World record progression 100 metres freestyle

Main article: List of world records in swimming

The first world record in the 100 metres freestyle in long course (50 metres) swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 1905.^[1] In the short course (25 metres) swimming events, the world's governing body recognizes world records since 3 March 1991.

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

Times have consistently dropped over the years due to better training techniques, new developments in the sport and swimwear changes (e.g. goggles were not widely used until the 1970s, providing for considerable expansion of practice/training time).

In the first four Olympics, competitions were not held in pools, but rather in open water (1896 – The Mediterranean Sea, 1900 – The Seine River, 1904 – an artificial lake, 1906 – The Mediterranean Sea). The 1904 Olympics freestyle race was the only one ever measured at 100 yards, instead of the usual 100 metres. A 100-metre pool was built for the 1908 Olympics and sat in the centre of the main stadium's track and field oval. The 1912 Olympics, held in the Stockholm harbour, marked the beginning of electronic timing.

Male swimmers wore full body suits up until the 1940s, which caused more drag in the water than their modern swim-wear counterparts. Also, over the years, pool designs have lessened the drag. Some design considerations allow for the reduction of swimming resistance making the pool faster. Namely, proper pool depth, elimination of currents, increased lane width, energy absorbing racing lane lines and gutters, and the use of other innovative hydraulic, acoustic and illumination designs.

In 2008, leading up to the Olympics, Speedo introduced a 50% Polyurethane suit dubbed LZR. Pure polyurethane suits from Arena (X-Glide), Adidas (Hydrofoil) and Italian suit manufacturer, Jaked were thought to be largely responsible for the multiple World Records in 2009 including at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships (dubbed the "Plastic Games"). FINA announced a ban on non-textile suits that took effect in January 2010.^[2]

The 1924 Summer Olympics were the first to use the standard 50 metre pool with marked lanes. In the freestyle, swimmers originally dived from the pool walls, but diving blocks were eventually incorporated at the 1936 Summer Olympics. The tumble turn ("flip-turn") was developed by the 1950s.

