World record progression 200 metres freestyle

Main article: List of world records in swimming

This is a history of the progression of the world record for the 200 metres freestyle swimming event. It is a listing of the fastest-times-ever swum in the event, in both long course (50m) and short course (25m) swimming pools. These records are maintained and recognized by FINA, which oversees international competitive swimming and Aquatics.

Graphs of the progression of the World Records in all four strokes (50m, 100m and 200m distances).

The drop in world record times in 2008–2009 coincided with the introduction of polyurethane suits from Speedo (LZR, 50% polyurethane) in 2008 and by Arena (X-Glide), Adidas (Hydrofoil) and Italian swimming suit manufacturer Jaked (all 100% polyurethane) in 2009. FINA's ban on non-textile suit came into effect in January 2010.^[1] FINA also released a list of approved suits.

The long course records are historically older than the short course records; the latter having only been recognized since the early 1990s.

Men

Long course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
0	2:28.6		Frederick Lane	Australia	18 August 1902	-	Weston-super-Mare, United Kingdom
0	2:26.8		Zoltan Halmay	Hungary	28 June 1908	-	Budapest, Hungary
1	2:31.6		Otto Scheff	Austria	11 November 1908	-	Vienna, Austria
2	2:30.0		Frank Beaurepaire	Australia	9 September 1910	-	Exeter, United Kingdom
3	2:25.4		Charles Daniels	United States	28 March 1911	-	Pittsburgh, United States
4	2:21.6		Norman Ross	United States	24 November 1916	-	San Francisco, United States
5	2:19.8		Tedford Cann	United States	10 April 1920	-	Detroit, United States
6	2:15.6		Johnny Weissmuller	United States	26 May 1922	-	Honolulu, United States
7	2:15.2		Johnny Weissmuller	United States	9 December 1925	-	McKeesport, United States
8	2:08.0		Johnny Weissmuller	United States	5 April 1927	-	Ann Arbor, United States
9	2:07.2		Jack Medica	United States	12 April 1935	-	Chicago, United States
10	2:06.2		Bill Smith	United States	12 February 1944	-	Columbus, United States
11	2:05.4		Alex Jany	France	20 September 1946	-	Marseille, France
12	2:04.6		John Marshall	Australia	31 March 1950	Yale (?)	New Haven, United States
13	2:03.9		Ford Konno	United States	27 February 1954	-	Columbus, Australia
14	2:03.4		Jack Wardrop	Great Britain	4 March 1955	-	Columbus, United States
15	2:01.5		Dick Hanley	United States	8 March 1957	-	Minneapolis, United States
16	2:04.8		John Konrads	Australia	8 January 1958	-	Sydney, Australia
17	2:03.2		John Konrads	Australia	5 May 1958	-	Sydney, Australia
18	2:03.0		Tsuyoshi Yamanaka	Japan	22 August 1958	-	Osaka, Japan
19	2:02.2		John Konrads	Australia	16 January 1959	-	Sydney, Australia
20	2:01.5		Tsuyoshi Yamanaka	Japan	26 July 1959	-	Osaka, Japan
21	2:01.2		Tsuyoshi Yamanaka	Japan	24 June 1961	-	Osaka, Japan
22	2:01.1		Tsuyoshi Yamanaka	Japan	6 August 1961	-	Tokyo, Japan
23	2:00.4		Tsuyoshi Yamanaka	Japan	20 August 1961	Men’s National Outdoor Championships	Los Angeles, United States
23	2:00.4	=	Don Schollander	United States	11 August 1962	Men’s National Outdoor Championships	Cuyahoga Falls, United States
24	2:00.3		Bob Windle	Australia	21 April 1963	-	tokyo, Japan
25	1:58.8		Don Schollander	United States	27 July 1963	5th Annual Los Angeles Invitiational	Los Angeles, United States
26	1:58.5		Don Schollander	United States	17 August 1963	6th US-Japan swimming and diving meet	Tokyo, Japan
27	1:58.4		Don Schollander	United States	24 August 1963	-	Osaka, Japan
28	1:58.2		Hans-Joachim Klein	West Germany	24 May 1964	-	Dortmund, West Germany
29	1:57.6		Don Schollander	United States	1 August 1964	US National Championships	Los Altos, United States
30	1:57.2		Don Schollander	United States	29 July 1966	-	Los Angeles, United States
31	1:56.2		Don Schollander	United States	19 August 1966	-	Lincoln, United States
32	1:56.0		Don Schollander	United States	29 July 1967	Pan American Games	Winnipeg, Canada
33	1:55.7		Don Schollander	United States	12 August 1967	AAU National Outdoor Championships	Oak Park, United States
34	1:54.8	h	Don Schollander	United States	30 August 1968	US Olympic Trials	Long Beach, United States
