Gregorio Paltrinieri Owns 11 Out Of The 32 Sub-14:40 1500 Free Swims In History

Gregorio Paltrinieri may have missed out on 1500 free European Championships gold on Tuesday, but he still accomplished something incredible. His silver medal-winning time of 14:39.79 was his 11th swim under 14:40, a barrier that only ten different men have been able to get under, much less 11 different times. That also means that he owns over a third of the 32 total sub-14:40 swims in the history of the sport.

List of Gregorio Paltrinieri‘s sub-1500 free swims:

1. 14:32.80 — 2022 World Championships
2. 14:33.10 — 2020 Sett Colli Trophy Rome
3. 14:34.04 — 2016 European Championships
4. 14:34.57 — 2016 Olympic Games
5. 14:35.85 — 2017 World Championships
6. 14:37.08 — 2017 Italian Spring Nationals
7. 14:38.34 — 2019 Italian Nationals
8. 14:38.75 — 2019 World Championships
9. 14:39.79 — 2022 European Championships
10. 14:39.67 — 2015 World Championships
11. 14:39.93 — 2014 European Championships

Paltrinieri’s 11 total sub-14:40 swims are over two times more than any other swimmer in history. Mykhailo Romanchuk, the man who beat Paltrinieri for gold today, owns the second-most sub-14:40 swims at 5.

List of Swimmers With The Most Sub-14:40 Swims in the Men’s 1500 Free:

1. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 11
2. Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine — 5
3. Florian Wellbrock, Germany — 4
4. Sun Yang, China — 3
5. Bobby Finke, United States — 2
6. Grant Hackett, Australia — 2
7. Oussama Mellouli, Tunisia — 2
8. Connor Jaeger, United States — 1
9. Mack Horton, Australia — 1
10. Ryan Cochrane, Canada — 1

As an Olympic Champion, two-time long course World Champion, short course World Champion, three-time long course European Champion, three-time short course European Champion, and former short course World record holder in the 1500 free, Paltrinieri has accomplished almost everything that he can in the world of distance swimming. The only thing that is missing from him is the long course World record, which is held by Sun Yang at 14:31.02. However, Paltrinieri has come closer to that world record than any other swimmer has, as his best time of 14:32.80 is the second-fastest performance in history. In addition, he also owns three out of the fastest four performances in history.

Full List of Sub-14:40 Swims in the Men’s 1500 Free:

1. Sun Yang, China — 14:31.02 (2012)
2. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:32.80 (2022)
3. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:33.10 (2020)
4. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:34.04 (2016)
5. Sun Yang, China — 14:34.14 (2011)
6. Grant Hackett, Australia — 14:34.56 (2001)
7. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:34.57 (2016)
8. Sun Yang, China — 14:35.43 (2010)
9. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:35.85 (2017)
10. Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine — 14:36.10 (2022)
11. Florian Wellbrock, Germany — 14:36.15 (2018)
12. Florian Wellbrock, Germany — 14:36.45 (2021)
13. Florian Wellbrock, Germany — 14:36.54 (2019)
14. Bobby Finke, United States — 14:36.70 (2022)
15. Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine — 14:36.88 (2018)
16. Florian Wellbrock, Germany — 14:36.94 (2022)
17. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:37.08 (2017)
18. Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine — 14:37.14 (2017)
19. Oussama Mellouli, Tunisia — 14:37.28 (2009)
20. Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine — 14:37.63 (2019)
21. Oussama Mellouli, Tunisia — 14:38.01 (2009)
22. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:38.34 (2019)
23. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:38.75 (2019)
24. Grant Hackett, Australia — 14:38.92 (2008)
25. Connor Jaeger, United States — 14:39.48 (2016)
26. Mack Horton, Australia — 14:39.54 (2016)
27. Ryan Cochrane, Canada — 14:39.63 (2012)
28. Bobby Finke, United States — 14:39.65 (2021)
29. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:39.67 (2015)
30. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:39.79 (2022)
31. Mykhailo Romanchuk, Ukraine — 14:39.89 (2021)
32. Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy — 14:39.93 (2014)