Men

Long course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	1:05.8		Zoltán Halmay	Hungary	3 December 1905	–	Vienna, Austria	[3]
2	1:05.6		Charles Daniels	United States	20 July 1908	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	[4]
3	1:02.8	tt	Charles Daniels	United States	15 April 1910	Special record attempt by the New York AC	New York City, United States	[5]
4	1:02.4		Kurt Bretting	Germany	6 April 1912	–	Brussels, Belgium	[6]
5	1:01.6		Duke Kahanamoku	United States	20 July 1912	German Championships	Hamburg, Germany
6	1:01.4		Duke Kahanamoku	United States	9 August 1918	International exhibition	New York City, United States	[7]
7	1:00.4		Duke Kahanamoku	United States	24 August 1920	Olympic Games	Antwerp, Belgium
8	58.6		Johnny Weissmuller	United States	9 July 1922	–	Alameda, United States
9	57.4		Johnny Weissmuller	United States	17 February 1924	–	Miami, United States
10	56.8		Peter Fick	United States	2 March 1934	Yale University Swimming Carnival	New Haven, United States	[8]
11	56.6	tt	Peter Fick	United States	5 March 1935	Yale University Swimming Carnival	New Haven, United States	[9]
12	56.4		Peter Fick	United States	11 February 1936	Yale Benefit Event for the US Olympic team	New Haven, United States	[10]
13	55.9	tt	Alan Ford	United States	13 April 1944	Special record attempt	New Haven, United States	[11]
14	55.8		Alex Jany	France	15 September 1947	–	Menton, France
15	55.4	tt	Alan Ford	United States	29 June 1948	New Haven Swim Club team time trial	New Haven, United States	[12]
16	54.8	tt	Dick Cleveland	United States	1 April 1954	AAU Championships	New Haven, United States	[13][14]
17	55.4		Jon Henricks	Australia	30 November 1956	Olympic Games	Melbourne, Australia	[15]
18	55.2		John Devitt	Australia	19 January 1957	New South Wales State Championships	Sydney, Australia	[16]
19	54.6		John Devitt	Australia	28 January 1957	Queensland State Championships	Brisbane, Australia	[17]
20	54.4		Steve Clark	United States	18 August 1961	Men's NAAA Championships	Los Angeles, United States	[18]
21	53.6	tt	Manuel dos Santos	Brazil	20 September 1961	Special record attempt by the CR Guanabara	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
22	52.9		Alain Gottvallès	France	13 September 1964	–	Budapest, Hungary
22	52.9	=, r	Steve Clark	United States	14 October 1964	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	[19]
23	52.6	r	Ken Walsh	United States	27 July 1967	Pan American Games	Winnipeg, Canada	[20]
23	52.6	=	Zac Zorn	United States	2 September 1968	US Olympic Trials (elec. 52.58)	Los Angeles, United States	[21]
24	52.2		Michael Wenden	Australia	19 October 1968	Olympic Games	Mexico City, Mexico	[22]
25	51.94	h	Mark Spitz	United States	23 August 1970	AAU Championships	Los Angeles, United States	[23]
26	51.47	h	Mark Spitz	United States	5 August 1972	USA Olympic Trials	Chicago, United States	[24]
27	51.22		Mark Spitz	United States	3 September 1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany	[25]
28	51.12	h	Jim Montgomery	United States	21 June 1975	AAU World Championship Trials	Long Beach, United States	[26]
29	51.11		Andy Coan	United States	3 August 1975	An Amateur Athletic Union Region Four meet	Fort Lauderdale, United States	[27]
30	50.59	sf	Jim Montgomery	United States	23 August 1975	AAU Championships	Kansas City, United States	[28]
31	50.39	sf	Jim Montgomery	United States	24 July 1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada	[29]
32	49.99		Jim Montgomery	United States	25 July 1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada	[30]
33	49.44		Jonty Skinner	South Africa	14 August 1976	AAU Championships	Philadelphia, United States	[31]
34	49.36	tt	Rowdy Gaines	United States	3 April 1981	Longhorn Invitational	Austin, United States
35	49.24	h	Matt Biondi	United States	6 August 1985	USA Summer Nationals	Mission Viejo, United States	[32]
36	48.95		Matt Biondi	United States	6 August 1985	USA Summer Nationals	Mission Viejo, United States	[33]
37	48.74		Matt Biondi	United States	24 June 1986	US World Championships Trials	Orlando, United States	[34]
38	48.42		Matt Biondi	United States	10 August 1988	USA Olympic Trials	Austin, United States
39	48.21		Alexander Popov	Russia	18 June 1994	Mare Nostrum	Monte-Carlo, Monaco
40	48.18	r	Michael Klim	Australia	16 September 2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	[35]
41	47.84	sf	Pieter van den Hoogenband	Netherlands	19 September 2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	[36]
42	47.60	sf	Alain Bernard	France	21 March 2008	European Championships	Eindhoven, Netherlands	[37]
43	47.50		Alain Bernard	France	22 March 2008	European Championships	Eindhoven, Netherlands	[38]
44	47.24	r	Eamon Sullivan	Australia	11 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[39]
45	47.20	sf	Alain Bernard	France	13 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[40]
46	47.05	sf	Eamon Sullivan	Australia	13 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[41]
-	46.94	sf, *	Alain Bernard	France	23 April 2009	French Championships	Montpellier, France	[42]
47	46.91		César Cielo	Brazil	30 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[43]
48	46.86		David Popovici	Romania	13 August 2022	European Championships	Rome, Italy	[44]
49	46.80	r	Pan Zhanle	China	11 February 2024	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	[45]
50	46.40		Pan Zhanle	China	31 July 2024	Olympic Games	Paris, France	[46]

* Swim was never ratified by FINA as a world record since Bernard wore an unapproved swimsuit.^[47]

