Graphic data for World Record Progression in Men and Women Swimming 50m-100m-200m

This is a history of the progression of the World Record for the Swimming event: the 200 Freestyle. It is a listing of the fastest-time-ever swum in the event, in both

long course An Olympic-size swimming pool conforms to regulated dimensions that are large enough for international competition. This type of swimming pool is used in the Olympic Games, where the race course is in length, typically referred to as "long cour ...

(50m) and

short course In swimming, the term short course (abbreviated SC) is used to identify a pool that is in length. The term is also often included in meet names when conducted in a short course pool. "Short course" is the second type of pool configuration current ...

(25m) swimming pool. These records are maintained/recognized by

FINA FINA (french: Fédération internationale de natation, en, International Swimming Federation, link=yes) (to be renamed as World Aquatics by ) is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administer ...

, which oversees international competitive swimming and Aquatics. The drop in world record times in the 2008–2009 coincided with the introduction of polyurethane suits from Speedo ( LZR, 50%

polyurethane Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) refers to a class of polymers composed of organic chemistry, organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethan ...

) 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. FINA also release 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

Short course

Women

Long course

Short course

All-time top 25

Men long course

*Correct as of August 2022

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:45.10: *

Paul Biedermann Paul Biedermann (; born 7 August 1986) is a German retired competitive swimmer, a 200 and 400 metre freestyle long course world champion. He holds the long course and short course world records in the 200 meters freestyle, and the long course wo ...

also swam 1:42.81 (2009), 1:43.65 (2009), 1:44.02 (2009), 1:44.48 (2009), 1:44.71 (2009), 1:44.88 (2011). *

David Popovici David Popovici (; born 15 September 2004) is a Romanian competitive swimmer who specializes in freestyle events. He is the current holder of the world record in the long course 100-metre freestyle and the junior world record in the long course ...

also swam 1:43.21 (2022), 1:44.40 (2022), 1:44.68 (2021), 1:44.91 (2022). *

Michael Phelps Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold me ...

also swam 1:43.22 (2009), 1:43.31 (2008), 1:43.86 (2007), 1:44.10 (2008), 1:44.23 (2009), 1:44.49 (2009), 1:44.79 (2011), 1:44.98 (2007). *

Yannick Agnel Yannick Agnel (born 9 June 1992) is a French former competitive swimmer who specializes in freestyle events, and is a three-time Olympic medalist. In his Olympic debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he won gold in the 200-meter freesty ...

also swam 1:44.20 (2013), 1:44.42 (2012), 1:44.99 (2011). * Duncan Scott also swam 1:44.47 (2021), 1:44.60 (2021), 1:44.91 (2019), 1:45.02 (2022). * Sun Yang also swam 1:44.47 (2013), 1:44.63 (2016), 1:44.65 (2016), 1:44.82 (2016), 1:44.91 (2017), 1:44.93 (2012, 2019), 1:44.99 (2011). * Thomas Dean also swam 1:44.58 (2021), 1:44.98 (2022). *

Hwang Sun-woo Hwang Sun-woo (; born May 13, 2003) is a South Korean swimmer. Career On May 14, 2021, he established the new Korean national record of 48.04 in the 100m freestyle and then followed up with a new World Junior Record in the men's 200m freestyl ...

also swam 1:44.62 (2021), 1:44.67 (2022), 1:44.96 (2021). *

Ian Thorpe Ian James Thorpe, (born 13 October 1982) is an Australian retired swimmer who specialised in freestyle, but also competed in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian along wit ...

also swam 1:44.69 (2001), 1:44.71 (2002, 2004), 1:44.75 (2002), 1:44.97 (2001), 1:45.07 (2004), 1:45.09 (2002). *

Park Tae-hwan Park Tae-hwan (, ; born September 27, 1989) is a South Korean competitive Swimming (sport), swimmer who is an Olympic gold medalist and world champion. He has four Olympic medals, five world titles, and 20 Asian Games medals. He won a gold me ...