35	1:54.3		Don Schollander	United States	30 August 1968	US Olympic Trials	Long Beach, United States
35	1:54.3	=	Mark Spitz	United States	12 July 1969	Santa Clara Invitational	Santa Clara, United States
36	1:54.2		Mark Spitz	United States	4 September 1971	USA vs. GDR Dual Meet	Leipzig, East Germany
37	1:53.5	r	Mark Spitz	United States	10 September 1971	USA vs. USSR vs. GBR Meet	Minsk, Soviet Union
38	1:52.78		Mark Spitz	United States	29 August 1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany
39	1:51.66		Tim Shaw	United States	23 August 1974	AAU National Outdoor Championships	Concord, United States
40	1:51.41	h	Bruce Furniss	United States	18 June 1975	US World Championship Trials	Long Beach, United States
41	1:50.89		Bruce Furniss	United States	18 June 1975	US World Championship Trials	Long Beach, United States
42	1:50.32		Bruce Furniss	United States	21 August 1975	AAU National Outdoor Championships	Kansas City, United States
43	1:50.29		Bruce Furniss	United States	19 July 1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada
44	1:49.83		Sergey Kopliakov	Soviet Union	7 April 1979	USSR Vs. GDR Junior Meet	Potsdam, East Germany
45	1:49.16		Rowdy Gaines	United States	11 April 1980	AAU National Indoor Championships	Austin, United States
46	1:48.93		Rowdy Gaines	United States	19 July 1982	US World Championship Trials	Mission Viejo, United States
47	1:48.28		Michael Gross	West Germany	22 June 1983	FRG Nationals	Hanover, West Germany
48	1:47.87		Michael Gross	West Germany	22 August 1983	European Championships	Rome, Italy
49	1:47.55		Michael Gross	West Germany	8 June 1984	FRG Nationals	Munich, West Germany
50	1:47.44		Michael Gross	West Germany	29 July 1984	Olympic Games	Los Angeles, United States
51	1:47.25		Duncan Armstrong	Australia	19 September 1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea
52	1:46.69		Giorgio Lamberti	Italy	15 August 1989	European Championships	Bonn, West Germany
53	1:46.67	r	Grant Hackett	Australia	23 March 1999	Australian Championships	Brisbane, Australia
54	1:46.34	sf	Ian Thorpe	Australia	23 August 1999	Pan Pacific Championships	Sydney, Australia	[2]
55	1:46.00		Ian Thorpe	Australia	24 August 1999	Pan Pacific Championships	Sydney, Australia	[2]
56	1:45.69	sf	Ian Thorpe	Australia	14 May 2000	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[3]
57	1:45.51		Ian Thorpe	Australia	15 May 2000	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[4]
58	1:45.35	sf	Pieter van den Hoogenband	Netherlands	17 September 2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	[5]
58	1:45.35	=	Pieter van den Hoogenband	Netherlands	18 September 2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	[6]
59	1:44.69		Ian Thorpe	Australia	27 March 2001	Australian Championships	Hobart, Australia	[7]
60	1:44.06		Ian Thorpe	Australia	25 July 2001	World Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	[8]
61	1:43.86		Michael Phelps	United States	27 March 2007	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[9]
62	1:42.96		Michael Phelps	United States	12 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[10]
63	1:42.00		Paul Biedermann	Germany	25 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[11]

Short course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	1:44.50		Michael Gross	West Germany	1 December 1981	West German Championships	Bremen, West Germany
2	1:44.14		Michael Gross	West Germany	5 February 1988	Coca-Cola Meet	Boulogne-Billancourt, France
3	1:43.64		Giorgio Lamberti	Italy	11 February 1990	World Cup	Bonn, Germany
4	1:43.28		Ian Thorpe	Australia	1 April 1999	World Championships	Hong Kong
5	1:42.54		Ian Thorpe	Australia	17 January 2000	World Cup	Sydney, Australia
6	1:41.10		Ian Thorpe	Australia	6 February 2000	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
7	1:40.83		Paul Biedermann	Germany	16 November 2008	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[12]
8	1:39.37		Paul Biedermann	Germany	15 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[13]
9	1:38.91	r	Luke Hobson	United States	13 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[14]
10	1:38.61		Luke Hobson	United States	15 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	[15]