Short course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
WBT	48.20		Michael Gross	West Germany	11 Feb 1988	?	Offenbach, Germany	[48] [49]
1	47.94		Gustavo Borges	Brazil	2 Jul 1993	Brazil Nationals	Santos, São Paulo, Brazil	[50]
2	47.83		Alexander Popov	Russia	1 Jan 1994	World Cup	Hong Kong, Hong Kong	[51][52]
3	47.82		Alexander Popov	Russia	5 Jan 1994	World Cup	Beijing, China	[53][52]
4	47.12		Alexander Popov	Russia	12 Mar 1994	World Cup	Desenzano del Garda, Italy	[54][52]
5	46.74		Alexander Popov	Russia	19 Mar 1994	World Cup	Gelsenkirchen, Germany	[52]
6	46.25		Ian Crocker	United States	27 Mar 2004	NCAA Men's Division 1 Championships	East Meadow, United States	[55]
6	46.25	=	Roland Schoeman	South Africa	22 Jan 2005	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[56]
7	45.83		Stefan Nystrand	Sweden	17 Nov 2007	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[57]
8	45.69		Alain Bernard	France	7 December 2008	French Championships	Angers, France	[58]
9	45.12	sf	Amaury Leveaux	France	12 Dec 2008	European Championships	Rijeka, Croatia	[59]
10	44.94		Amaury Leveaux	France	13 Dec 2008	European Championships	Rijeka, Croatia	[60]
11	44.84		Kyle Chalmers	Australia	29 October 2021	World Cup	Kazan, Russia	[61]

