Bold claim: Steenbergen just rewrote the record books in a single European meet, taking down marks once thought to belong to two of the sport’s all-time greats. And this is the part most people miss: a single session can redefine a swimmer’s arc, especially when a career has already zigzagged through injuries, absences, and stunning comebacks.
Marrit Steenbergen, the Dutch standout once heralded as the next big thing in Dutch—and perhaps world—swimming, has spent the last several years navigating a remarkable, almost surreal career trajectory. After enduring a lengthy shoulder setback and a pause to focus on schooling, she resurfaced with a pace and consistency that many veterans would envy. In the latest European Short Course Championships, she accomplished something extraordinary: she broke a European record in the 100 individual medley that had been set by Sarah Sjöström, and she also shattered an European record in the 200 freestyle that had belonged to Katinka Hosszu, all within the same session at the Lublin meet.
Here’s how it unfolded: Steenbergen delivered a European record in the 100 IM final at 7:00 PM local time and followed with a European record in the 200 free final at 8:20 PM local time. Those two performances, in the same session, marked a unique achievement that raises questions about the current overlap between peak-era mark holders and today’s breakout stars.
While it would be premature to declare Steenbergen on a parallel track with Sjöström and Hosszu—two benchmark figures of their era and among the greatest female swimmers in history—the feat stands as a singular milestone. She may be the only swimmer to have broken records once held by both Sjöström and Hosszu in a single session (unless Hosszu herself duplicated the feat). It’s important to note that these European records reflect peak performances in the respective events, not necessarily a guarantee of sustained dominance across all distances.
Steenbergen, now 25, has consistently evolved. As a teenager, she was already posting impressive marks—splitting 53 seconds in the 100 free and 1:58 in the 200 free in long course. She chipped away at those times through her late teens, but then stepped away from the international scene for a period. In 2018, the record books show a gap in the 200 free results and only scattered times in the 100 free, as she battled a shoulder injury and completed her schooling. The following years brought sporadic results, with notable progress but a wide gap from her early peak.
The resurgence began in 2022, when Steenbergen reignited her performance trajectory. She clocked 1:56.36 in the 200 free and 53.24 in the 100 free, and later trimmed those times to 1:55.51 and 52.26 by the end of 2024. She also expanded her repertoire with the 200 IM, delivering a 2:08.86 in 2024 that underscored a substantial upgrade in her versatility.
After a disappointing Paris Olympics—where she entered as the world leader in the 100 free but came away medalless—she recalibrated once more. Taking a deliberate pause, she returned in November with a lean schedule: three swims and three 90-minute gym sessions weekly. She explained that stepping away helped her mental strength, framing the season with a healthier, less pressured mindset.
By redefining her approach, Steenbergen shifted emphasis from chasing a single target to competing round by round. Her stated goal shifted from “make a final” to optimizing each stage—the semis, then the final—and assessing what she could achieve once there. That mindset appears to have paid off, as she not only maintained peak speed in the 100 free but also began to excel in events she had not prioritized recently, like the 100 IM.
This evolution is emblematic of a generation of female swimmers who continue to extend their careers into their 20s and even early 30s, continually refining technique, mental approach, and race strategy. If Steenbergen can sustain this trajectory, she could remain a significant force heading toward Los Angeles 2028.
In this story:
- Katinka Hosszu
- Marrit Steenbergen
- Sarah Sjöström
About the author: Braden Keith serves as Editor-in-Chief and co-founder of SwimSwam and offers ongoing coverage and analysis of swimming through a practitioner’s lens.
