List of African records in swimming

The African records in swimming are the fastest times ever by a swimmer representing an African country. These records are ratified by Africa Aquatics (previously CANA) the African Aquatic Confederation

Africa

All records were set in finals unless noted otherwise.

Long Course (50 m)

Men

Event	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
50m freestyle	21.67	=	Roland Schoeman	South Africa	16 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China
50m freestyle	21.67	=, sf	Roland Schoeman	South Africa	2 August 2013	World Championships	Barcelona, Spain	[1]
100m freestyle	47.79	h	Lyndon Ferns	South Africa	29 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[2]
200m freestyle	1:45.20		Chad le Clos	South Africa	8 August 2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	[3]
400m freestyle	3:40.70		Ahmed Hafnaoui	Tunisia	23 July 2023	World Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	[4]
800m freestyle	7:35.27		Oussama Mellouli	Tunisia	29 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[5]
1500m freestyle	14:31.54		Ahmed Hafnaoui	Tunisia	30 July 2023	World Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	[6]
50m backstroke	24.17		Pieter Coetze	South Africa	3 August 2025	World Championships	Singapore, Singapore	[7]
100m backstroke	51.85	CR	Pieter Coetze	South Africa	29 July 2025	World Championships	Singapore, Singapore	[8]
200m backstroke	1:53.36		Pieter Coetze	South Africa	1 August 2025	World Championships	Singapore, Singapore	[9]
50m breaststroke	26.54	h	Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	25 July 2017	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[10]
100m breaststroke	58.46		Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	29 July 2012	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	[11][12]
200m breaststroke	2:09.61	sf	Neil Versfeld	South Africa	30 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[13]
50m butterfly	22.80		Abdelrahman Sameh	Egypt	18 May 2025	Mare Nostrum	Monte Carlo, Monaco	[14]
100m butterfly	50.56		Chad le Clos	South Africa	8 August 2015	World Championships	Kazan, Russia	[15]
200m butterfly	1:52.96		Chad le Clos	South Africa	31 July 2012	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	[16]
200m individual medley	1:57.03	sf	Darian Townsend	South Africa	25 April 2009	French Championships	Montpellier, France	[17]
400m individual medley	4:10.53		Oussama Mellouli	Tunisia	29 June 2009	Mediterranean Games	Pescara, Italy	[18]
4×50m freestyle relay	1:28.78		Lyndon Ferns Roland Schoeman Gerhard Zandberg Ryk Neethling	South Africa	2 April 2003	-
4×100m freestyle relay	3:11.93		Lyndon Ferns  (48.32) Graeme Moore  (48.05) Darian Townsend  (48.05) Roland Schoeman  (47.51)	South Africa	26 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[19]
4×200m freestyle relay	7:08.01	h	Jean Basson  (1:45.99) Darian Townsend  (1:46.22) Jan Venter  (1:47.78) Sebastien Rousseau  (1:48.02)	South Africa	31 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[20]
4×100m medley relay	3:31.53	h	George Du Rand  (53.90) Cameron van der Burgh  (58.32) Lyndon Ferns  (52.06) Graeme Moore  (47.25)	South Africa	2 August 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[21]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by CANA; WR – World record; CR – Commonwealth record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Women

Event	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
50m freestyle	24.62	sf	Farida Osman	Egypt	29 July 2017	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[22]
100m freestyle	54.23		Erin Gallagher	South Africa	9 April 2018	Commonwealth Games	Gold Coast, Australia	[23]
200m freestyle	1:56.80	r	Aimee Canny	South Africa	12 April 2024	South African Championships	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	[24]
400m freestyle	4:07.92		Karin Prinsloo	South Africa	31 January 2014	Aquatic Super Series	Perth, Australia	[25]
800m freestyle	8:25.71		Wendy Trott	South Africa	14 June 2012	Trofeo Sette Colli	Rome, Italy
1500m freestyle	16:05.63	h	Wendy Trott	South Africa	25 July 2011	World Championships	Shanghai, China	[26]
50m backstroke	27.91		Olivia Nel	South Africa	22 July 2025	World University Games	Berlin, Germany	[27]
100m backstroke	58.77	sf	Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	11 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China
200m backstroke	2:04.81		Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	1 August 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[28]
50m breaststroke	29.72	h, CR	Lara van Niekerk	South Africa	6 April 2022	South African Championships	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	[29]
100m breaststroke	1:04.82	h, CR	Tatjana Schoenmaker	South Africa	25 July 2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	[30]
200m breaststroke	2:18.95	CR	Tatjana Schoenmaker	South Africa	30 July 2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	[31]
50m butterfly	25.38		Farida Osman	Egypt	24 June 2022	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[32]
100m butterfly	57.32		Erin Gallagher	South Africa	12 April 2024	South African Championships	Port Elizabeth, South Africa
200m butterfly	2:09.41	h	Katheryn Meaklim	South Africa	12 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China
200m individual medley	2:08.59		Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	13 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China
400m individual medley	4:29.89		Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	9 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China
4×50m freestyle relay	1:45.66		L. Kemp K. Ross A. Peens V. Mohr	Tuks	10 April 2014	South African Championships	South Africa
4×100m freestyle relay	3:40.29		Aimee Canny  (55.27) Emma Chelius  (54.94) Erin Gallagher  (54.34) Rebecca Meder  (55.74)	South Africa	10 April 2021	South African Championships	Port Elizabeth, South Africa	[33]
4×200m freestyle relay	8:01.56	h	Aimee Canny  (1:58.41) Rebecca Meder  (2:00.53) Dune Coetzee  (1:59.75) Erin Gallagher  (2:02.87)	South Africa	28 July 2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	[34]
4×100m medley relay	3:59.47	h	Olivia Nel  (1:00.33) Rebecca Meder  (1:07.63) Erin Gallagher  (57.31) Aimee Canny  (54.20)	South Africa	3 August 2025	World Championships	Singapore, Singapore	[35]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by CANA; WR – World record; CR – Commonwealth record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Mixed relay

