Hannah Stockbauer is a World Champion, Olympic and national-record holding swimmer from Germany. In 2003, she was named the female World Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine, following her winning the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyles at the 2003 World Championships.
Vladimir Valeryevich Salnikov is a Russian former freestyle swimmer who competed for the Soviet Union and set 12 world records in the 400, 800 and 1,500 meter events. Nicknamed the "Tsar of the Pool" but also the "Monster of the Waves" or simply the "Leningrad Express", he was the first person to swim under fifteen minutes in the 1500 m freestyle and also the first person to swim under eight minutes in the 800 m freestyle. He was named the Male World Swimmer of the Year in 1979 and 1982 by Swimming World.
Petra Schneider is a former medley and freestyle swimmer from East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s.
Ute Geweniger is a former breaststroke and medley swimmer who was a leading member of the East German swimming team in the 1980s. She won two Olympic gold medals, in the 100 m breaststroke and 4×100 m medley relay at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and set seven individual and two relay world records. She was named by Swimming World Magazine as World Swimmer of the Year in 1983 and as the European Swimmer of the Year in 1981 and 1983.
Dagmar Hase is a former German swimmer, specialised in the freestyle and backstroke. She won seven Olympic medals in her career, including a gold medal in the 400 m freestyle at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
The first world record in the men's 400 metres freestyle in long course (50 metres) swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 1908. In the short course (25 metres) swimming events the world's governing body recognizes world records since 3 March 1991.
Petra Thümer is a former swimmer from East Germany. She won gold medals in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle at the 1976 Summer Olympics and the 1977 European Aquatics Championships. During her career she set five world records in the 400 m and 800 m freestyle. In 1987 she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Paul Biedermann is a German retired competitive swimmer, a 200 and 400 metre freestyle long course world champion. He holds the long course and short course world records in the 200 meters freestyle, and the long course world record in the 400 meters freestyle.
Gabriele Wetzko is a former German swimmer. Born in Leipzig, East Germany, she competed for East Germany in the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics.
Yannick Agnel is a French former competitive swimmer who specializes in freestyle events, and is a three-time Olympic medalist. In his Olympic debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he won gold in the 200-meter freestyle, gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and silver in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He is the current world record holder in the 400-meter freestyle, the European record holder in the 800-meter freestyle, and the national record holder in the 200- and 400-meter freestyle.
The men's 200 metre freestyle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on 29–30 July at the London Aquatics Centre in London, United Kingdom. There were 40 competitors from 31 nations.
Kathryn Jean Heddy, also known by her married name Kathy Drum, is an American former competition swimming world champion and four-time Pan American champion.
Raphaël Stacchiotti is a Luxembourgish swimmer, who specialized in the freestyle and individual medley events. He is a four-time Olympian, a multiple-time Luxembourgian record holder in all freestyle and medley events, and a double European junior champion. Stacchiotti also holds numerous meet records and collects a total of 49 medals from the Games of the Small States of Europe. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Stacchiotti became the youngest athlete to be chosen by the Luxembourg squad, and was given the honor of carrying the nation's flag in the opening ceremony.
Yannick Käser is a Swiss swimmer, who specializes in breaststroke events. He is a 7-time Swiss swimming champion, a multiple-time age-group record holder, and a member of the swimming team for Virginia Cavaliers. He is also currently training with Limmat Sharks in Zurich under his coach Dirk Reinicke. He used to train with coach Dieter Sofka up to 2011.
Jasper Aerents is a Belgian swimmer, who specialized in sprint freestyle events.
Thomas Lebherz is a retired German backstroke swimmer who won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m medley relay at the 1985 European Aquatics Championships. Between 1979 and 1986 he won six national titles in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke events. His son, Yannick Lebherz is also a competitive swimmer.
The men's 200 metre freestyle event at the 2016 Summer Olympics took place between 7–8 August at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. There were 47 competitors from 36 nations.
France competed at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Kazan, Russia, from 24 July to 9 August 2015.
