By way of James Sutherland on SwimSwam
After an unparalleled yr of racing that integrated the Olympics sandwiched between the Lengthy Direction and Quick Direction International Championships, it’s time to start out liberating our 5th annual Best 100 record—take a look at ultimate yr’s ratings right here.
As in earlier years, we’ve taken a statistically pushed manner basically reliant upon international ratings and medals received on the Olympics and, to a lesser extent, Quick Direction Worlds and the 2024 Worlds in Doha. We’ve additionally accounted for components like possible, long run medal alternatives, accidents, and flexibility. Lengthy direction is weighted extra closely than brief direction, although efficiency possible in each codecs is factored in.
After a big contingent of Russian and Belarusian swimmers raced at Quick Direction Worlds in December, the ones swimmers have began to transport again up the ratings when they had been low at the lists ultimate yr because of loss of pageant.
We’ll be breaking down the highest 100 into more than one installments, so stay an eye fixed out as they’re launched.
Those lists are, by way of nature, subjective. In case you disagree, go away your ideas/ranks within the feedback.
Thanks to Daniel Takata for his lend a hand with the information and compiling the ratings.
Males’s Scores:
#100 – #91
#90 – #81
#80 – #71
#70 – #61
#60 – #51
#50 – #41
#40 – #31
#30 – #21
#20 – #11
#10 – #1
#10: Lukas Märtens, Germany (2024 Rank: 22) – Märtens narrowed his center of attention in 2024 and it paid off. After up to now spreading himself skinny around the 200, 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle occasions, the German local keyed in at the 200 and 400 unfastened ultimate yr and reaped the rewards. After 3 instantly podium finishes within the 400 unfastened on the International Championships, profitable silver in 2022 and bronze in each 2023 and 2024, Märtens roared to Olympic gold in Paris (3:41.78) after posting an entire life highest 3:40.33 on the German Swimming Championships to rank #4 all-time. That 400 unfastened time ranked him #1 on the planet ultimate yr, and on the identical meet, he posted a PB of one:44.14 within the 200 unfastened, which ranked 2d on the planet. The now 23-year-old went on to complete fifth within the 200 unfastened in Paris, and used to be additionally a wonder finalist within the 200 again, putting eighth in 1:55.97. For the reason that he most effective raced the 800 unfastened as soon as, the truth that Märtens ranked sixth on the planet ultimate yr in 7:43.52 simply displays his herbal talent within the occasion. If he expands his center of attention again as much as the 800-meter distance this yr, he’s a three-event medal risk at Worlds.
#9: Thomas Ceccon, Italy (2024 Rank: 12) – The multi-talented Ceccon returned to the highest of the heap ultimate yr within the males’s 100 again, as, after breaking the arena report in 2022 after which falling wanting protecting his international name in 2023, he received Olympic gold in a time of 52.00. The Italian is a real all-around sprinter, with skills throughout unfastened, fly and IM to head at the side of backstroke. On the Olympics, his most effective different particular person occasion used to be the 200 again, the place he used to be ninth, whilst he equipped a cast 47.44 leg at the Italian 4×100 unfastened relay. Transferring ahead, particularly in non-Olympic years, the 24-year-old will likely be a risk around the 50 and 100 again, 50 fly, 100 unfastened, and perhaps even the 100 fly, 200 again or 200 IM. Firstly, the Italian will likely be aiming to reclaim his international name within the 100 again, and we may also’t disregard that he used to be the 2023 international champion within the 50 fly. No matter else he comes to a decision to swim he’ll be a contender in—his PB within the 100 freed from 47.71 stays from the Tokyo Olympics, and it might be fascinating to look him take that occasion extra severely once more. On the SC Ecu Championships, he may rack up some {hardware}.
#8: Qin Haiyang, China (2024 Rank: 2) – After Qin may do no unsuitable in 2023, ultimate yr used to be a little of a letdown, particularly on the subject of particular person Olympic effects. The triple international champion within the males’s 50, 100 and 200 breast in Fukuoka, Qin underperformed in Paris in a large method, putting seventh within the 100 breast (59.50) and tying for tenth within the 200 breast (2:09.96). Alternatively, the Olympics weren’t all dangerous for Qin, as he got here up with a large 57.98 cut up all through China’s dissatisfied victory within the males’s 4×100 medley relay, and he additionally cut up 57.82 at the blended medley relay that received silver. In spite of his deficient particular person swims in Paris, Qin nonetheless ranked 2d on the planet for the yr within the 100 breast (58.24), although he used to be nowhere close to his 2023 shape within the 200, rating sixteenth at 2:08.87. The 25-year-old discovered his footing all through the quick direction season, on the other hand, profitable the International Cup Triple Crown within the 50 breast, and including two wins within the 100 breast and one within the 200 breast all through the three-stop circuit. He then doubled up with international titles within the males’s 50 breast (25.42) and 100 breast (55.47) at SC Worlds, atmosphere new Asian Data in each all through the season (25.38 within the 50 from the International Cup). He ignored the 200 breast ultimate, on the other hand. Qin appears to be again on shape within the sprints heading into the 2025 Worlds, making it arduous to not pencil him in as the favourite within the 50 and 100. The 200 is a larger query mark, and even supposing he had been to manner his 2023 shape, Leon Marchand will likely be a tricky swimmer to overcome.