also swam 1:44.85 (2008), 1:44.92 (2011), 1:44.93 (2012), 1:45.01 (2016). *

Danila Izotov Danila Sergeevich Izotov (russian: Данила Сергеевич Изотов; born 2 October 1991) is a Russian swimmer, a member of the Russian National team since 2008, and a multiple medalist at the Olympic Games and World Championships, as ...

also swam 1:44.87 (2013), 1:45.09 (2009). *

Martin Malyutin Martin Vladimirovich Malyutin ( rus, Мартин Владимирович Малютин, , ˈmartʲɪn mɐˈlʲʉtʲɪn; born 5 July 1999) is a Russian Swimming (sport), swimmer. He has won medals at the LEN European Aquatics Championships, Eu ...

also swam 1:45.01 (2021). *

Ryan Lochte Ryan Steven Lochte ( ; born August 3, 1984) is an American professional swimmer and 12-time Olympic medalist. Along with Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres, and Jenny Thompson, he is the second-most decorated swimmer in Olympic history measured by to ...

also swam 1:45.04 (2012). *

Townley Haas Francis Townley Haas (born December 13, 1996) is a retired American competitive swimmer who specialized in freestyle events. He is an Olympic gold medalist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Haas c ...

also swam 1:45.04 (2017). *

Fernando Scheffer Fernando Muhlenberg Scheffer (born 6 April 1998) is a Brazilian swimmer. In the 200 metre freestyle, he is the bronze medalist of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the gold medalist at the 2019 Pan American Games and the South American record holder in ...

also swam 1:45.05 (2021). * Danas Rapsys also swam 1:45.07 (2019). *

Kieran Smith Kieran Smith is an American swimmer specializing in freestyle and individual medley events. He currently co-holds short course world records in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay and the 4×100 meter medley relay. He is the Americas record ho ...

also swam 1:45.07 (2021).

Men short course

*Correct as of December 2022

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:41.32: *

also swam 1:39.81 (2009), 1:40.83 (2008). * Duncan Scott also swam 1:40.76 (2020), 1:40.92 (2019). *

also swam 1:40.87 (2009). * Matthew Sates also swam 1:40.88 (2022), 1:41.33 (2021). * Danas Rapsys also swam 1:40.95 (2018), 1:41.12 (2019), 1:41.17 (2021), 1:41.23 (2020). *

Kyle Chalmers Kyle Chalmers, (born 25 June 1998) is an Australian competitive swimmer. He is a world record holder in the short course 100 metre freestyle, 4×100 metre medley relay, and long course 4×100 metre mixed freestyle relay. He is the Oceanian a ...

also swam 1:40.98 (2022), 1:41.09 (2022). * Tom Dean also swam 1:40.98 (2022). *

also swam 1:40.99 (2022), 1:41.17 (2021). *

also swam 1:41.17 (2012). *

also swam 1:41.26 (2013).

Women long course

*Correct as of July 2022

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:55.41: *

Ariarne Titmus Ariarne Elizabeth Titmus, (born 7 September 2000) is an Australian swimmer. She is the reigning Olympic champion in the women's 200-metre and 400-metre freestyle, having won both events at the 2020 Summer Olympics, the world record holder in th ...

also swam 1:53.31 (2022), 1:53.50 (2021), 1:53.89 (2022), 1:54.27 (2019), 1:54.30 (2019), 1:54.51 (2021), 1:54.66 (2019, 2022), 1:54.82 (2021), 1:54.85 (2018), 1:55.09 (2019), 1:55.27 (2018), 1:55.36 (2019). *

Federica Pellegrini Federica Pellegrini (; born 5 August 1988) is an Italian retired swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she holds the women's 200 meters freestyle world record (long course, 50 m), and won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing ...

also swam 1:53.67 (2009), 1:54.22 (2019), 1:54.47 (2009), 1:54.55 (2016), 1:54.73 (2017), 1:54.82 (2008), 1:55.00 (2015), 1:55.14 (2013, 2019), 1:55.18 (2016), 1:55.30 (2016), 1:55.32 (2015). *

Sarah Sjöström Sarah Fredrika Sjöström (; born 17 August 1993) is a Swedish competitive swimmer specialising in the sprint freestyle and butterfly events. She is the current world record holder in the 50 metre freestyle (long course), the 100 metre freestyle ...