Women

Long course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	1:35.0		Martha Gerstung	Germany	18 October 1908	–	Magdeburg, Germany
2	1:26.6		Claire Guttenstein	Belgium	2 October 1910	–	Schaerbeek, Belgium
3	1:24.6		Daisy Curwen	Great Britain	29 September 1911	–	Liverpool, United Kingdom
4	1:20.6		Daisy Curwen	Great Britain	10 June 1912	–	Birkenhead, United Kingdom
5	1:19.8		Fanny Durack	Australia	9 July 1912	Olympic Games	Stockholm, Sweden	[62]
6	1:18.8		Fanny Durack	Australia	21 July 1912	German Championships	Hamburg, Germany
7	1:16.2		Fanny Durack	Australia	6 February 1915	NSW Ladies' Amateur Championships	Sydney, Australia	[63]
8	1:14.4	sf	Ethelda Bleibtrey	United States	23 August 1920	Olympic Games	Antwerp, Belgium	[64]
9	1:13.6		Ethelda Bleibtrey	United States	25 August 1920	Olympic Games	Antwerp, Belgium	[65]
10	1:12.8		Gertrude Ederle	United States	30 June 1923	–	Newark, United States	[66]
11	1:12.2	h	Mariechen Wehselau	United States	19 July 1924	Olympic Games	Paris, France
12	1:10.0		Ethel Lackie	United States	28 January 1926	–	Toledo, United States	[67]
13	1:09.8		Eleanor Garatti	United States	7 August 1929	US National Women's Championships	Honolulu, Hawaii	[68]
14	1:09.4		Albina Osipowich	United States	25 August 1929	–	San Francisco, United States
15	1:08.0		Helene Madison	United States	14 March 1930	US National Championships	Miami Beach, United States	[69]
16	1:06.6		Helene Madison	United States	20 April 1931	–	Boston, United States
17	1:06.0		Willy den Ouden	Netherlands	9 July 1933	–	Antwerp, Belgium
18	1:05.4		Willy den Ouden	Netherlands	24 February 1934	–	Amsterdam, Netherlands
19	1:04.8		Willy den Ouden	Netherlands	15 April 1934	–	Rotterdam, Netherlands
20	1:04.6		Willy den Ouden	Netherlands	27 February 1936	–	Amsterdam, Netherlands
21	1:04.5		Dawn Fraser	Australia	21 February 1956	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[70]
22	1:04.2		Cocky Gastelaars	Netherlands	3 March 1956	–	Amsterdam, Netherlands
23	1:04.0		Cocky Gastelaars	Netherlands	14 April 1956	–	Schiedam, Netherlands
24	1:03.3		Dawn Fraser	Australia	25 August 1956	Australian Olympic Squad Swimming Carnival	Townsville, Australia	[71]
25	1:03.2		Lorraine Crapp	Australia	20 October 1956	Australian Olympic Squad Swimming Carnival	Sydney, Australia	[72]
26	1:02.4		Lorraine Crapp	Australia	25 October 1956	Australian Trials	Melbourne, Australia	[73]
27	1:02.0		Dawn Fraser	Australia	1 December 1956	Olympic Games	Melbourne, Australia	[74]
28	1:01.5	yd	Dawn Fraser	Australia	18 February 1958	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[75]
29	1:01.4	yd	Dawn Fraser	Australia	21 July 1958	British Empire & Commonwealth Games	Cardiff, United Kingdom	[76]
30	1:01.2		Dawn Fraser	Australia	10 August 1958	–	Schiedam, Netherlands
31	1:00.2	yd	Dawn Fraser	Australia	23 February 1960	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[77]
32	1:00.0	yd	Dawn Fraser	Australia	23 October 1962	Australian Trials	Melbourne, Australia	[78]
33	59.9	yd	Dawn Fraser	Australia	27 October 1962	Australian Trials	Melbourne, Australia	[79]
34	59.5	yd	Dawn Fraser	Australia	24 October 1962	British Empire & Commonwealth Games	Perth, Australia	[80]
35	58.9		Dawn Fraser	Australia	29 February 1964	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[81]
35	58.9	=	Shane Gould	Australia	30 April 1971	Coca-Cola International	London, United Kingdom	[82]
36	58.5		Shane Gould	Australia	8 January 1972	NSW Championships	Sydney, Australia	[83]
37	58.25		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	13 July 1973	East German Championships	East Berlin, East Germany
38	58.12		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	18 August 1973	–	Utrecht, Netherlands
39	57.61	r	Kornelia Ender	East Germany	8 September 1973	World Championships	Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
40	57.54		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	9 September 1973	World Championships	Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
41	57.51		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	4 July 1974	East German Championships	Rostock, East Germany
42	56.96		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	19 August 1974	European Championships	Vienna, Austria
43	56.38		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	14 March 1975	GDRvURS Duel	Dresden, East Germany
44	56.22	r	Kornelia Ender	East Germany	26 July 1975	World Championships	Cali, Colombia
45	55.73		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	1 June 1976	East German Championships	East Berlin, East Germany
46	55.65		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	19 July 1976	Olympic Games	Montréal, Canada
47	55.41		Barbara Krause	East Germany	5 July 1978	East German Championships	East Berlin, East Germany
48	54.98	h	Barbara Krause	East Germany	20 July 1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union
49	54.79		Barbara Krause	East Germany	21 July 1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union
50	54.73	r	Kristin Otto	East Germany	19 August 1986	World Championships	Madrid, Spain
51	54.48	h	Jenny Thompson	United States	1 March 1992	US Olympic Trials	Indianapolis, United States	[84]
52	54.01		Jingyi Le	China	5 September 1994	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[85]
53	53.80		Inge de Bruijn	Netherlands	28 May 2000	Super Speedo Grand Prix	Sheffield, United Kingdom	[86]
54	53.77	sf	Inge de Bruijn	Netherlands	20 September 2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	[87]
55	53.66	sf	Libby Lenton	Australia	31 March 2004	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[88]
56	53.52	sf	Jodie Henry	Australia	18 August 2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	[89]
57	53.42	sf	Libby Lenton	Australia	31 January 2006	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[90]
58	53.30		Britta Steffen	Germany	2 August 2006	European Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[91]
59	52.88		Libby Trickett	Australia	27 March 2008	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[92]
60	52.85	h	Britta Steffen	Germany	25 June 2009	German Championships	Berlin, Germany	[93]
61	52.56		Britta Steffen	Germany	27 June 2009	German Championships	Berlin, Germany	[94]
62	52.22	r	Britta Steffen	Germany	26 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[95]
63	52.07		Britta Steffen	Germany	31 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[96]
64	52.06		Cate Campbell	Australia	2 July 2016	Swimming Australia Grand Prix	Brisbane, Australia	[97]
65	51.71	r	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	23 July 2017	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[98]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; yd – set in a pool measured in yards;
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	53.46		Franziska van Almsick	Germany	6 January 1993	World Cup	Shanghai, China	[99]
2	53.33		Franziska van Almsick	Germany	10 January 1993	World Cup	Beijing, China	[100]
3	53.01		Jingyi Le	China	2 December 1993	World Championships	Palma de Mallorca, Spain
4	52.80		Therese Alshammar	Sweden	10 December 1999	European Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	[101]
5	52.17		Therese Alshammar	Sweden	17 March 2000	World Championships	Athens, Greece	[102][103]
6	51.91	sf	Libby Lenton	Australia	8 August 2005	Australian Championships		[104]
7	51.70		Libby Lenton	Australia	9 August 2005	Australian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[105]
8	51.01		Libby Trickett	Australia	10 August 2009	Australian Championships	Hobart, Australia	[106]
9	50.91	†	Cate Campbell	Australia	28 November 2015	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[107]
10	50.77		Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	3 August 2017	World Cup	Moscow, Russia	[108]
11	50.58		Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	11 August 2017	World Cup	Eindhoven, Netherlands	[109]link
12	50.25		Cate Campbell	Australia	26 October 2017	Australian Championships	Adelaide, Australia	[110]link
13	50.19		Kate Douglass	United States	19 October 2025	World Cup	Westmont, United States	[111]
14	49.93		Kate Douglass	United States	25 October 2025	World Cup	Toronto, Canada	[112]

