Under-the-Radar Male Performance of the Year: Sven Schwarz Blistered European Record in 800 Freestyle
Earning the right to represent Germany in distance-freestyle competition at the international level is no easy task, as the country boasts incredible depth. Lukas Maertens is an Olympic champion and world-record holder. Florian Wellbrock is a multi-time world titlist. Oliver Klemet is an Olympic medalist. And Johannes Liebmann is a rising talent who has established himself as a world junior record-holder.
There’s also Sven Schwarz, coming off the finest year of his career.
In 2025, Schwarz elevated his status in the distance ranks. At the World Championships in Singapore, the German was the silver medalist in the 800-meter freestyle and 1500 freestyle, finishing behind Tunisia’s Ahmed Joauadi in both disciplines. It was a breakout showing for the 23-year-old, who clearly carries significant momentum into 2026.
But Schwarz’s best performance of 2025 arrived ahead of the World Champs, and was produced in another pressure-packed situation. Needing to register a time among the top-two in his nation to secure a bid to Worlds, Schwarz highlighted the German Championships with a European record of 7:38.12, an outing that undercut the 7:38.19 posted by Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen on the way to Olympic gold in Paris. Schwarz’s time also sliced a second from Maertens’ national record, which had stood at 7:39.10.
Swimming World has selected Schwarz’s performance in the 800 freestyle as its Under-the-Radar Male Performance of the Year. How can a European record qualify for such an honor? Well, in a year in which Maertens broke the world record in the 400 freestyle and Wellbrock dazzled with four victories in the open-water events at the World Champs, Schwarz probably didn’t get the credit he deserved.
During the past 12 months, there were only five sub-7:40 efforts in the 800 freestyle. Jaouadi led the way with his 7:36.88 marker at Worlds, and Maertens clocked his former national record at the Swim Stockholm Open. The other three sub-7:40s belonged to Schwarz, whose ability to swim consistently fast in distance events is remarkable. By going 7:38.12, Schwarz sits No. 6 in the all-time rankings.
Schwarz’s European record was earned during the front half of the swim, which he covered in 3:47.80. Over the back half, he continued to grind, generating a split of 3:50.32.
“I just tried to see what I could do at the front,” he said of the race. “It felt good. It slid really well and I don’t know why. It seems to have been the perfect day somehow. It makes me mega proud and mega happy that I have fought for the World Championship ticket.”