also swam 1:54.31 (2015), 1:54.34 (2016), 1:54.65 (2016), 1:54.77 (2015), 1:54.78 (2019), 1:54.87 (2016), 1:55.04 (2014), 1:55.05 (2015), 1:55.14 (2019), 1:55.23 (2012), 1:55.30 (2016), 1:55.39 (2019). *

Katie Ledecky Kathleen Genevieve Ledecky (born March 17, 1997) is an American competitive swimmer. She has won seven Olympic gold medals and 19 world championship gold medals, the most in history for a female swimmer. Ledecky's six individual gold medals at ...

also swam 1:54.40 (2021), 1:54.43 (2016), 1:54.50 (2022), 1:54.56 (2018), 1:54.59 (2020), 1:54.60 (2018), 1:54.66 (2022), 1:54.69 (2017), 1:54.81 (2016), 1:54.82 (2016), 1:54.84 (2017), 1:54.85 (2016), 1:54.88 (2016), 1:55.01 (2016), 1:55.10 (2016), 1:55.11 (2021), 1:55.15 (2018, 2022), 1:55.16 (2014, 2015, 2018), 1:55.18 (2017), 1:55.21 (2021), 1:55.28 (2021), 1:55.32 (2018), 1:55.34 (2017, 2021), 1:55.37 (2015), 1:55.40 (2021). *

Allison Schmitt Allison Rodgers Schmitt (born June 7, 1990) is an American competition Swimming (sport), swimmer who specializes in Freestyle swimming, freestyle events. She is a four-time Olympic Games, Olympian and a ten-time Olympic medalist. In her Olympic ...

also swam 1:54.40 (2012), 1:54.96 (2009), 1:55.04 (2012). *

Yang Junxuan Yang Junxuan ( zh, s=杨浚瑄, born 26 January 2002) is a Chinese Swimming (sport), swimmer. She competed at the 2018 Asian Games in the following competitions: Swimming at the 2018 Asian Games – Women's 100 metre freestyle, 100 metre freesty ...

also swam 1:54.48 (2021), 1:54.57 (2021), 1:54.70 (2021), 1:54.92 (2022), 1:54.98 (2020), 1:55.01 (2021). *

Emma McKeon Emma Jennifer McKeon, (born 24 May 1994) is an Australian competitive swimmer. She is a four-time world record holder, one current and three former, in the 4x100 metre freestyle relay. Her total career haul of 11 Olympic medals following the ...

also swam 1:54.74 (2021), 1:54.83 (2016), 1:54.92 (2016), 1:54.99 (2017), 1:55.18 (2017). *

Taylor Ruck Taylor Madison Ruck (born May 28, 2000) is a Canadian competitive swimmer. She won two Olympic bronze medals as part of Canada's women's 4×100 metre and 4×200 metre freestyle relay teams at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Ruck wo ...

also swam 1:54.81 (2018). *

Camille Muffat Camille Muffat (; 28 October 1989 – 9 March 2015) was a French swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist. Swimming for the Olympic Nice Natation club, she specialised in the individual medley and the free style events. Her career ran from 2005 ...

also swam 1:54.87 (2012), 1:55.21 (2012), 1:55.40 (2012). *

Siobhan Haughey Siobhán is a female given name of Irish origin. The most common anglicisations are Siobhan (identical to the Irish spelling but omitting the acute accent over the 'a'), Shevaun and Shivaun. A now uncommon spelling variant is Siubhán. It is de ...

also swam 1:54.89 (2021), 1:54.98 (2019), 1:55.16 (2021), 1:55.21 (2020). *

Mollie O'Callaghan Mollie Grace O'Callaghan, (born 2 April 2004) is an Australian swimmer. She competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics. O'Callaghan swam on the first night of racing in the heats of the women's freestyle. She ended up winning 2 gold medals and a bro ...

also swam 1:54.94 (2022), 1:55.11 (2021), 1:55.22 (2022). * Rikako Ikee also swam 1:55.04 (2018). *