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 25 100 m freestyle times and the top 25 athletes:

- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 100 m freestyle times

- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 100 m freestyle times, by repeat athletes

- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 100 m freestyle times

Men long course

• Correct as of October 2025^[113]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	46.40	Pan Zhanle	China	31 July 2024	Paris	[46]
2	2	46.51	David Popovici	Romania	31 July 2025	Singapore	[114]
	3	46.71	Popovici #2		28 June 2025	Šamorín	[115]
	4	46.80	Pan #2		11 February 2024	Doha	[45]
3	5	46.81	Jack Alexy	United States	30 July 2025	Singapore	[116]
	6	46.84	Popovici #3		30 July 2025	Singapore	[116]
	7	46.86	Popovici #4		13 August 2022	Rome	[44]
	8	46.88	Popovici #5		19 June 2024	Belgrade	[117]
4	9	46.91	César Cielo	Brazil	30 July 2009	Rome	[43]
	9	46.91	Alexy #2		2 August 2025	Singapore	[118]
	11	46.92	Pan #3		27 July 2024	Paris	[119]
			Alexy #3		31 July 2025	Singapore	[114]
5	13	46.94	Alain Bernard	France	23 April 2009	Montpellier	[42]
6	14	46.96	Caeleb Dressel	United States	25 July 2019	Gwangju	[120]
	15	46.97	Pan #4		24 September 2023	Hangzhou	[121]
			Pan #5		23 April 2024	Shenzhen	[122]
	17	46.98	Popovici #6		12 August 2022	Rome	[123]
	18	46.99	Alexy #4		3 June 2025	Indianapolis	[124]
	19	47.02	Dressel #2		29 July 2021	Tokyo	[125]
7	20	47.04	Cameron McEvoy	Australia	10 April 2016	Adelaide	[126]
8	21	47.05	Eamon Sullivan	Australia	13 August 2008	Beijing	[41]
	22	47.06	Pan #6		28 September 2023	Hangzhou	[127]
	23	47.07	Popovici #7		30 August 2022	Lima	[128]
9	24	47.08	Kyle Chalmers	Australia	25 July 2019	Gwangju	[120]
					29 July 2021	Tokyo	[125]
	24	47.08	Alexy #5		18 June 2024	Indianapolis	[129]
10		47.10	James Magnussen	Australia	19 March 2012	Adelaide	[130]
			Guilherme Caribé	Brazil	23 April 2025	Rio de Janeiro	[131]
12		47.11	Kliment Kolesnikov	Russia	28 July 2021	Tokyo	[132]
13		47.15	Frédérick Bousquet	France	24 April 2009	Montpellier	[133]
14		47.25	Chris Guiliano	United States	18 June 2024	Indianapolis	[134]
15		47.27	Brent Hayden	Canada	30 July 2009	Rome	[43]
16		47.29	Egor Kornev	Russia	30 July 2025	Singapore	[116]
17		47.33	David Walters	United States	30 July 2009	Rome	[43]
			Maxime Grousset	France	18 June 2024	Chartres	[135]
19		47.37	Stefan Nystrand	Sweden	30 July 2009	Rome	[43]
20		47.39	Ryan Held	United States	31 July 2019	Stanford	[136]
			Kim Youngbeom	South Korea	22 October 2025	Busan	[137]
22		47.43	Vladislav Grinev	Russia	9 April 2019	Moscow	[138]
23		47.45	Alessandro Miressi	Italy	19 May 2021	Budapest	[139]
			Matt Richards	Great Britain	27 July 2023	Fukuoka	[140]
25		47.47	Kristóf Milák	Hungary	13 August 2022	Rome	[44]
			Patrick Sammon	United States	3 June 2025	Indianapolis	[141]

