1,500 metres Freestyle, Men

The two favorites were Australia’s Kieren Perkins and German Jörg Hoffmann. At the 1991 World Championships, they had dueled with Hoffmann winning in a world record 14:50.36, only 0.22 ahead of Perkins. At the Australian Olympic Trials in Canberra in April 1992, Perkins bettered that record with 14:48.40. But in Barcelona the race was not close as Perkins started out at what seemed an insane pace, recording 55.30 for the opening 100, and 3:51.59 for 400. At 800 metres he was only 1.67 seconds off his world record for that distance, and he led by almost 20 metres. He slowed slightly from there, but won gold easily in a world record 14:43.48, with silver going to his teammate Glen Housman, the 1989 Pan Pacific and 1990 Commonwealth champion, who was almost 12 seconds back. Hoffmann finished third, unable to better 15 minutes.

Perkins would defend his gold medal in Atlanta and return at Sydney to add a silver medal in the event. He would also set one more world record in the event, 14:41.66 at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, in which his 800 split also bettered the world mark for that distance.