Missy Franklin Melissa Franklin Johnson (born May 10, 1995) is an American former competition swimmer and five-time Olympic gold medalist. She formerly held the world record in the 200-meter backstroke (long course). As a member of the U.S. national swim team ...

also swam 1:55.06 (2011). *

Femke Heemskerk Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk (; born 21 September 1987) is a former Dutch competitive swimmerSummer McIntosh Summer McIntosh (born August 18, 2006) is a Canadian competitive swimmer. A four-time World Aquatics champion and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, she is the current world record holder in the women's 400 metre individual medley. McI ...

also swam 1:55.24 (2022), 1:55.39 (2022). *

Veronika Andrusenko Veronika Andreyevna Andrusenko (née Popova) (russian: Вероника Андреевна Андрусенко (Попова); born 20 January 1991) is a Russian competitive Swimming (sport), swimmer. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she competed f ...

also swam 1:55.26 (2017). *

Penny Oleksiak Penelope Oleksiak (born June 13, 2000) is a Canadian competitive swimmer. Her country's most decorated Olympian, Oleksiak rose to fame during the 2016 Summer Olympics, where she became the first Canadian to win four medals in the same Summer Gam ...

also swam 1:55.38 (2021).

Women short course

*Correct as of December 2022

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:52.59: *

also swam 1:50.65 (2021), 1:50.66 (2021), 1:51.04 (2021), 1:51.11 (2020), 1:51.13 (2022), 1:51.17 (2021), 1:51.19 (2020, 2022), 1:51.36 (2020, 2022), 1:51.42 (2020), 1:51.67 (2020), 1:51.88 (2020), 1:51.99 (2019), 1:52.25 (2021), 1:52.50 (2021). *

also swam 1:50.78 (2014), 1:51.44 (2014), 1:51.56 (2017), 1:51.60 (2017), 1:51.63 (2017), 1:51.77 (2017), 1:51.92 (2018), 1:52.00 (2017), 1:52.25 (2018), 1:52.26 (2013), 1:52.35 (2018), 1:52.58 (2011). * Katinka Hosszu also swam 1:51.41 (2014), 1:51.44 (2014), 1:51.50 (2014), 1:51.84 (2014), 1:52.08 (2016), 1:52.25 (2014), 1:52.28 (2016), 1:52.32 (2013), 1:52.45 (2014), 1:52.55 (2014)). *

also swam 1:51.63 (2017), 1:51.73 (2016), 1:51.85 (2008), 1:51.89 (2015), 1:52.05 (2017), 1:52.33 (2009). *

Femke Heemskerk Frederike Johanna Maria "Femke" Heemskerk (; born 21 September 1987) is a former Dutch competitive swimmerEmma McKeon Emma Jennifer McKeon, (born 24 May 1994) is an Australian competitive swimmer. She is a four-time world record holder, one current and three former, in the 4x100 metre freestyle relay. Her total career haul of 11 Olympic medals following the ...

also swam 1:51.83 (2020), 1:52.40 (2013), 1:52.49 (2015), 1:52.59 (2014). *

also swam 1:52.08 (2011), 1:52.17 (2020). *

also swam 1:52.20 (2012), 1:52.28 (2012), 1:52.29 (2010). *

also swam 1:52.22 (2018). *

also swam 1:52.31 (2022). *

Charlotte Bonnet Charlotte Bonnet (born 14 February 1995) is a French Swimming (sport), swimmer, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Bonnet was born in Enghien-les-Bains, Paris. Her Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 4 × 200 metre f ...

also swam 1:52.36 (2018). *

Mallory Comerford Mallory Comerford (born September 6, 1997) is an American competitive swimmer specializing in freestyle events. Comerford was the winner of five gold medals at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships. She won USA Swimming's Golden Goggle Award f ...

also swam 1:52.52 (2018). *

Madison Wilson Madison Maree Wilson, (born 31 May 1994) is an Australian competitive swimmer who has participated in backstroke and freestyle events at the Olympic Games and the FINA world championships. Wilson has been a member of three world record Austra ...

also swam 1:52.55 (2022).

References

{{World records in swimming Freestyle 0200 metres World record progression 0200 metres freestyle