Women

Long course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	2:56.0		Fanny Durack	Australia	4 March 1915	-	Sydney, Australia
2	2:47.6		Charlotte Boyle	United States	25 August 1921	-	New Brighton, United States
3	2:45.2		Gertrude Ederle	United States	4 April 1923	-	Brooklyn, United States
4	2:40.6		Martha Norelius	United States	28 February 1926	-	Miami, United States
5	2:34.6		Helene Madison	United States	6 March 1930	-	St. Augustine, United States
6	2:28.6		Willy den Ouden	Netherlands	3 May 1933	-	Rotterdam, Netherlands
7	2:27.6		Willy den Ouden	Netherlands	5 May 1934	-	Dundee, United Kingdom
8	2:25.3		Willy den Ouden	Netherlands	8 September 1935	-	Copenhagen, Denmark
9	2:24.6		Rie van Veen	Netherlands	26 February 1938	-	Rotterdam, Netherlands
10	2:21.7		Ragnhild Hveger	Denmark	11 September 1938	-	Aarhus, Denmark
11	2:20.7		Dawn Fraser	Australia	25 February 1956	-	Sydney, Australia
12	2:19.3		Lorraine Crapp	Australia	25 August 1956	-	Townsville, Australia
13	2:18.5		Lorraine Crapp	Australia	20 October 1956	-	Sydney, Australia
14	2:17.7		Dawn Fraser	Australia	10 February 1958	-	Adelaide, Australia
15	2:14.7		Dawn Fraser	Australia	22 February 1958	-	Melbourne, Australia
16	2:11.6		Dawn Fraser	Australia	27 February 1960	-	Sydney, Australia
17	2:10.5		Lillian Watson	United States	19 August 1966	-	Lincoln, United States
18	2:09.7		Pam Kruse	United States	19 August 1967	US National Championships	Philadelphia, United States
19	2:09.5		Susan Pederson	United States	6 July 1968	Santa Clara International	Santa Clara, United States
20	2:08.8		Edith Wetzel	United States	2 August 1968	US National Championships	Lincoln, United States
21	2:07.9	h	Linda Gustavson	United States	24 August 1968	US Olympic Trials	Los Angeles, United States
22	2:06.7		Debbie Meyer	United States	24 August 1968	US Olympic Trials	Los Angeles, United States
23	2:06.5		Shane Gould	Australia	1 May 1971	Coca-Cola International	London, United Kingdom
24	2:05.8		Shane Gould	Australia	26 November 1971	-	Sydney, Australia
25	2:05.21		Shirley Babashoff	United States	4 August 1972	US Olympic Trials	Chicago, United States
26	2:03.56		Shane Gould	Australia	1 September 1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany
27	2:03.22		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	22 August 1974	European Championships	Vienna, Austria
28	2:02.94		Shirley Babashoff	United States	23 August 1974	US National Championships	Concord, United States
28	2:02.94	=	Shirley Babashoff	United States	31 August 1974	USA vs East Germany Dual Meet	Concord, United States
29	2:02.27		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	15 March 1975	East Germany vs Soviet Union Dual Meet	Dresden, East Germany
30	1:59.78		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	2 June 1976	East German Championships	East Berlin, East Germany
31	1:59.26		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	22 July 1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada
32	1:59.04		Barbara Krause	East Germany	2 July 1978	East German Championships	East Berlin, East Germany
33	1:58.53		Cynthia Woodhead	United States	22 August 1978	World Championships	West Berlin, West Germany
34	1:58.43		Cynthia Woodhead	United States	3 July 1979	Pan American Games	San Juan, Puerto Rico
35	1:58.23		Cynthia Woodhead	United States	3 September 1979	World Cup	Tokyo, Japan
36	1:57.75		Kristin Otto	East Germany	23 May 1984	East German Championships	Magdeburg, East Germany
37	1:57.55		Heike Friedrich	East Germany	18 June 1986	East German Championships	East Berlin, East Germany
38	1:56.78		Franziska van Almsick	Germany	6 September 1994	World Championships	Rome, Italy
39	1:56.64		Franziska van Almsick	Germany	3 August 2002	European Championships	Berlin, Germany	[16]
40	1:56.47	sf	Federica Pellegrini	Italy	27 March 2007	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[17]
41	1:55.52		Laure Manaudou	France	28 March 2007	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[18]
42	1:55.45	h	Federica Pellegrini	Italy	11 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[19]
43	1:54.82		Federica Pellegrini	Italy	13 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[20]
44	1:54.47		Federica Pellegrini	Italy	8 March 2009	Italian Championships	Riccione, Italy	[21]
45	1:53.67	sf	Federica Pellegrini	Italy	28 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[22]
46	1:52.98		Federica Pellegrini	Italy	29 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[23]
47	1:52.85		Mollie O'Callaghan	Australia	26 July 2023	World Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	[24]
48	1:52.23		Ariarne Titmus	Australia	12 June 2024	Australian Trials	Brisbane, Australia	[25]