Event	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
4×100 m freestyle relay	3:28.51		Guy Brooks  (49.55) Ruard Van Renen  (49.20) Olivia Nel  (54.72) Michaela De Villiers  (55.04)	South Africa	21 July 2025	World University Games	Berlin, Germany	[36]
4×100 m medley relay	3:44.38		Pieter Coetze  (53.42) Lara van Niekerk  (1:05.41) Chad le Clos  (50.94) Aimee Canny  (54.61)	South Africa	2 August 2022	Commonwealth Games	Birmingham, United Kingdom	[37]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by CANA; WR – World record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat

Short Course (25 m)

Men

Event	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
50m freestyle	20.30	CR	Roland Schoeman	South Africa	8 August 2009	South African Championships	Pietermaritzburg, South Africa	[38]
100m freestyle	45.78		Chad le Clos	South Africa	6 August 2017	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[39]
200m freestyle	1:40.65		Matthew Sates	South Africa	3 October 2021	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[40]
400m freestyle	3:36.30		Matthew Sates	South Africa	21 October 2022	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[41]
800m freestyle	7:31.93		Ahmed Jaouadi	Tunisia	14 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[42]
1500m freestyle	14:10.94		Ahmed Hafnaoui	Tunisia	21 December 2021	World Championships	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	[43]
50m backstroke	22.75		Pieter Coetze	South Africa	1 November 2024	World Cup	Singapore, Singapore	[44]
100m backstroke	49.35		Pieter Coetze	South Africa	20 October 2024	World Cup	Shanghai, China	[45]
200m backstroke	1:47.08		George Du Rand	South Africa	7 November 2009	World Cup	Moscow, Russia
50m breaststroke	25.25	CR	Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	14 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
100m breaststroke	55.61		Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	15 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
200m breaststroke	2:02.56		Neil Versfeld	South Africa	14 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
50m butterfly	21.87	CR	Roland Schoeman	South Africa	14 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
100m butterfly	48.08	CR	Chad le Clos	South Africa	8 December 2016	World Championships	Windsor, Canada	[46]
200m butterfly	1:48.27	CR	Chad le Clos	South Africa	15 December 2022	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[47]
100m individual medley	51.05	CR	Gerhard Zandberg	South Africa	14 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
200m individual medley	1:50.15	CR	Matthew Sates	South Africa	13 December 2022	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[48]
400m individual medley	3:57.40		Oussama Mellouli	Tunisia	16 December 2010	World Championships	Dubai, United Arab Emirates	[49]
4×50m freestyle relay	1:24.14		Brad Tandy  (21.22) Chad le Clos  (20.31) Douglas Erasmus  (21.29) Ryan Coetzee  (21.32)	South Africa	14 December 2018	World Championships	Hangzhou, China	[50]
4×100m freestyle relay	3:12.87	h	Leith Shankland  (48.05) Clayton Jimmie  (47.89) Calvyn Justus  (48.32) Myles Brown  (48.61)	South Africa	3 December 2014	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	[51]
4×200m freestyle relay	6:52.13		Myles Brown  (1:43.45) Sebastien Rousseau  (1:43.96) Chad le Clos  (1:40.61) Leith Shankland  (1:44.31)	South Africa	4 December 2014	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	[52]
4×50m medley relay	1:32.56		Mohamed Samy  (23.68) Youssef Elkamash  (26.32) Youssef Ramadan  (22.12) Abdelrahman Sameh  (20.44)	Egypt	20 December 2021	World Championships	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	[53]
4×100m medley relay	3:30.83	h	Mohamed Samy  (52.55) Youssef Elkamash  (59.71) Youssef Ramadan  (50.89) Abdelrahman Sameh  (47.68)	Egypt	21 December 2021	World Championships	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	[54]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by CANA; WR – World record; CR – Commonwealth record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Women

