World records in swimming
Encyclopedia
The world records in swimming are ratified by the international governing body of swimming
FINA
. Records can be set in long course (50 metres) or short course
(25 metres) swimming pools. FINA recognises world records in the following events for both men and women.
The ratification process is described in FINA Rule SW12, and involves submission of paperwork certifying the accuracy of the timing system and the length of the pool, satisfaction of FINA rules regarding swimwear and a negative doping test by the swimmer(s) involved. Records can be set at intermediate distances in an individual race and for the first leg of a relay race. Records which have not yet been fully ratified are marked with a '#' symbol in these lists.
Most of the records below were established by swimmers wearing bodysuits or suits made of polyurethane or other non-textile materials allowed in the race pool from February 2008 until December 2009. On the eve of the 2009 FINA World Championships
in Rome, the international governing body for five Olympic aquatic sports voted to ban the use of bodysuits and all suits made of no-textile materials starting 1 January 2010. The suits seemed to improve the performance in those with larger physiques, boosting performance in some athletes more than others, depending on morphology
and physiology, and .
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
FINA
International Swimming Federation
Fédération Internationale de Natation is the International Federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee for administering international competition in the aquatic sports...
. Records can be set in long course (50 metres) or short course
Short course
In Swimming, the term Short Course is used to identify a pool that is 25 metres in length. The term is also often included in meet names when conducted in a short course pool...
(25 metres) swimming pools. FINA recognises world records in the following events for both men and women.
- Freestyle: 50 mWorld record progression 50 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 50 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1976...
, 100 mWorld record progression 100 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 100 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1905...
, 200 mWorld record progression 200 metres freestyleThis is a history of the World Record in the 200 Freestyle swimming event. Swimming World Records are recognized by FINA in either long-course or short-course pool courses....
, 400 mWorld record progression 400 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 400 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908. In the short course swimming events the world's governing body recognizes world records since 3 March 1991.-Long course:-Short course:-Long...
, 800 mWorld record progression 800 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 800 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908...
, 1500 mWorld record progression 1500 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 1500 metres freestyle in a long course swimming pool was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908... - Backstroke: 50 mWorld record progression 50 metres backstroke-Long course:-Short course:-Long course:-Short course:-References:...
, 100 mWorld record progression 100 metres backstrokeThis is a history of the 100 m backstroke world record as swum in both long-course pools and short-course pools—the two categories recognized/tracked by FINA.-Long course:-Short course:-Long course:-Short course:...
, 200 mWorld record progression 200 metres backstrokeThis is a history of the 200 m backstroke world record as swum in both long course pools and short course pools – the two categories recognized/tracked by FINA.-Long course:-Short course:-Long course:... - Breaststroke: 50 mWorld record progression 50 metres breaststroke-Long course:-Short course:-Long course:-Short course:- References :...
, 100 mWorld record progression 100 metres breaststrokeThis is a list of the world record progression in the 100 metres breaststroke. The first world record in long course swimming was recognized by the International Swimming Federation in 1961, while the women's world record times were officially acknowledged in 1958...
, 200 mWorld record progression 200 metres breaststrokeThe first world record in the men's 200 metres breaststroke in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908 and the first world record in the women's 200 metres breaststroke was recognised in 1921... - Butterfly: 50 m, 100 mWorld record progression 100 metres butterflyThe first world record in the 100 metres butterfly in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1957, for both men and women...
, 200 mWorld record progression 200 metres butterflyThe first world record in the men's 200 metres butterfly in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1959. The women's official acknowledged top time came one year earlier... - Individual medley: 100 mWorld record progression 100 metres medleyThe world records in the 100 metres individual medley. This event can only be competed in short course pools.-Men:-Women:-References:...
(short course only), 200 mWorld record progression 200 metres medleyThe first world record in the 200 metres individual medley in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1956, followed by the women a year later...
, 400 mWorld record progression 400 metres medleyThe first world record in the 400 metres individual medley in long course swimming was recognized by the International Swimming Federation in 1957, followed by the women a year later... - Relays: 4×100 m freestyleWorld record progression 4x100 metres freestyle relayBelow is the world record progression for the 4×100 metres freestyle relay swimming event. Long course swimming records were recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908...