#7: Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia (2024 Rank: 41) – Having been absent from global pageant since December 2021, Kolesnikov has declared his goal to go back for the 2025 International Championships with an eye fixed at the 2028 Olympics. That’s excellent information for swimming lovers, as Kolesnikov is likely one of the maximum gifted athletes within the game, with elite skills throughout dash unfastened, again and IM. The 24-year-old is the present international report holder within the 50 again in each LCM and SCM, and ranked #1 on the planet within the large pool ultimate yr within the occasion (23.90). Kolesnikov used to be a person medalist within the 100 again (silver) and 100 unfastened (bronze) on the Tokyo Olympics, and has received two SC international titles within the 100 IM and used to be the 2021 international champion within the 50 again. Ultimate yr, along with rating #1 on the planet within the 50 again, Kolesnikov ranked eighth within the 100 again (52.64) in 2024, although he significantly went 51.82 in the summertime of 2023 to rank #2 all-time. He additionally had decent showings within the 50 unfastened (21.89) and 100 unfastened (48.11) ultimate yr, and given he’ll have a renewed dedication now with global racing at the horizon, we must be expecting him nearer to his highest occasions of 21.69/47.11. At LC Worlds, Kolesnikov must be the gold medal favourite within the 50 again, a number of the peak medal threats within the 100 again, and an outdoor risk within the 100 unfastened. Having a look forward to SC Euros, he may rack up the medals. Between the 2017, 2019 and 2021 SC Ecu Championships, Kolesnikov received a mixed 13 gold and 18 overall medals.
#6: Daniel Wiffen, Eire (2024 Rank: 23) – Wiffen persevered to upward thrust to the highest of fellows’s distance swimming in 2024, following his huge SCM international report on the finish of 2023 by way of sweeping the boys’s 800 and 1500 unfastened on the International Championships in Doha ahead of profitable Olympic gold within the 800 unfastened and bronze within the 1500 unfastened in Paris. Coming thru below force, Wiffen held off Bobby Finke to win the 800 unfastened Olympic name in a time of seven:38.19, shifting him to #5 all-time and #1 on the planet for the yr. Within the 1500 unfastened, Wiffen set his highest time of 14:34.07 on the 2024 Worlds, additionally rating him #5 all-time, after which in Paris, in spite of now not having his highest stuff within the ultimate, hung on bronze in 14:39.63. Finke used to be the one swimmer sooner than Wiffen ultimate yr within the 1500 unfastened, and shifting ahead, Wiffen will likely be a perennial gold medal risk in each occasions, with an opportunity to damage thru right into a medal place within the 400 unfastened given his highest time of three:44.35. At SC Euros on the finish of 2025, Wiffen will likely be coming in because the protecting champion within the 400, 800 and 1500 unfastened.
#5: David Popovici, Romania (2024 Rank: 17) – Popovici is coming off a resurgent 2024 that noticed him just about recreate the earth-shattering swims he produced on the 2022 Ecu Championships and win the primary two Olympic medals of his occupation. After breaking the arena report within the 100 unfastened (46.86) and changing into the 3rd swimmer ever (first textile) sub-1:43 within the 200 unfastened (1:42.97) in 2022, Popovici ignored the rostrum on the 2023 International Championships, however he got here again with a vengeance in 2024. On the Ecu Championships in June, Popovici received double gold with swims of 46.88 within the 100 unfastened and 1:43.13 within the 200 unfastened, which ranked him #2 and #1 on the planet ultimate yr, respectively. One month later on the Olympics, the now 20-year-old Romanian received gold within the 200 unfastened (1:44.72) and earned bronze within the 100 unfastened (47.49), and whilst he wasn’t ready to hit his occasions from previous within the yr, it used to be nonetheless a powerful appearing below force. It nonetheless appears like Popovici is most effective scratching the skin of his possible, and heading into 2025, he must be regarded as the International Championship favourite within the 200 unfastened, as his 1:43.13 time used to be the quickest on the planet ultimate yr by way of greater than a moment. Within the 100 unfastened, he’s were given his paintings minimize out for him with Pan Zhanle, however Popovici would should be thought to be #2 on the planet.
