Liebmann, 19, added 1,500-meter gold to his 800-meter win and lowered the previous record by almost four seconds. Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP via Getty ImagesAug. 15, 2026 1:48 pm EDT Updated Johannes Liebmann of Germany smashed the men’s 1,500-meter freestyle world record on Saturday at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris, swimming the longest pool race in 14 minutes, 26.79 seconds to beat the old mark by nearly four seconds.American Bobby Finke had held the record since the 2024 Olympics, when he swam 14:30.67 to win gold, also in Paris.The 19-year-old Liebmann jumped out fast and was ahead of Finke’s pace the entire time. The only question was whether he could keep it up in the latter stages of the distance race. At nearly every split, he extended his lead on Finke’s time, leading it by five seconds heading into the final 50 meters.Liebmann also won gold in the 800-meter freestyle earlier this week, setting a European record of 7:37.59.This story will be updated.Aug 15, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms