World record progression 50 metres breaststroke

World records in the 50-metre breaststroke competitive swimming event are recorded for men and women in 50-metre pools (long course) and 25-metre pools (short course).

Graphic data for World Record Progression in Men and Women Swimming 50m-100m-200m Long and Short Course Butterfly-Backstroke-Breaststroke-Freestyle

Main article: List of world records in swimming

Men

Long course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
WB	27.61	†	Alexander Dzhaburiya	Ukraine	27 April 1996	Ukraine Olympic Trials	Kharkiv, Ukraine
1	27.49		Anthony Robinson	United States	29 March 2001	USA Nationals & World Championship Trials	Austin, United States
2	27.39	tt	Ed Moses	United States	31 March 2001	USA Nationals & World Championship Trials	Austin, United States
3	27.18		Oleg Lisogor	Ukraine	2 August 2002	European Championships	Berlin, Germany	[1]
4	27.06	sf	Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	18 April 2009	South African Championships	Durban, South Africa	[2]
5	26.89	sf	Felipe França	Brazil	8 May 2009	Brazil Championships (Maria Lenk)	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	[3]
6	26.74	sf	Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	28 July 2009	World Aquatics Championships	Rome, Italy
7	26.67		Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	29 July 2009	World Aquatics Championships	Rome, Italy
-	26.62	sf, [a]	Adam Peaty	Great Britain	18 August 2014	European Championships	Berlin, Germany	[4]
8	26.62	h	Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	4 August 2015	World Championships	Kazan, Russia	[5]
9	26.42	sf	Adam Peaty	Great Britain	4 August 2015	World Championships	Kazan, Russia	[6]
10	26.10	h	Adam Peaty	Great Britain	25 July 2017	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[7]
11	25.95	sf	Adam Peaty	Great Britain	25 July 2017	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[8]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
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

Short course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
WB	27.29		Dmitri Volkov	Russia	16 March 1991	World Cup	Bonn, Germany
1	27.00		Mark Warnecke	Germany	18 February 1995	World Cup	Gelsenkirchen, Germany
2	26.97		Mark Warnecke	Germany	8 February 1997	World Cup	Paris, France
2	26.97	=	Mark Warnecke	Germany	21 January 1998	World Cup	Sydney, Australia
2	26.97	=	Mark Warnecke	Germany	28 March 1998	World Cup	Paris, France
3	26.70		Mark Warnecke	Germany	11 December 1998	European Championships	Sheffield, United Kingdom	[9]
4	26.28		Ed Moses	United States	22 January 2002	World Cup	Stockholm, Sweden	[10]
5	26.20		Oleg Lisogor	Ukraine	26 January 2002	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[11]
6	26.17		Oleg Lisogor	Ukraine	21 January 2006	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[12]
7	26.08		Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	8 November 2008	World Cup	Moscow, Russia	[13]
8	25.94		Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	11 November 2008	World Cup	Stockholm, Sweden	[14]
9	25.43		Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	8 August 2009	South African Championships	Pietermaritzburg, South Africa	[15]
10	25.25		Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	14 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[16]
10	25.25	=	Ilya Shymanovich	Belarus	7 November 2021	European Championships	Kazan, Russia	[17]
11	24.95		Emre Sakçı	Turkey	27 December 2021	Turkish Championships	Gaziantep, Turkey	[18]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
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

Long course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
WB	30.95	†	Penelope Heyns	South Africa	1 Aug 1998	Goodwill Games	New York, NY, United States
1	30.83	tt	Penelope Heyns	South Africa	29 Aug 1999	Pan Pacific Championships	Sydney, Australia
2	30.57	sf	Zoë Baker	Great Britain	30 Jul 2002	Commonwealth Games	Manchester, United Kingdom
3	30.45		Jade Edmistone	Australia	31 Jul 2005	World Championships	Montreal, Canada
4	30.31	h	Jade Edmistone	Australia	30 Jan 2006	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[19]
5	30.23		Amanda Reason	Canada	8 Jul 2009	Canadian Trials	Montreal, Canada	[20]
6	30.09		Yuliya Yefimova	Russia	2 Aug 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[21]
7	29.95	tt	Jessica Hardy	United States	6 Aug 2009	US Open	Federal Way, United States	[22]
8	29.80	†	Jessica Hardy	United States	7 Aug 2009	US Open	Federal Way, United States	[23]
9	29.78	h	Yuliya Yefimova	Russia	3 Aug 2013	World Championships	Barcelona, Spain	[24]
10	29.48	sf	Rūta Meilutytė	Lithuania	3 Aug 2013	World Championships	Barcelona, Spain	[25]
11	29.40		Lilly King	United States	30 Jul 2017	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[26]
12	29.30	sf	Benedetta Pilato	Italy	22 May 2021	European Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[27][28]
13	29.30	sf, =	Rūta Meilutytė	Lithuania	29 July 2023	World Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	[29][30]
14	29.16		Rūta Meilutytė	Lithuania	30 July 2023	World Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	[31]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
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