Event	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
50 m freestyle	24.14	h	Caitlin De Lange	South Africa	14 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[55]
100 m freestyle	52.70	sf	Erin Gallagher	South Africa	12 December 2018	World Championships	Hangzhou, China	[56]
200 m freestyle	1:54.13		Aimee Canny	South Africa	18 October 2024	Virginia vs Florida Dual Meet	Charlottesville, United States	[57]
400 m freestyle	4:03.50		Melissa Corfe	South Africa	11 April 2008	World Championships	Manchester, United Kingdom
800 m freestyle	8:22.05		Jessica Pengelly	South Africa	4 November 2011	World Cup	Singapore, Singapore
1500 m freestyle	16:09.12		Stephanie Houtman	South Africa	13 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[58]
50m backstroke	26.85		Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	13 April 2008	World Championships	Manchester, United Kingdom	[59]
100m backstroke	56.56		Chanelle Van Wyk	South Africa	15 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
200m backstroke	2:00.91		Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	11 April 2008	World Championships	Manchester, United Kingdom	[60]
50m breaststroke	29.09		Lara van Niekerk	South Africa	18 December 2022	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[61]
100m breaststroke	1:03.89		Tatjana Schoenmaker	South Africa	25 October 2020	South African Championships	Pietermaritzburg, South Africa	[62]
200m breaststroke	2:18.02		Tatjana Schoenmaker	South Africa	26 October 2020	South African Championships	Pietermaritzburg, South Africa	[63]
50m butterfly	25.31		Farida Osman	Egypt	17 November 2019	International Swimming League	College Park, United States	[64]
100m butterfly	56.46		Farida Osman	Egypt	20 December 2019	International Swimming League	Las Vegas, United States	[65]
200m butterfly	2:04.24		Mandy Loots	South Africa	21 November 2009	World Cup	Singapore, Singapore
100m individual medley	57.69	sf	Rebecca Meder	South Africa	12 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[66]
200m individual medley	2:05.61		Rebecca Meder	South Africa	10 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[67]
400m individual medley	4:22.88	CR	Katheryn Meaklim	South Africa	21 November 2009	World Cup	Singapore, Singapore
4×50m freestyle relay	1:40.80	h	Caitlin De Lange  (24.33) Rebecca Meder  (25.14) Emily Visagie  (26.08) Milla Drakopoulos  (25.25)	South Africa	15 December 2022	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[68]
4×100m freestyle relay	3:41.57	h	Milla Drakopoulos  (56.97) Caitlin De Lange  (53.33) Emily Visagie  (57.08) Rebecca Meder  (54.19)	South Africa	13 December 2022	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[69]
4×200m freestyle relay	8:02.49	h	Karin Prinsloo  (1:58.41) Michelle Weber  (2:02.84) Kyna Pereira  (2:00.99) Jessica Pengelly  (2:00.25)	South Africa	12 December 2012	World Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	[70]
4×50m medley relay	1:52.16	h	Erin Gallagher  (28.26) Tatjana Schoenmaker  (32.06) Trudi Maree  (27.04) Lehesta Kemp  (24.80)	South Africa	5 December 2014	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	[71]
4×100m medley relay	3:57.68	h	Milla Drakopoulos  (59.32) Lara van Niekerk  (1:06.13) Rebecca Meder  (57.20) Jessica Thompson  (55.03)	South Africa	15 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[72]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by CANA; WR – World record; CR – Commonwealth record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Mixed relay

Event	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
4×50 m freestyle relay	1:33.19		Luke Pendock  (22.01) Clayton Jimmie  (21.30) Lehesta Kemp  (24.90) Trudi Maree  (24.98)	South Africa	6 December 2014	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	[73]
4×50 m medley relay	1:41.32	h	Jessica Thompson  (27.16) Michael Houlie  (25.67) Caitlin de Lange  (26.40) Kris Mihaylov  (22.09)	South Africa	11 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[74]
4×100 m medley relay	3:37.71	h	Ruard van Renen  (50.07) Rebecca Meder  (1:04.81) Chad le Clos  (49.57) Caitlin de Lange  (53.26)	South Africa	14 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[75]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by CANA; WR – World record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat

Record holders' rankings

By nation

Nation	Record tally	LC	SC	Total	LC	SC	Total	LC	SC	Total
		Men			Women			Mixed
South Africa	71	17	18	34	14	18	32	2	3	5
Zimbabwe	9				6	2	8
Tunisia	7	4	3	7
Egypt	6		2	2	1	3	4
Total	91	20	23	43	20	23	43	2	3	5