List of Olympic records in swimming - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

International Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...

recognises the fastest performances in pool-based swimming events

Swimming at the Summer Olympics

Swimming has been a sport at every modern Summer Olympics. It has been open to women since 1912. Along with track & field athletics and gymnastics it is one of the most popular spectator sports at the Games and the one with the largest number of events....

at the Olympic Games

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

. Men's swimming has been part of the Summer Olympics since the Games' modern inception in 1896; it was not until 1912 that women competed against each other. The swimming events at the 1896 Olympic Games were held in a bay in the Aegean Sea

Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...

with swimmers being required to swim to the shore—Hungarian swimmer Alfréd Hajós

Alfréd Hajós

Alfréd Hajós was a Hungarian swimmer and architect. He was the first modern Olympic swimming champion and the first Olympic champion of Hungary.-Biography:...

won two gold medals that year, saying "My will to live completely overcame my desire to win." The 1900 Games in Paris saw the swimming events take place in the River Seine while the 1908

1908 Summer Olympics

The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...

events were hosted in a 100 m pool located within an athletics track in the White City Stadium

White City Stadium

White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...

in London.

Races are held in four swimming strokes: freestyle

Freestyle swimming

Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...

, backstroke

Backstroke

The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...

, breaststroke

Breaststroke

The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...

and butterfly

Butterfly stroke

The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...

, over varying distances and in either individual or relay race

Relay race

During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...

events. In the 2008 Olympic Games

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21...

in Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

, both men and women competed in sixteen events in the pool, each sex in the same events with the exceptions of the 800 m freestyle (women-only) and the 1500 m freestyle (men-only). Olympic record

Olympic record

Olympic records are the best performances in a specific event in that event's history in either the Summer Olympic Games or the Winter Olympic Games...

s were broken on a total of 66 occasions, eventually leaving just two outstanding from earlier Games – Australian Ian Thorpe

Ian Thorpe

Ian James Thorpe OAM , nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey, is an Australian swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most...

's record in the 400 m freestyle and Dutch Inge de Bruijn

Inge de Bruijn

Inge de Bruijn is a Dutch former swimmer. She was a four-time Olympic champion and a former world record holder.-Biography:De Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, South Holland, and tried several sports before settling with swimming....

's 100 m butterfly record, both from the 2000

2000 Summer Olympics

The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...

Games in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. Of the 32 pool-based events, swimmers from the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

hold eleven records, Australia

Australia

eight, two each to Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, and Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...

, and one each to Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

, China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

and Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

Men's records

♦ denotes a performance that is also a current world record
World records in swimming
The world records in swimming are ratified by the international governing body of swimming FINA. Records can be set in long course or short course swimming pools...

. Statistics are correct as of the end of the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

and include only those events which are currently recognised by the IOC as Olympic events.

Event	Record	Name	Nation	Games	Date	Ref
	21.30			2008 Beijing Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 50 metre freestyle The following Olympic records were set during this competition.-Heat 1:-Heat 2:-Heat 3:-Heat 4:-Heat 5:-Heat 6:-Heat 7:-Heat 8:-Heat 9:-Heat 10:-Heat 11:-Heat 12:-Heat 13:-Semifinal 1:-Semifinal 2:-Final:...
	47.05			2008 Beijing

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|2000 Sydney

Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metre freestyle

The qualifying heats and the final of the Men's 400 metres Freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics were both held in Sydney, Australia, on September 16, 2000.-Final:-Qualifying heats:-References:*...

Michael Phelps

Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...

(47.51)
Garrett Weber-Gale

Garrett Weber-Gale

Garrett Weber-Gale is an American Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.-Early life:Weber-Gale is Jewish, and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He competed for the University of Texas from 2003–07...

(47.02)
Cullen Jones

Cullen Jones

Cullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...

(47.65)
Jason Lezak

Jason Lezak

Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...

(46.06)
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|2008 Beijing

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay

The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.In the heats, the teams with the Top 6 times all swam past the previous Olympic Record; three of which swam faster than the pre-Olympic World Record....

Michael Phelps

(1:43.31)
Ryan Lochte

Ryan Lochte

Ryan Steven Lochte is an American swimmer and a six-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay...

(1:44.28)
Ricky Berens

Ricky Berens

Richard Berens is an American Olympic swimmer.-Career:At the 2007 Pan American Games, Berens won a gold medal in the 4x100 m medley, and silver medals in both the 4x100 m freestyle and 4x200 m freestyle relays.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Berens won the gold medal in the men's 4x200 m freestyle...

(1:46.29)
Peter Vanderkaay

Peter Vanderkaay

Peter Vanderkaay is an American middle-distance freestyle swimmer. He is a three-time Olympic medalist.-Personal life:...

(1:44.68)
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|2008 Beijing

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay

The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heats:-Final:...

Aaron Peirsol

Aaron Wells Peirsol is a former American swimmer who specialized in the backstroke. He is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100-meter medley relay...

(53.16)
Brendan Hansen

Brendan Hansen

Brendan Joseph Hansen is an American breaststroke swimmer and four-time Olympic medalist...

(59.27)
Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps

(50.15)
Jason Lezak

Jason Lezak

(46.76)
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|2008 Beijing

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay

The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heat 1:-Heat 2:-Final:* Q = Qualified, DSQ = Disqualified* WR = World Record, OR = Olympic Record...

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Women's records

Event	Record	Name	Nation	Games	Date	Ref
	24.06			2008 Beijing
	53.12			2008 Beijing
	1:54.82			2008 Beijing
	4:02.19			2008 Beijing
	♦8:14.10			2008 Beijing
	58.77			2008 Beijing

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|2008 Beijing
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|2000 Sydney

Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre butterfly

The final of the Women's 100 metres Butterfly event at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday September 17, 2000.-Final:-Semifinals:*Held on Saturday September 16, 2000-Qualifying heats:*Held on Saturday September 16, 2000...

Ranomi Kromowidjojo

Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle but also has potential in backstroke and butterfly events. As part of the Dutch team, she holds the world records in the 4×50 m and 4×200 m freestyle relays on short course , and 4×100 m freestyle relay on long course...

(53.39)
Femke Heemskerk

Femke Heemskerk

Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk is a Dutch swimmer who mainly specializes in freestyle, but also has a strong backstroke and medley....

(53.42)
Marleen Veldhuis

Marleen Veldhuis

Magdalena Johanna Maria Veldhuis is a professional swimmer from the Netherlands. She is world record holder in 4 events . Veldhuis has won 6 world championships gold medals and 20 European championships gold medals...

(52.58)
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|2008 Beijing

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay

The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.Also, in the final race of this event, Britta Steffen of Germany set a new women's 100 metre freestyle Olympic record of 53.38 as the lead-off swimmer for Germany...

Bronte Barratt

Bronte Amelia Arnold Barratt OAM is a competitive swimmer from Australia. At the World Short Course Championships held in Shanghai in 2006, Barratt won the gold medal in women's 4x200m freestyle relay and an individual silver medal in the 400m freestyle.In 2007, she broke the oldest record in...

(1:56.58)
Kylie Palmer

Kylie Palmer

Kylie Jayne Palmer OAM , is an Australian distance freestyle swimmer.She attended Grace Lutheran College, Rothwell...

(1:55.22)
Linda Mackenzie

Linda Mackenzie

Linda June Mackenzie OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer. She tends to prefer the longer 200m/400m/800m events and has won the Australian 400m national title five years in a row...

(1:55.91)
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|2008 Beijing

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay

The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Qualification summary:-Heats:-Final:...

Leisel Jones

Leisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...

(1:04.58)
Jessicah Schipper

Jessicah Schipper

Jessicah Lee Schipper OAM is an Australian swimmer. She trained at the Redcliffe Leagues Lawnton club in Brisbane, under veteran coach Ken Wood up until the conclusion of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Schipper now trains under the guidance of Stephan Widmer with the Commercial Swimming Club...

(56.25)
Libby Trickett (52.53)
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|2008 Beijing

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre medley relay

The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.- Qualification summary :- Heat 1 :- Heat 2 :- Final :* Q = Qualified, DSQ = Disqualified* WR = World Record, OR = Olympic Record...

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