, 4×200 m freestyleWorld record progression 4x200 metres freestyle relayThis is a history of the World Record in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay swimming event. World Records are recognized by FINA in either long-course or short-course pool courses....
, 4×100 m medleyWorld record progression 4x100 metres medley relayThe world record in the 4×100 metres medley swimming relay was first recognised in 1953 by FINA, with world swimming governing body. Initially world records were only recognised in long course swimming pools which were a minimum of 50 metres in length – some of the early records were achieved...
The ratification process is described in FINA Rule SW12, and involves submission of paperwork certifying the accuracy of the timing system and the length of the pool, satisfaction of FINA rules regarding swimwear and a negative doping test by the swimmer(s) involved. Records can be set at intermediate distances in an individual race and for the first leg of a relay race. Records which have not yet been fully ratified are marked with a '#' symbol in these lists.
Most of the records below were established by swimmers wearing bodysuits or suits made of polyurethane or other non-textile materials allowed in the race pool from February 2008 until December 2009. On the eve of the 2009 FINA World Championships
2009 World Aquatics Championships
The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
in Rome, the international governing body for five Olympic aquatic sports voted to ban the use of bodysuits and all suits made of no-textile materials starting 1 January 2010. The suits seemed to improve the performance in those with larger physiques, boosting performance in some athletes more than others, depending on morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
and physiology, and .
Men
Women
Men
Notes- C1 Record set by CN Marseille club team.
Women
Notes- C2 Record set by Eiffel Swimmers PSV club team.
By nation
| Record tally |
Nation | LC | SC | Total | LC | SC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | Women | ||||||
| 9 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 11 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | |||
| 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||
| 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||
| 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
| 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||
By athlete (men)
| Record count |
Name | Nationality | Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Michael Phelps 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... |
100 m butterfly LC 200 m butterfly LC 400 m individual medley LC 4×100 m freestyle relay LC 4×200 m freestyle relay LC 4×100 m medley relay LC 4x100 m freestyle relay SC |
|
| 4 | Paul Biedermann Paul Biedermann Paul Biedermann is a German swimmer from Halle and a former 200 and 400 metre freestyle long course world champion. He also holds the long course and short course world records in these events.-Career:... |
200 m freestyle LC 400 m freestyle LC 200 m freestyle SC 400 m freestyle SC |
|
| 4 | 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... |
200 m individual medley LC 4x200 m freestyle relay LC 200 m individual medley SC 400 m individual medley SC |
|
| 3 | Cameron van der Burgh Cameron van der Burgh Cameron van der Burgh is a South African swimmer.He is Africa's first home-trained world record holder and the youngest at the age of 20. He trains with Dirk Lange and is based in Pretoria. He has represented South Africa at the 2008 Summer Olympics and has won numerous World Championship medals... |
50 m breaststroke SC 100 m breaststroke SC 50 m breaststroke LC |
|
| 3 | Aaron Peirsol 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... |
100 m backstroke LC 200 m backstroke LC 4×100 m medley relay LC |
By athlete (women)
| Record count |
Name | Nationality | Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Jessica Hardy Jessica Hardy Jessica Adele Hardy is an American swimmer who specializes in the breaststroke and freestyle stroke. She currently holds the world record in the 50 m breaststroke and the 100 m breaststroke .... |
100 m breaststroke LC 50 m breaststroke LC 50 m breaststroke SC 4×100 m medley relay SC |
|
| 3 | 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... |
4×100 m freestyle relay LC 50 m freestyle SC 4×100 m freestyle relay SC |
|
| 3 | Zhao Jing Zhao Jing (swimmer) Zhao Jing is a female Chinese swimmer, who competed for Team China at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Records:*2006 Asian Championships - 28.50, 50 m back... |
50 m backstroke LC 4×100 m medley relay LC 50 m backstroke SC |
|
| 3 | Federica Pellegrini Federica Pellegrini Federica Pellegrini is an Italian swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she is currently the women's 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle world record holder... |
200 m freestyle LC 400 m freestyle LC 200 m freestyle SC |