Race Pace Calculator for Swimmers

by Olivier Poirier-Leroy

Looking to take the guesswork out of race pace training and goal setting?

This Race Pace Calculator uses real split data from the world’s top swimmers — including the 2024 Paris Olympic Games — to give you evidence-based target splits for every major event.

Just enter your (long course meters) goal time and select your event to generate a personalized race pace breakdown based on how elite swimmers swim the race. You’ll get a detailed breakdown of the best way to pace your race–and how to prepare for it in swim training–increasing the odds of success at your next swim meet.

Pace like the pros and smash your PB’s:

Race Pace Calculator

Select Event: Enter Goal Time (MM:SS):

Where was the pacing data for this race pace calculator drawn from?

The pacing profiles in this calculator are based on several data sets, using verified split times from elite competitive swimmers from several different competitions.

Results were pulled from finalists at the 2024 Paris Olympics, FINA Masters World Championships, FINA World Championships (2003-2019 and 2017-2024), and other elite swimming competitions.

Pacing profiles were averaged out across finalists in each event, reflecting pacing strategies of the best swimmers in the world.

As a result, these pacing profiles are not guesstimations or hypothetical, but rather, reflect earl-world race data of the fastest swimmers on the planet, giving swim coaches and swimmers split targets for goal-setting and race planning.

More Swim Tools and Calculators

Swimming Times Converter Tool. The most accurate conversion tool for changing times from short course yards (SCY), short course meters (SCM), and long course meters (SCM).

References and Data Sources

The key studies and references using to compile the pacing profiles:

Saavedra, J. M., Escalante, Y., & Rodríguez, F. A. (2012). A 12-Year Analysis of Pacing Strategies in 200 m and 400 m Individual Medley in World-Class Swimming. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 7(1), 39–47.

Moser, M., Veiga, S., & Colman, V. (2021). Pacing Profiles and Performance Determinants in the 400-m Individual Medley. Frontiers in Physiology, 12:656864.

Veiga, S., & Roig, A. (2015). Underwater and Surface Strategies of 200 m World-Level Swimmers. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(8), 766–771.

Oliveira, L., Gama, A. P., Gonjo, T., & Fernandes, R. J. (2023). Race Pacing and Critical Speed in the 200 m Freestyle: Elite vs. Sub-Elite. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching.

Fang, Y., & Jia, L. (2024). Analyzing the Pacing Strategies of Elite Swimmers in 400 m and 800 m Freestyle Events. Journal of Human Kinetics.

Race data from 2024 Paris Olympic Games: Fédération Française de Natation (FFN). (2024). Livret analyses finales JO Paris 2024 – Natation course.

Olivier Poirier-Leroy

Olivier Poirier-Leroy is the founder of YourSwimLog.com. He is an author, former national level swimmer, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, and swim coach. Olivier is the author of the books YourSwimBook and Conquer the Pool. He writes all things high-performance swimming and is passionate about helping swimmers, swim coaches, and swim parents master the pool. His articles were read over 4 million times last year and his work has appeared on USA Swimming, SwimSwam, STACK, NBC Universal, and more. He's also kinda tall and can be found hitting noon-hour lap swims. You can learn more about Olivier here.

Olivier Poirier-Leroy Olivier Poirier-Leroy is the founder of YourSwimLog.com. He is an author, former national level swimmer, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, and swim coach.