#4: Kristof Milak, Hungary (2024 Rank: 30) – Milak’s dedication to coaching ultimate yr used to be a scorching matter, however no matter he did in apply labored smartly sufficient to win Olympic gold within the 100 fly and take silver after an in depth fight within the 200 fly. After he used to be the runner-up in Tokyo, Milak edged out Josh Liendo for gold within the 100 fly in Paris, clocking 49.90 to rank #1 on the planet ultimate yr. Within the 200 fly, Milak went out aggressively within the ultimate and led the race thru 150 meters ahead of being run down by way of Leon Marchand (1:51.21), with Milak touching 2d for silver in 1:51.75. The swim used to be most effective the 6th quickest of Milak’s occupation, however it appeared like no person used to be denying Marchand in a person occasion in Paris. Milak additionally received Ecu titles within the 100 and 200 fly ultimate yr, and has proven flashes of his freestyle possible during the last few years, with highest occasions of 21.89/47.47/1:45.74. Milak has admitted his coaching main as much as Paris 2024 used to be less than par, and with complete dedication, he’s the frontrunner for gold at Worlds within the 100 fly and a large challenger to Marchand within the 200 fly—as excellent as Marchand used to be in Paris, Milak has been just about nine-tenths sooner at 1:50.34.
#3: Bobby Finke, USA (2024 Rank: 5) – Finke put U.S. swimming lovers relaxed all through the overall consultation of racing in Paris when he received the primary and most effective gold medal in a males’s particular person occasion for the American citizens within the 1500 unfastened. Finke at all times delivers when it issues maximum, and he did it once more by way of breaking Solar Yang‘s longstanding international report (14:31.02) within the 1500 within the Olympic ultimate, clocking 14:30.67 to protect the name he received in Tokyo. Finke settled for silver within the 800 unfastened (7:38.75) after profitable gold in 2021, however used to be nonetheless proper on his American File (7:38.67 from 2023) and ranked #2 on the planet within the occasion trailing most effective gold medalist Daniel Wiffen (7:38.19). Finke, now 25, may have his eyes on profitable the primary 1500 international name of his occupation in 2025, having received silver in each 2022 and 2023, whilst he’ll be aiming to reclaim the 800 unfastened crown after profitable it in 2022. He’s additionally were given some talent within the 400 unfastened and 400 IM, however on the subject of global medal potentialities, he’s most effective truly were given two occasions however he’s a close to lock for a top-two end in each.
#2: Pan Zhanle, China (2024 Rank: 8) – Pan had probably the most dominant performances of the Olympics in one of the vital shortest races, obliterating the sphere within the males’s 100 unfastened by way of a historical margin. After breaking Popovici’s international report within the occasion on the 2024 International Championships in 46.80, Pan unearthed a surprising 46.40 swim within the Olympic ultimate, profitable gold by way of 1.08 seconds over Kyle Chalmers. The efficiency made Pan the quickest guy in historical past by way of just about part a moment (46 one-hundredths), and his margin of victory used to be the largest within the occasion on the Olympics in 96 years. Pan additionally become the primary swimmer to separate sub-46 on China’s 4×100 medley relay, anchoring in 45.92 as they pulled off a historical dissatisfied over the U.S., and he additionally received silver on China’s blended medley relay. Previous within the yr on the 2024 Worlds, along with breaking the arena report within the 100 unfastened on a relay lead-off, Pan received the arena name within the occasion (47.53) and confirmed off his talent within the 200 unfastened, splitting 1:43.90 on China’s 4×200 unfastened relay. After impressing within the 400 unfastened all through the International Cup in brief direction meters, it’s imaginable we noticed Pan take at the 200 extra severely in lengthy direction this yr, which is a horrifying prospect for everybody. He used to be 1:45.68 ultimate yr to rank fifteenth on the planet, and he in fact ranked upper within the 400, having long gone 3:45.58 in April for twelfth.
#1: Leon Marchand, France (2024 Rank: 1) – Marchand is the undisputed highest male swimmer on the planet after what he did on the Paris Olympics, going four-for-four personally in entrance of his house crowd below a tidal wave of force. Marchand produced the second-fastest swim in historical past within the 200 breast (2:05.85), 200 IM (1:54.06) and 400 IM (4:02.95) on the Olympics to win gold, and within the 200 fly, his time of one:51.21 moved him to #2 all-time at the back of Kristof Milak. All 4 of Marchand’s swims additionally marked new Olympic Data. Along with rating #1 on the planet in all 4 of the ones occasions ultimate yr, Marchand additionally cut up 58.62 swimming breast on France’s medley relay to lend a hand them win bronze, and ranked eleventh on the planet within the 100 breast with a time of 59.06. After his Olympic dominance, Marchand were given again into coaching and took at the three-stop International Cup circuit in Asia, profitable the entire males’s name and incomes Triple Crowns within the 100 IM, 200 IM and 400 IM for the sequence, highlighted by way of breaking the arena report within the 200 IM (1:48.88) up to now held by way of Ryan Lochte. On the 2025 Worlds, Marchand is a uncomplicated favourite within the 4 occasions he received Olympic gold in ultimate yr, and very similar to Michael Phelps in previous years, he generally is a contender in numerous extra races if it weren’t for scheduling conflicts. If he opts to race at SC Euros, there’s no telling what sort of medal haul Marchand may usher in, particularly if he expands his occasion lineup and races some freestyle.
Learn the overall tale on SwimSwam: SwimSwam’s Best 100 For 2025: Males’s #10-1