Short course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	31.22		Peggy Hartung	Germany	1 February 1992	World Cup	Paris, France
1	31.11		Han Xue	China	7 January 1996	World Cup	Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2	30.98		Han Xue	China	11 January 1996	World Cup	Beijing, China
3	30.88		Han Xue	China	29 January 1997	World Cup	Glasgow, United Kingdom
4	30.77		Han Xue	China	2 February 1997	World Cup	Gelsenkirchen, Germany
5	30.60	tt	Penelope Heyns	South Africa	26 September 1999	South African Championships	Durban, South Africa	[32]
6	30.56	=	Li Wei	China	3 December 2001	World Cup	Shanghai, China	[33]
6	30.56	=	Luo Xuejuan	China	3 December 2001	World Cup	Shanghai, China	[33]
6	30.56	=	Emma Igelström	Sweden	13 December 2001	European Championships	Antwerp, Belgium
7	30.53		Zoë Baker	Great Britain	4 January 2002	South African Championships	Durban, South Africa
8	30.51		Zoë Baker	Great Britain	15 January 2002	World Cup	Imperia, Italy
9	30.47		Luo Xuejuan	China	17 January 2002	World Cup	Paris, France	[34]
10	30.43		Emma Igelström	Sweden	23 January 2002	World Cup	Stockholm, Sweden	[35]
11	30.31		Zoë Baker	Great Britain	27 January 2002	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
12	30.24		Emma Igelström	Sweden	14 March 2002	Swedish Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	[36]
13	29.96		Emma Igelström	Sweden	2 April 2002	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	[37]
14	29.90		Jade Edmistone	Australia	26 September 2004	Australian Championships	Brisbane, Australia	[38]
15	29.58		Jessica Hardy	United States	10 April 2008	World Championships	Manchester, United Kingdom	[39]
16	29.45		Jessica Hardy	United States	17 October 2009	World Cup	Durban, South Africa
17	29.36		Jessica Hardy	United States	7 November 2009	World Cup	Moscow, Russia
18	28.96	h	Jessica Hardy	United States	11 November 2009	World Cup	Stockholm, Sweden	[40]
19	28.80		Jessica Hardy	United States	14 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[41]
-	28.71	[b]	Yulia Yefimova	Russia	10 November 2013	World Cup	Tokyo, Japan	[42]
20	28.64		Alia Atkinson	Jamaica	26 October 2016	World Cup	Tokyo, Japan	[43]
21	28.56		Alia Atkinson	Jamaica	6 October 2018	World Cup	Budapest, Hungary	[44]
22	28.37	sf	Rūta Meilutytė	Lithuania	17 December 2022	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[45]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
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

All-time top 25

Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 50 m breaststroke times and the top 25 athletes:

- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 50 m breaststroke times

- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 50 m breaststroke times, by repeat athletes

- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 50 m breaststroke times

Men long course

• Correct as of July 2025^[46]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	25.95	Adam Peaty	Great Britain	25 July 2017	Budapest	[8]
	2	25.99	Peaty #2		26 July 2017	Budapest	[47]
	3	26.06	Peaty #3		24 July 2019	Gwangju	[48]
	4	26.09	Peaty #4		8 August 2018	Glasgow	[49]
	5	26.10	Peaty #5		25 July 2017	Budapest	[7]
	6	26.11	Peaty #6		23 July 2019	Gwangju	[50]
2	7	26.20	Qin Haiyang	China	25 July 2023	Fukuoka	[51]
	8	26.21	Peaty #7		22 May 2021	Budapest
	9	26.23	Peaty #8		7 August 2018	Glasgow
	10	26.25	Qin #2		29 September 2023	Hangzhou
			Qin #3		12 December 2023	Jinan
3	12	26.27	Ludovico Viberti	Italy	27 June 2025	Rome	[52]
	13	26.28	Peaty #9		23 July 2019	Gwangju	[53]
4	13	26.28	Ilya Shymanovich	Belarus	6 April 2023	Brest	[54]
	15	26.29	Qin #4		26 July 2023	Fukuoka
			Qin #5		7 October 2023	Berlin
	17	26.30	Qin #6		7 October 2023	Berlin
			Qin #7		21 October 2023	Budapest
	19	26.32	Shymanovich #2		20 April 2023	Kazan
5	19	26.32	Samuel Williamson	Australia	14 February 2024	Doha	[55]
6	21	26.33	Felipe Lima	Brazil	9 June 2019	Monaco
			Nicolò Martinenghi	Italy	16 August 2022	Rome	[56]
	23	26.34	Peaty #10		21 May 2021	Budapest
			Qin #8		25 July 2023	Fukuoka
	25	26.35	Qin #9		29 September 2023	Jinan
8		26.42	João Gomes Júnior	Brazil	21 April 2019	Rio de Janeiro
			Simone Cerasuolo	Italy	29 July 2025	Singapore	[57]
10		26.45	Nic Fink	United States	21 June 2022	Budapest	[58]
11		26.46	Ivan Kozhakin	Russia	17 April 2025	Kazan	[59]
12		26.52	Michael Andrew	United States	28 April 2022	Greensboro	[60]
13		26.54	Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	25 July 2017	Budapest	[7]
14		26.61	Sun Jiajun	China	6 May 2023	Hangzhou	[61]
15		26.62	Melvin Imoudu	Germany	27 April 2024	Berlin	[62]
			Kirill Prigoda	Russia	30 July 2025	Singapore	[63]
17		26.65	Taku Taniguchi	Japan	29 July 2025	Singapore	[57]
18		26.66	Andrey Nikolaev	Russia	29 April 2022	Kazan	[64]
19		26.70	Damir Dugonjič	Slovenia	4 August 2015	Kazan	[5]
			Fabio Scozzoli	Italy	23 July 2019	Gwangju	[50]
20		26.71	Koen de Groot	Netherlands	29 July 2025	Singapore	[65]
21		26.72	Luka Mladenovic	Austria	26 June 2025	Šamorín	[66]
22		26.74	Christian Sprenger	Australia	1 April 2014	Brisbane
23		26.75	Felipe França Silva	Brazil	21 April 2019	Rio de Janeiro
			Chris Smith	South Africa	29 July 2025	Singapore	[63]
25		26.76	Kevin Cordes	United States	4 August 2015	Kazan	[6]

Men short course

• Correct as of December 2024^[67]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	24.95	Emre Sakçı	Turkey	27 December 2021	Gaziantep	[18]
2	2	25.25	Cameron van der Burgh	South Africa	14 November 2009	Berlin	[16]
			Ilya Shymanovich	Belarus	7 November 2021	Kazan	[17]
	4	25.29	Sakçı #2		5 November 2020	Budapest
4	5	25.37	Nicolò Martinenghi	Italy	6 November 2021	Kazan
	6	25.38	Sakçı #3		6 November 2021	Kazan
5	6	25.38	Nic Fink	United States	18 December 2022	Melbourne	[68]
			Qin Haiyang	China	19 October 2024	Shanghai	[69]
	9	25.39	Shymanovich #2		18 December 2020	Brest
			Sakçı #4		7 November 2021	Kazan	[17]
	11	25.41	van der Burgh #2		16 December 2018	Hangzhou
7	11	25.41	Adam Peaty	Great Britain	22 November 2020	Budapest	[70]
	11	25.41	Shymanovich #3		18 December 2020	Brest
			Shymanovich #4		2 September 2021	Naples
	15	25.42	Martinenghi #2		18 December 2022	Melbourne	[68]
			Qin #2		15 December 2024	Budapest	[71]
	17	25.43	van der Burgh #3		8 August 2009	Pietermaritzburg	[15]
			Sakçı #5		9 November 2020	Budapest
			Shymanovich #5		6 November 2021	Kazan
8	20	25.45	Roland Schoeman	South Africa	14 November 2009	Berlin
	21	25.47	Shymanovich #6		25 November 2021	Eindhoven
			Qin #3		1 November 2024	Singapore
	23	25.48	Peaty #2		15 November 2020	Budapest
			Shymanovich #7		21 November 2020	Budapest
9	23	25.48	Kirill Prigoda	Russia	14 December 2024	Budapest	[72]
10		25.51	Vladimir Morozov	Russia	4 December 2019	Glasgow	[73]
11		25.61	Oleg Kostin	Russia	19 December 2024	Saint Petersburg
12		25.62	Fabio Scozzoli	Italy	13 December 2017	Copenhagen
					13 December 2017	Copenhagen
			Simone Cerasuolo	Italy	15 December 2024	Budapest	[71]
14		25.63	Felipe França Silva	Brazil	7 December 2014	Doha
15		25.66	Chris Smith	South Africa	14 December 2024	Budapest	[72]
16		25.69	Michael Houlie	South Africa	14 December 2024	Budapest	[72]
17		25.71	Ludovico Viberti	Italy	15 December 2024	Budapest	[71]
18		25.72	Sun Jiajun	China	28 September 2024	Wuhan	[74]
19		25.80	Felipe Lima	Brazil	16 December 2018	Hangzhou
			João Gomes Júnior	Brazil	21 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[75]
			Yan Zibei	China	17 December 2022	Melbourne	[76]
22		25.81	Michael Andrew	United States	17 December 2022	Melbourne	[76]
23		25.84	Arno Kamminga	Netherlands	4 December 2019	Glasgow	[73]
24		25.85	Peter Stevens	Slovenia	11 December 2016	Windsor
25		25.86	Koen De Groot	Netherlands	14 December 2024	Budapest	[72]