Short course

#	Time	Swimmer	Date	Event	Place
011	1:55.841:55.84	Van Almsick, Franziska Franziska van Almsick	January 9, 1993	World Cup	Beijing, PR China	[26]
022	1:55.421:55.42	Poll, Claudia Claudia Poll	December 1, 1995	World Championships	Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	[27]
033	1:54.171:54.17	Poll, Claudia Claudia Poll	April 18, 1997	World Championships	Gothenburg, Västergötland, Sweden	[27]
044	1:54.041:54.04	Benko, Lindsay Lindsay Benko	April 7, 2002	World Championships	Moscow, Central Federal District, Russia	[28][27]
055	1:53.291:53.29	Benko, Lindsey Libby Lenton	November 19, 2005	World Cup	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	[29]
066	1:53.181:53.18	Balmy, Coralie Coralie Balmy	December 6, 2008	2008 French Championships	Angers, France	[30]
077	1:51.851:51.85	Pellegrini, Federica Federica Pellegrini	December 14, 2008	European Championships	Rijeka, Croatia	[31]
088	1:51.171:51.17	Pellegrini, Federica Federica Pellegrini	December 13, 2009	European Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	[32]
089	1:50.781:50.78	Sjöström, Sarah Sarah Sjöström	December 7, 2014	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	[33]
0910	1:50.431:50.43	Sjöström, Sarah Sarah Sjöström	August 12, 2017	World Cup	Eindhoven, Netherlands	[34]
1011	1:50.431:50.31	Haughey, Siobhán Siobhán Haughey	December 16, 2021	World Championships	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	[35]

All-time top 25

Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 200 m freestyle times and the top 25 athletes:

- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 200 m freestyle times

- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 200 m freestyle times, by repeat athletes

- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 200 m freestyle times

Men long course

• Correct as of August 2025^[36]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	1:42.00	Paul Biedermann	Germany	28 July 2009	Rome	[11]
	2	1:42.81	Biedermann #2		31 July 2009	Rome	[37]
2	3	1:42.96	Michael Phelps	United States	12 August 2008	Beijing	[10]
3	4	1:42.97	David Popovici	Romania	15 August 2022	Rome	[38]
	5	1:43.13	Popovici #2		21 June 2024	Belgrade	[39]
4	6	1:43.14	Yannick Agnel	France	30 July 2012	London	[40]
	7	1:43.21	Popovici #3		20 June 2022	Budapest	[41]
	8	1:43.22	Phelps #2		28 July 2009	Rome	[11]
	9	1:43.31	Phelps #3		13 August 2008	Beijing	[42]
	10	1:43.53	Popovici #4		29 July 2025	Singapore	[43]
	11	1:43.64	Popovici #5		26 June 2025	Šamorín	[44]
	12	1:43.65	Biedermann #3		27 July 2009	Rome	[45]
5	13	1:43.73	Luke Hobson	United States	4 June 2025	Indianapolis	[46]
	14	1:43.84	Hobson #2		29 July 2025	Singapore	[43]
	15	1:43.86	Phelps #4		27 March 2007	Melbourne	[9]
6	16	1:43.90	Danila Izotov	Russia	28 July 2009	Rome	[11]
	17	1:44.02	Biedermann #4		31 July 2009	Rome	[47]
7	18	1:44.06	Ian Thorpe	Australia	25 July 2001	Fukuoka	[8]
	19	1:44.10	Phelps #5		1 July 2008	Omaha	[48]
8	20	1:44.14	Lukas Märtens	Germany	27 April 2024	Berlin	[49]
	21	1:44.20	Agnel #2		30 July 2013	Barcelona	[50]
9	22	1:44.22	Tom Dean	Great Britain	27 July 2021	Tokyo	[51]
	23	1:44.23	Phelps #6		8 July 2009	Indianapolis	[52]
	24	1:44.25	Märtens #2		3 May 2025	Berlin	[53]
10	25	1:44.26	Duncan Scott	Great Britain	27 July 2021	Tokyo	[51]
11		1:44.30	Matt Richards	Great Britain	25 July 2023	Fukuoka	[54]
12		1:44.38	Danas Rapsys	Lithuania	17 August 2019	Singapore	[55]
13		1:44.39	Sun Yang	China	25 July 2017	Budapest	[56]
14		1:44.40	Hwang Sun-woo	South Korea	27 September 2023	Hangzhou	[57]
15		1:44.44	Ryan Lochte	United States	26 July 2011	Shanghai	[58]
16		1:44.54	Tatsuya Murasa	Japan	29 July 2025	Singapore	[43]
17		1:44.65	Katsuhiro Matsumoto	Japan	5 April 2021	Tokyo	[59]
			Pan Zhanle	China	4 May 2023	Hangzhou	[60]
19		1:44.66	Fernando Scheffer	Brazil	27 July 2021	Tokyo	[51]
20		1:44.70	Gabriel Jett	United States	4 June 2025	Indianapolis	[46]
21		1:44.74	Kieran Smith	United States	28 July 2021	Tokyo	[61]
22		1:44.79	Martin Malyutin	Russia	21 May 2021	Budapest	[62]
			Maximillian Giuliani	Australia	12 December 2023	Brisbane	[63]
24		1:44.80	Park Tae-hwan	South Korea	13 November 2010	Guangzhou	[64]
25		1:44.89	Pieter van den Hoogenband	Netherlands	2 August 2002	Berlin	[65]

Men short course

• Correct as of August 2025^[66]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	1:38.61	Luke Hobson	United States	15 December 2024	Budapest	[15]
	2	1:38.91	Hobson #2		13 December 2024	Budapest	[14]
2	3	1:39.37	Paul Biedermann	Germany	15 November 2009	Berlin	[13]
3	4	1:39.70	Yannick Agnel	France	15 November 2012	Angers	[67]
4	5	1:39.72	Hwang Sun-woo	South Korea	18 December 2022	Melbourne	[68]
	6	1:39.81	Biedermann #2		13 December 2009	Istanbul	[69]
5	7	1:39.83	Duncan Scott	Great Britain	2 November 2024	Singapore	[70]
6	8	1:40.08	Danila Izotov	Russia	13 December 2009	Istanbul	[69]
	9	1:40.25	Scott #2		22 November 2020	Budapest	[71]
	10	1:40.29	Scott #3		26 October 2024	Incheon	[72]
7	11	1:40.36	Maximillian Giuliani	Australia	15 December 2024	Budapest	[15]
8	12	1:40.49	Townley Haas	United States	22 November 2020	Budapest	[71]
9	13	1:40.59	Edward Sommerville	Australia	9 August 2025	Brisbane	[73]
	14	1:40.64	Sommerville #2		25 September 2024	Adelaide	[74]
10	15	1:40.65	Matthew Sates	South Africa	3 October 2021	Berlin	[75]
	16	1:40.73	Giuliani #2		13 December 2024	Budapest	[14]
	17	1:40.76	Scott #4		15 November 2020	Budapest	[76]
11	18	1:40.79	David Popovici	Romania	18 December 2022	Melbourne	[68]
12	19	1:40.80	Brent Hayden	Canada	15 November 2009	Berlin	[13]
			Cameron McEvoy	Australia	25 November 2015	Sydney	[77]
14	21	1:40.82	Kyle Chalmers	Australia	3 October 2021	Berlin	[75]
	22	1:40.83	Biedermann #3		16 November 2008	Berlin	[12]
15	23	1:40.85	Danas Rapsys	Lithuania	14 December 2017	Copenhagen	[78]
16	24	1:40.86	Tom Dean	Great Britain	18 December 2022	Melbourne	[68]
	25	1:40.87	Izotov #2		13 December 2009	Istanbul	[79]
17		1:40.88	Shaine Casas	United States	13 December 2024	Budapest	[80]
18		1:40.89	Darian Townsend	South Africa	15 November 2009	Berlin	[13]
19		1:40.91	Léon Marchand	France	2 November 2024	Singapore	[70]
20		1:41.01	Aleksandr Shchegolev	Russia	19 November 2021	Eindhoven	[81]
			Matt Richards	Great Britain	9 December 2023	Otopeni	[82]
22		1:41.03	Park Tae-hwan	South Korea	7 December 2016	Windsor	[83]
			Dominik Kozma	Hungary	7 August 2017	Berlin	[84]
24		1:41.04	Kieran Smith	United States	16 December 2022	Melbourne	[85]
25		1:41.08	Ryan Lochte	United States	15 December 2010	Dubai	[86]

Women long course

• Correct as of July 2025^[87]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	1:52.23	Ariarne Titmus	Australia	12 June 2024	Brisbane	[25]
2	2	1:52.48	Mollie O'Callaghan	Australia	12 June 2024	Brisbane	[25]
	3	1:52.85	O'Callaghan #2		26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[24]
3	4	1:52.98	Federica Pellegrini	Italy	29 July 2009	Rome	[23]
	5	1:53.01	Titmus #2		26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[24]
	6	1:53.09	Titmus #3		14 June 2021	Adelaide	[88]
	7	1:53.27	O'Callaghan #3		29 July 2024	Paris	[89]
	8	1:53.31	Titmus #4		20 May 2022	Adelaide	[90]
	9	1:53.48	O'Callaghan #4		30 July 2025	Singapore	[91]
	10	1:53.50	Titmus #5		28 July 2021	Tokyo	[92]
	11	1:53.52	O'Callaghan #5		1 August 2024	Paris	[93]
	12	1:53.57	O'Callaghan #6		20 April 2024	Gold Coast	[94]
4	13	1:53.61	Allison Schmitt	United States	31 July 2012	London	[95]
5	14	1:53.65	Summer McIntosh	Canada	26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[24]
	15	1:53.66	O'Callaghan #7		27 July 2023	Fukuoka	[96]
	16	1:53.67	Pellegrini #2		28 July 2009	Rome	[22]
	17	1:53.69	McIntosh #2		14 May 2024	Toronto	[97]
6	18	1:53.73	Katie Ledecky	United States	9 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	[98]
	19	1:53.81	Titmus #6		29 July 2024	Paris	[89]
	20	1:53.83	O'Callaghan #8		15 June 2023	Melbourne	[99]
	21	1:53.89	Titmus #7		29 July 2022	Birmingham	[100]
	22	1:53.91	McIntosh #3		2 April 2023	Toronto	[101]
7	23	1:53.92	Siobhán Haughey	Hong Kong	29 July 2021	Tokyo	[92]
	24	1:53.96	Haughey #2		26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[24]
	25	1:54.01	O'Callaghan #9		29 July 2022	Birmingham	[100]
8		1:54.08	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	9 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	[98]
9		1:54.26	Tang Muhan	China	26 September 2021	Xi'an	[102]
10		1:54.37	Yang Junxuan	China	29 July 2021	Tokyo	[103]
11		1:54.44	Taylor Ruck	Canada	9 August 2018	Tokyo	[104]
12		1:54.52	Li Bingjie	China	30 July 2025	Singapore	[91]
13		1:54.55	Emma McKeon	Australia	11 June 2019	Brisbane	[105]
14		1:54.66	Camille Muffat	France	6 June 2012	Canet-en-Roussillon	[106]
15		1:54.67	Claire Weinstein	United States	30 July 2025	Singapore	[91]
16		1:54.68	Femke Heemskerk	Netherlands	3 April 2015	Eindhoven	[107]
17		1:54.70	Penny Oleksiak	Canada	28 July 2021	Tokyo	[92]
18		1:54.77	Lani Pallister	Australia	31 July 2025	Singapore	[108]
19		1:54.81	Missy Franklin	United States	31 July 2013	Barcelona	[109]
20		1:54.85	Rikako Ikee	Japan	9 August 2018	Tokyo	[104]
21		1:54.95	Charlotte Bonnet	France	6 August 2018	Glasgow	[110]
22		1:54.96	Liu Yaxin	China	23 March 2025	Qingdao	[111]
23		1:54.97	Sara Isaković	Slovenia	13 August 2008	Beijing	[20]
24		1:55.05	Pang Jiaying	China	13 August 2008	Beijing	[20]
25		1:55.06	Freya Colbert	United Kingdom	30 July 2025	Singapore	[91]