Men short course

• Correct as of October 2025^[142]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	44.84	Kyle Chalmers	Australia	29 October 2021	Kazan	[61]
2	2	44.94	Amaury Leveaux	France	13 December 2008	Rijeka	[60]
3	3	44.95	Vladimir Morozov	Russia	16 November 2018	Singapore	[143]
			Jordan Crooks	Cayman Islands	11 December 2024	Budapest	[144]
	5	45.03	Chalmers #2		21 October 2021	Doha	[145]
5	6	45.04	Florent Manaudou	France	5 December 2013	Dijon	[146]
6	7	45.05	Jack Alexy	United States	10 December 2024	Budapest	[147]
7	8	45.08	Nathan Adrian	United States	19 December 2009	Manchester	[148]
			Caeleb Dressel	United States	22 November 2020	Budapest	[149]
	10	45.12	Leveaux #2		12 December 2008	Rijeka	[59]
	11	45.16	Morozov #2		10 November 2018	Tokyo	[150]
			Chalmers #3		15 December 2022	Melbourne	[151]
	13	45.18	Dressel #2		21 November 2020	Budapest	[152]
	14	45.20	Dressel #3		16 November 2020	Budapest	[153]
	15	45.22	Dressel #4		20 December 2019	Las Vegas	[154]
			Crooks #2		11 December 2024	Budapest	[155]
	17	45.23	Morozov #3		5 August 2017	Berlin	[156]
	18	45.29	Alexy #2		11 December 2024	Budapest	[155]
	19	45.30	Morozov #4		4 October 2018	Budapest	[157]
9	19	45.30	Joshua Liendo	Canada	24 October 2025	Toronto	[158]
	21	45.33	Alexy #3		11 October 2025	Carmel	[159]
10	22	45.36	Evgeny Lagunov	Russia	11 December 2009	Istanbul	[160]
	22	45.36	Alexy #4		11 October 2025	Carmel	[161]
	24	45.38	Alexy #5		12 December 2024	Budapest	[162]
11	25	45.41	Maxime Grousset	France	15 December 2022	Melbourne	[151]
12		45.46	Matthew Abood	Australia	21 November 2009	Singapore	[163]
13		45.47	Guilherme Caribé	Brazil	12 December 2024	Budapest	[162]
14		45.50	Chris Guiliano	United States	11 October 2025	Carmel	[161]
15		45.51	Alessandro Miressi	Italy	10 December 2023	Otopeni	[164]
16		45.52	Egor Kornev	Russia	11 December 2024	Budapest	[155]
17		45.54	Stefan Nystrand	Sweden	10 November 2009	Stockholm	[165]
18		45.56	Brent Hayden	Canada	14 November 2009	Berlin	[166]
19		45.58	Kliment Kolesnikov	Russia	7 November 2021	Kazan	[167]
20		45.60	James Magnussen	Australia	7 August 2013	Eindhoven	[168]
21		45.63	Ryan Held	United States	21 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[169]
22		45.64	David Popovici	Romania	15 December 2022	Melbourne	[151]
23		45.68	Danila Izotov	Russia	11 December 2009	Istanbul	[160]
24		45.69	Alain Bernard	France	7 December 2008	Angers	[58]
25		45.70	Justin Ress	United States	28 November 2021	Eindhoven	[170]