Women long course

• Correct as of August 2025^[77]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	29.16	Rūta Meilutytė	Lithuania	30 July 2023	Fukuoka	[31]
2	2	29.30	Benedetta Pilato	Italy	22 May 2021	Budapest	[27]
	2	29.30	Meilutytė #2		29 July 2023	Fukuoka	[29]
	4	29.35	Pilato #2		23 May 2021	Budapest	[78]
3	5	29.40	Lilly King	United States	30 July 2017	Budapest	[26]
	5	29.40	Meilutytė #3		18 February 2024	Doha	[79]
	7	29.42	Meilutytė #4		17 February 2024	Doha	[80]
	8	29.44	Meilutytė #5		16 August 2022	Rome	[81]
	9	29.48	Meilutytė #6		3 August 2013	Barcelona	[25]
	10	29.50	Pilato #3		22 May 2021	Budapest	[82]
4	11	29.51	Tang Qianting	China	18 February 2024	Doha	[79]
5	12	29.52	Yulia Yefimova	Russia	4 August 2013	Barcelona	[83]
	13	29.54	Meilutytė #7		2 August 2025	Singapore	[84]
	14	29.55	Meilutytė #8		3 August 2025	Singapore	[85]
	15	29.56	Meilutytė #9		8 October 2023	Berlin	[86]
	16	29.57	Yefimova #2		30 July 2017	Budapest	[26]
	17	29.58	Pilato #4		13 April 2022	Riccione
			Pilato #5		30 November 2023	Riccione
	19	29.59	Meilutytė #10		4 August 2013	Barcelona	[83]
			Meilutytė #11		17 August 2022	Rome	[87]
			Pilato #6		9 March 2024	Riccione
	22	29.60	King #2		29 July 2017	Budapest	[88]
			Pilato #7		29 July 2023	Fukuoka	[89]
	24	29.61	Pilato #8		18 December 2020	Riccione
	25	29.62	King #3		10 June 2018	Santa Clara	[90]
			Pilato #9		3 April 2021	Riccione	[91]
6		29.71	Molly Hannis	United States	13 January 2018	Austin	[92]
7		29.72	Lara van Niekerk	South Africa	6 April 2022	Gqeberha	[93]
8		29.80	Jessica Hardy	United States	7 August 2009	Federal Way	[23]
					4 August 2013	Barcelona	[83]
9		29.81	Lydia Jacoby	United States	29 June 2023	Indianapolis	[94]
10		29.83	Eneli Jefimova	Estonia	21 April 2025	Helsinki	[95]
11		29.86	Arianna Castiglioni	Italy	28 May 2022	Naples	[96]
12		29.95	Breeja Larson	United States	4 August 2013	Barcelona	[83]
13		29.99	Katie Meili	United States	30 July 2017	Budapest	[26]
14		30.02	Imogen Clark	Great Britain	30 July 2022	Birmingham	[97]
			Anita Bottazzo	Italy	29 July 2023	Fukuoka	[98]
16		30.05	Jennie Johansson	Sweden	9 August 2015	Kazan	[99]
			Chelsea Hodges	Australia	30 July 2022	Birmingham	[97]
			McKenzie Siroky	United States	7 June 2025	Indianapolis	[100]
19		30.09	Tatjana Smith	South Africa	9 April 2024	Gqeberha	[101]
20		30.10	Anna Elendt	Germany	26 May 2022	Barcelona	[102]
			Satomi Suzuki	Japan	8 October 2023	Shizuoka	[103]
22		30.11	Rebecca Soni	United States	2 August 2009	Rome	[21]
			Alia Atkinson	Jamaica	9 August 2015	Kazan	[99]
24		30.16	Sarah Katsoulis	Australia	2 August 2009	Rome	[21]
25		30.17	Valentina Artemyeva	Russia	25 April 2009	Moscow

