Get ready to be amazed! Robin Hanson, a Swedish swimmer, is making waves again! He recently shattered his own Swedish record in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2025 Swedish Swim Games Grand Prix 1. This event, held in Upplands Vasby, Sweden, from November 7th to 9th, 2025, showcased Hanson's incredible post-college resurgence in the short course meters (25 meters) format.
Hanson, the 24-year-old former Cal Golden Bear, dominated the race, finishing in an astounding 1:41.98. This victory not only secured him the gold but also left Swiss international Antonio Djakovic in the dust, who finished with a time of 1:43.99. But here's where it gets exciting: Hanson's time demolished his previous personal best and the former Swedish record of 1:43.21, set at the 2024 Short Course World Championships.
Let's break down how he did it:
New Swedish Record
- 50m: 23.92
- 100m: 26.08
- 150m: 26.23
- 200m: 25.75
- Total: 1:41.98
Old Swedish Record
- 50m: 24.40
- 100m: 26.33
- 150m: 26.40
- 200m: 26.08
- Total: 1:43.21
Hanson's improvements were spread across the entire race, a testament to his overall growth in 2025. This year alone, he's achieved lifetime bests in the 50m and 100m freestyle in short course meters, plus the 100m and 200m freestyle in long course meters (48.90/1:45.91).
To put this in perspective, his previous bests in the 100m and 200m freestyle in long course were from 2021. And that's not all! Hanson also took home the gold in the 50m freestyle (21.80), the 100m freestyle (47.03), and the 100m IM (53.90). He also secured a third-place finish in the 400m freestyle (3:46.61), the only event where he didn't achieve a personal best.
But wait, there's more! Another national record was broken at the meet. Thilda Hall shattered the women's 1500-meter freestyle record with a time of 16:06.45. The old record of 16:14.77 was set back in 2000 by Olympian Asa Sandlund.
And this is the part most people miss... Sandlund's record stood for so long because the women's 1500m freestyle isn't swum as often in short course meters. Hall's performance also followed a summer of impressive improvements in the long course pool, where she dropped over 8 seconds in the 800m freestyle. Let's compare the splits:
Asa Sandlund
- 100m: 63.39
- 200m: 65.19
- 300m: 64.89
- 400m: 65.04
- 500m: 65.01
- 600m: 65.97
- 700m: 65.63
- 800m: 65.54
- 900m: 65.46
- 1000m: 65.32
- 1100m: 65.69
- 1200m: 65.45
- 1300m: 65.15
- 1400m: 65.02
- 1500m: 63.02
- Total: 16:14.77
Thilda Hall
- 100m: 62.15
- 200m: 65.22
- 300m: 65.42
- 400m: 64.99
- 500m: 64.93
- 600m: 64.41
- 700m: 64.16
- 800m: 64.67
- 900m: 64.55
- 1000m: 64.75
- 1100m: 64.49
- 1200m: 64.40
- 1300m: 64.88
- 1400m: 64.57
- 1500m: 62.86
- Total: 16:06.45
Hall also achieved personal bests in the 400m freestyle (4:06.27) and the 800m freestyle (8:25.85) at the meet.
Other Notable Highlights:
- Olympians Victor Johansson of Sweden and Henrik Christiansen of Norway battled in the men's 1500m freestyle, with Johansson winning in 14:42.97 and Christiansen finishing second in 14:45.81. Johansson also won the 800m freestyle (7:33.01), while Djakovic won the 400m freestyle (3:42.12).
- 22-year-old Sofia Astedt, Hall's training partner, won the 200m freestyle in 1:55.73, shaving off eight-tenths of a second from her previous best.
- Olympian Sophie Hansson and her sister Louise Hansson combined for seven victories. Sophie won the 50m breaststroke (30.15) and 100m breaststroke (1:05.60), while Louise won the 50m backstroke (26.74), 100m backstroke (57.30), 50m butterfly (25.46), 100m butterfly (56.26), and 100m IM (59.14).
What do you think? Are you impressed by Hanson's comeback? Do you think short course meters records should be considered alongside long course records? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