Women long course

• Correct as of October 2025^[171]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	51.71	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	23 July 2017	Budapest	[98]
2	2	51.96	Emma McKeon	Australia	30 July 2021	Tokyo	[172]
3	3	52.02	Siobhán Haughey	Hong Kong	8 October 2023	Berlin	[173]
4	4	52.03	Cate Campbell	Australia	10 August 2018	Tokyo	[174]
5	5	52.04	Simone Manuel	United States	26 July 2019	Gwangju	[175]
	6	52.06	C. Campbell #2		2 July 2016	Brisbane	[97]
6	7	52.07	Britta Steffen	Germany	31 July 2009	Rome	[96]
	8	52.08	Sjöström #2		18 June 2017	Canet-en-Roussillon	[176]
7	8	52.08	Mollie O'Callaghan	Australia	23 July 2023	Fukuoka	[177]
	10	52.12	C. Campbell #3		13 June 2019	Brisbane	[178]
	11	52.13	McKeon #2		28 July 2021	Tokyo	[179]
	12	52.16	O'Callaghan #2		28 July 2023	Fukuoka	[180]
			Sjöström #3		31 July 2024	Paris	[181]
	14	52.17	Haughey #2		26 September 2023	Hangzhou	[182]
	15	52.19	McKeon #3		16 June 2021	Adelaide	[183]
	16	52.22	Steffen #2		26 July 2009	Rome	[95]
	17	52.23	Sjöström #4		21 July 2019	Gwangju	[184]
	18	52.24	Sjöström #5		23 July 2023	Fukuoka	[177]
			O'Callaghan #3		27 July 2024	Paris	[185]
8	20	52.26	Marrit Steenbergen	Netherlands	16 February 2024	Doha	[186]
	21	52.27	Manuel #2		28 July 2017	Budapest	[187]
9	21	52.27	Bronte Campbell	Australia	9 April 2018	Gold Coast	[188]
	21	52.27	Haughey #3		30 July 2021	Tokyo	[172]
			O'Callaghan #4		17 April 2024	Gold Coast	[189]
	25	52.28	Sjöström #6		14 June 2017	Barcelona	[190]
10	25	52.28	Shayna Jack	Australia	23 July 2023	Fukuoka	[191]
11		52.29	Torri Huske	United States	31 July 2024	Paris	[181]
12		52.48	Yang Junxuan	China	27 July 2024	Paris	[185]
13		52.52	Meg Harris	Australia	14 June 2024	Brisbane	[192]
14		52.56	Kate Douglass	United States	19 June 2024	Indianapolis	[193]
15		52.59	Mallory Comerford	United States	23 July 2017	Budapest	[98]
			Penny Oleksiak	Canada	30 July 2021	Tokyo	[172]
17		52.62	Libby Trickett	Australia	26 July 2009	Rome	[95]
18		52.69	Femke Heemskerk	Netherlands	5 April 2015	Eindhoven	[194]
			Pernille Blume	Denmark	28 July 2017	Budapest	[187]
20		52.72	Taylor Ruck	Canada	10 August 2018	Tokyo	[174]
21		52.74	Charlotte Bonnet	France	26 May 2018	Saint-Raphaël	[195]
22		52.75	Ranomi Kromowidjojo	Netherlands	12 April 2012	Eindhoven	[196]
			Anna Hopkin	Great Britain	28 July 2021	Tokyo	[179]
24		52.76	Madison Wilson	Australia	16 June 2021	Adelaide	[197]
25		52.78	Gretchen Walsh	United States	3 June 2025	Indianapolis	[198]