Women short course

• Correct as of December 2024^[104]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	28.37	Rūta Meilutytė	Lithuania	17 December 2022	Melbourne	[45]
	2	28.39	Meilutytė #2		14 December 2024	Budapest	[105]
	3	28.50	Meilutytė #3		18 December 2022	Melbourne	[106]
	4	28.54	Meilutytė #4		15 December 2024	Budapest	[107]
2	5	28.56	Alia Atkinson	Jamaica	6 October 2018	Budapest	[44]
	6	28.60	Meilutytė #5		23 October 2022	Berlin
	7	28.64	Atkinson #2		26 October 2016	Tokyo	[43]
	8	28.70	Meilutytė #6		5 November 2022	Indianapolis
3	9	28.71	Yulia Yefimova	Russia	10 November 2013	Tokyo	[42]
4	10	28.76	Tang Qianting	China	20 October 2024	Shanghai	[108]
5	11	28.77	Lilly King	United States	21 November 2020	Budapest	[109]
6	12	28.80	Jessica Hardy	United States	14 November 2009	Berlin	[41]
	13	28.81	Meilutytė #7		3 December 2014	Doha
7	13	28.81	Benedetta Pilato	Italy	21 November 2020	Budapest	[109]
	15	28.82	Tang #2		29 September 2024	Wuhan
	16	28.84	Meilutytė #8		4 December 2014	Doha
			Atkinson #3		12 August 2017	Eindhoven
	18	28.86	King #2		16 October 2020	Budapest	[110]
			Pilato #2		14 November 2020	Budapest	[111]
			King #3		17 December 2022	Melbourne	[45]
			Pilato #3		10 December 2023	Otopeni
			Tang #3		14 December 2024	Budapest	[105]
			Tang #4		15 December 2024	Budapest	[107]
	24	28.87	Tang #5		2 November 2024	Singapore
	25	28.88	Atkinson #4		21 November 2020	Budapest	[109]
8		29.04	Molly Hannis	United States	16 October 2020	Budapest	[110]
9		29.09	Arianna Castiglioni	Italy	25 September 2021	Naples
Lara van Niekerk		South Africa	18 December 2022	Melbourne	[106]
11		29.10	Eneli Jefimova	Estonia	9 December 2023	Otopeni	[112]
12		29.17	Imogen Clark	Great Britain	16 December 2023	Sheffield	[113]
13		29.22	Dominika Sztandera	Poland	14 December 2024	Budapest	[105]
14		29.30	Anna Elendt	Germany	18 December 2022	Melbourne	[106]
15		29.31	Jasmine Nocentini	Italy	9 December 2023	Otopeni
16		29.33	Ida Hulkko	Finland	5 November 2020	Budapest	[114]
17		29.34	Anastasia Gorbenko	Israel	17 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[115]
Nika Godun		Russia	17 November 2021	Kazan
19	29.37	Katie Meili	United States	31 August 2016	Berlin
20	29.44	Veera Kivirinta	Finland	14 December 2024	Budapest	[105]
21	29.49	Alina Zmushka	Belarus	21 November 2022	Kazan	[116]
22	29.50	Sarah Katsoulis	Australia	22 November 2009	Singapore	[117]
23	29.51	Martina Carraro	Italy	18 October 2020	Budapest	[118]
24	29.53	Sophie Hansson	Sweden	18 November 2023	Sheffield	[119]
25	29.54	Jenna Laukkanen	Finland	13 December 2017	Copenhagen
		Tatiana Belonogoff	Russia	19 November 2022	Sheffield
Evgeniia Chikunova	Russia	21 November 2023	Saint Petersburg	[120]

Notes

1. Unratified due to no epo control
2. Rescinded in May 2014 due to doping violation