most part, Finke and Hafnaoui split their races in near-identical fashion.
Splits Comparison:
| Ahmed Hafnaoui, 2023 World Championships | Bobby Finke, 2023 World Championships | Sun Yang, 2012 Olympic Games (world record) | |
| 50m | 27.37 | 27.13 | 27.09 |
| 100m | 28.94 | 28.93 | 28.71 |
| 150m | 29.35 | 29.37 | 29.46 |
| 200m | 29.04 | 29.14 | 29.05 |
| 250m | 29.41 | 29.51 | 29.35 |
| 300m | 29.10 | 29.29 | 28.97 |
| 350m | 29.24 | 29.33 | 29.53 |
| 400m | 29.02 | 29.16 | 29.34 |
| 450m | 29.35 | 29.20 | 29.23 |
| 500m | 29.34 | 29.18 | 28.89 |
| 550m | 29.61 | 29.33 | 29.26 |
| 600m | 29.22 | 29.31 | 29.27 |
| 650m | 29.33 | 29.35 | 29.25 |
| 700m | 29.30 | 29.21 | 29.34 |
| 750m | 29.44 | 29.25 | 29.41 |
| 800m | 29.31 | 29.29 | 29.3 |
| 850m | 29.10 | 29.19 | 29.49 |
| 900m | 29.26 | 29.44 | 29.38 |
| 950m | 29.55 | 29.41 | 29.46 |
| 1000m | 29.23 | 29.32 | 29.32 |
| 1050m | 29.11 | 29.26 | 29.42 |
| 1100m | 29.06 | 29.26 | 29.21 |
| 1150m | 29.24 | 28.99 | 29.54 |
| 1200m | 29.16 | 29.44 | 29.37 |
| 1250m | 28.67 | 28.90 | 29.17 |
| 1300m | 28.94 | 29.12 | 29.19 |
| 1350m | 29.08 | 28.85 | 29.39 |
| 1400m | 29.09 | 29.32 | 29.14 |
| 1450m | 29.15 | 28.92 | 27.81 |
| 1500m | 26.23 | 26.19 | 25.68 |
| Total | 14:31.54 | 14:31.59 | 14:31.02 |
Previously at this Worlds, Hafnaoui took gold in the 800 free while Finke won bronze in yet another American record. Meanwhile, Hafnaoui lost to Short in the 400 free in a similar fashion that Finke did in the 1500, getting out-touched by 0.03 of a second.
At 1400 m mark, both Hafnaoui and Finke were ahead of Sun Yang. That means Sun Yang is a phenomenal last 100m sprinter.
The difference was the penultimate 50. Fink and Hanfaoui were 28.9 & 29.1, respectively, while Yang went 27.8. On the broadcast, you could see the WR line flying away from them on that length. If they had been able to go low 28’s on that leg, and do the same low-26 last 50’s they did, both are under WR.
will he stay at IU?
Where’s Guerra
Craziest thing to me is that even in a race like that Sun Yang last 100 and last 50 especially were quicker.
We can have the first sub 14:30 next year and maybe the whole podium need to be under that time
What a great race! While not as close as 2023, this reminds me of the 1976 Olympic final. If you get a chance, read “Four Champions, One Gold Medal” by Chuck Warner. I read it cover-to-cover at 2001 NCAA’s. Awesome story!
Thank you for a great final in 2023 and 1976!
Read it about 10 years ago. Fantastic book. Their training was scary. Overdistance. I do believe Mr. Warner, or someone just as good as he is, would do a justice to the sport by chronicling the current crop of 1500 meter swimmers. They are extraordinary.
That said, Goodell, Hackett, and Holland were just 17, 16, and 18, respectively, in that Olympic final. 47 years later, we’re just slightly over 30 seconds faster. The world record dropped 50 seconds between 1972-1976, and might’ve been even more if Hackett decided to set a faster pace, with Holland following, and Goodell looking to run them down late in that Olympic final.
The book was great in that regard. Should’ve been sub 15… Read more »
The advent of swim goggles really increased the volume of what swimmers could do in training, which explains many drops in times between 1972-1976. Goggles weren’t even allowed at the Olympics until 76.
there’s a better explanation for the womens WRs in that period
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The current caliber and depth of men’s distance swimming should put a glaring scope on the women’s side. It’s proper to celebrate Ledecky while also being honest about the remainder. Sun Yang’s record seemed so far away. But natural progression and global competition have reeled it in. Likewise there should be multiple women who have busted well below 8:13 in the women’s 800. Instead it’s a ridiculously stalled segment of the sport, with no improvement in sight.
There HAS been a progression!!
4 swimmers in this final swam 8:16.46 or faster.
Since Janet Evans broke the WR in 1989, only 8 swimmers were faster than 8:16.22
In that is in 34 YEARS !!
and on of those swimmers (Friis) did it with a super suit
and ALL of those 4 swimmers were in this week’s final !!
So yeah, there HAS been a progression
You’re just used to how insanely amazing Katie Ledecky is. She was and still is about one generation ahead of everyone else’s time in both the 800 and 1500.
The men’s 400/800/1500 were for me the three most exciting races of these Championships. Hafnaoui, Short and Finke are amazing talents. Let’s hope there’s more to come. Who said distance freestyle was boring?