Women short course

• Correct as of October 2025^[199]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	49.93	Kate Douglass	United States	25 October 2025	Toronto	[112]
	2	50.19	Douglass #2		19 October 2025	Westmont	[111]
2	3	50.25	Cate Campbell	Australia	26 October 2017	Adelaide	[110]
3	4	50.31	Gretchen Walsh	United States	12 December 2024	Budapest	[200]
	5	50.49	Walsh #2		11 December 2024	Budapest	[201]
4	6	50.58	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	11 August 2017	Eindhoven	[109]
			Emma McKeon	Australia	9 October 2021	Budapest	[202]
6	8	50.63	Béryl Gastaldello	France	12 December 2024	Budapest	[200]
	9	50.67	McKeon #2		30 October 2021	Kazan	[203]
	10	50.73	Douglass #3		12 December 2024	Budapest	[200]
	11	50.77	Sjöström #2		3 August 2017	Moscow	[108]
			McKeon #3		15 December 2022	Melbourne	[204]
7	13	50.79	Siobhán Haughey	Hong Kong	4 December 2021	Eindhoven	[205]
	14	50.82	Douglass #4		2 November 2024	Singapore	[206]
8	14	50.82	Mollie O'Callaghan	Australia	25 October 2025	Toronto	[112]
	16	50.83	Douglass #5		12 October 2025	Carmel	[207]
	17	50.85	Campbell #2		18 November 2017	Singapore	[208]
	18	50.87	Haughey #2		15 December 2022	Melbourne	[204]
	19	50.91	Campbell #3		28 November 2015	Sydney	[107]
	20	50.94	Haughey #3		21 November 2020	Budapest	[209]
9	21	50.95	Ranomi Kromowidjojo	Netherlands	15 December 2017	Copenhagen	[210]
	21	50.95	Douglass #6		10 December 2024	Budapest	[211]
	23	50.96	McKeon #4		3 October 2021	Berlin	[212]
	24	50.98	Haughey #4		18 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[213]
	25	50.99	Sjöström #3		18 November 2017	Singapore	[208]
10		51.01	Libby Trickett	Australia	11 August 2009	Hobart	[106]
11		51.10	Marrit Steenbergen	Netherlands	25 October 2025	Toronto	[112]
12		51.19	Fran Halsall	Great Britain	22 November 2009	Singapore	[214]
13		51.26	Abbey Weitzeil	United States	10 November 2020	Budapest	[215]
14		51.29	Femke Heemskerk	Netherlands	17 November 2018	Singapore	[216]
15		51.35	Inge Dekker	Netherlands	11 December 2009	Istanbul	[217]
16		51.40	Madison Wilson	Australia	25 August 2022	Sydney	[218]
17		51.43	Freya Anderson	Great Britain	31 October 2020	Budapest	[219]
					15 November 2020	Budapest	[220]
					21 November 2020	Budapest	[209]
22 November 2020		Budapest	[221]
18		51.44	Katarzyna Wasick	Poland	17 September 2021	Naples	[222]
19		51.45	Kayla Sanchez	Canada	14 December 2018	Sheffield	[223]
			Marie Wattel	France	12 December 2019	Angers	[224]
21		51.47	Michelle Coleman	Sweden	17 November 2019	Eskilstuna	[225]
22		51.58	Jeanette Ottesen	Denmark	9 October 2016	Doha	[226]
23		51.62	Rikako Ikee	Japan	14 January 2018	Tokyo	[227]
			Daria Klepikova	Russia	12 December 2024	Budapest	[200]
25		51.63	Pernille Blume	Denmark	15 December 2017	Copenhagen	[210]
	Mallory Comerford		United States	13 December 2018	Hangzhou	[228]