Women short course

• Correct as of December 2024^[112]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	1:50.31	Siobhán Haughey	Hong Kong	16 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[35]
2	2	1:50.43	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	12 August 2017	Eindhoven	[34]
	3	1:50.62	Haughey #2		15 December 2024	Budapest	[113]
	4	1:50.65	Haughey #3		26 November 2021	Eindhoven	[114]
	5	1:50.66	Haughey #4		19 November 2021	Eindhoven	[115]
	6	1:50.78	Sjöström #2		7 December 2014	Doha	[33]
	7	1:51.02	Haughey #5		25 October 2024	Incheon	[116]
	8	1:51.04	Haughey #6		4 December 2021	Eindhoven	[117]
	9	1:51.11	Haughey #7		22 November 2020	Budapest	[118]
	10	1:51.13	Haughey #8		29 October 2022	Toronto	[119]
3	11	1:51.17	Federica Pellegrini	Italy	13 December 2009	Istanbul	[32]
	11	1:51.17	Haughey #9		12 November 2021	Eindhoven	[120]
4	13	1:51.18	Katinka Hosszú	Hungary	7 December 2014	Doha	[33]
	14	1:51.19	Haughey #10		10 November 2020	Budapest	[121]
			Haughey #11		4 November 2022	Indianapolis	[122]
5	16	1:51.25	Li Bingjie	China	28 October 2022	Beijing	[123]
	17	1:51.36	Haughey #12		15 November 2020	Budapest	[124]
			Haughey #13		22 October 2022	Berlin	[125]
6	19	1:51.38	Ariarne Titmus	Australia	11 December 2018	Hangzhou	[126]
	20	1:51.41	Hosszú #2		17 August 2014	Doha	[127]
	21	1:51.42	Haughey #14		2 November 2020	Budapest	[128]
	22	1:51.44	Hosszú #3		29 September 2014	Hong Kong	[129]
			Sjöström #3		22 November 2014	Stockholm	[130]
	24	1:51.46	Haughey #15		19 October 2024	Shanghai	[131]
7	25	1:51.49	Mary-Sophie Harvey	Canada	15 December 2024	Budapest	[113]
8		1:51.61	Yang Junxuan	China	28 October 2022	Beijing	[123]
9		1:51.62	Claire Weinstein	United States	15 December 2024	Budapest	[113]
10		1:51.65	Camille Muffat	France	15 November 2012	Angers	[67]
11		1:51.66	Emma McKeon	Australia	28 November 2015	Sydney	[132]
12		1:51.67	Allison Schmitt	United States	19 December 2009	Manchester	[133]
13		1:51.69	Femke Heemskerk	Netherlands	7 December 2014	Doha	[33]
14		1:51.75	Lani Pallister	Australia	15 December 2024	Budapest	[113]
15		1:51.81	Mallory Comerford	United States	11 December 2018	Hangzhou	[126]
16		1:51.87	Freya Anderson	Great Britain	22 November 2020	Budapest	[118]
17		1:52.10	Katie Ledecky	United States	4 November 2022	Indianapolis	[122]
18		1:52.15	Rebecca Smith	Canada	14 December 2022	Melbourne	[134]
19		1:52.19	Charlotte Bonnet	France	16 December 2017	Copenhagen	[135]
20		1:52.23	Madison Wilson	Australia	4 November 2022	Indianapolis	[122]
21		1:52.28	Marrit Steenbergen	Netherlands	18 December 2022	Melbourne	[136]
22		1:52.46	Veronika Andrusenko	Russia	5 December 2015	Netanya	[137]
23		1:52.50	Taylor Ruck	Canada	6 December 2016	Windsor	[138]
24		1:52.52	Melani Costa	Spain	10 August 2013	Berlin	[139]
			Madeline Groves	Australia	30 August 2016	Berlin	[140]