Germany’s Johannes Liebmann and American Kate Douglass set swimming world records on Saturday, dazzling at events held in Paris and California.
Liebmann, 19, knocked nearly four seconds off the men’s 1500m freestyle record as he claimed his first international gold medal at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris.
He completed the distance in 14 minutes 26.79 seconds – 3.88secs faster than the previous record which was set by American Bobby Finke at the 2024 Olympics, also held in the French capital.
Liebmann became the first swimmer to go under 14:30 for the distance as he slashed the most time off the record since Australia’s Grant Hackett in 2001.
Three-time Olympic champion Hackett took more than seven seconds off when he swam 14:34.56 – a record which stood for 10 years.
Douglass broke the women’s 50m freestyle record for the second time this summer, achieving her feat in California during heats at the Pan Pacific Championships.
The two-time Olympic champion, 24, clocked 23.49secs to regain the record from Gretchen Walsh.
Douglass swam 23.59 in June before compatriot Walsh lowered the mark to 23.55 nine days later.
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