Olympics swimming records: Updated list of best-ever world, Olympic records to beat in every 2024 event

Dan Treacy

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Olympics swimming records: Updated list of best-ever world, Olympic records to beat in every 2024 event image

Nineteen new Olympic swimming records were set in Tokyo three years ago, including a handful of world records. The world's best swimmers continue to defy physics and get better, and that trend could continue in Paris.

The U.S. and Australia dominated the pool in 2021, combining for 51 medals, and that success is reflected in the record books. The two nations hold a combined 21 Olympic swimming records in individual events, including 11 set in Tokyo. 

Some records are meant to be broken. In fact, plenty world records have been broken since the Tokyo Olympics ended three years ago. That includes some record-breaking performances in this year's Olympic trials.

Michael Phelps' record of eight gold medals in one Olympics might not be in much danger this year, but if the last Summer Games are any indication, plenty of individual event records could fall in Paris.

Here's a look at the records swimmers are chasing at the 2024 Olympics.

MORE: Meet the full Team USA swimming roster

Olympic swimming records

Women's

EventTimeAthleteCountryOlympics
50m Freestyle23.81Emma McKeonAustralia2020
100m Freestyle51.96Emma McKeonAustralia2020
200m Freestyle1:53.50Ariarne TitmusAustralia2020
400m Freestyle3:56.46Katie LedeckyUnited States2016
800m Freestyle8:04.79*Katie LedeckyUnited States2016
1500m Freestyle15:35.35Katie LedeckyUnited States2016
100m Backstroke57.47Kaylee McKeownAustralia2020
200m Backstroke2:04.06Missy FranklinUnited States2012
100m Breaststroke1:04.82Tatjana SchoenmakerSouth Africa2020
200m Breaststroke2:18.95Tatjana SchoenmakerSouth Africa2020
100m Butterfly55.48Sarah SjostromSweden2016
200m Butterfly2:03.03Summer McIntoshCanada2024
200m Individual Medley2:06.58Katinka HosszuHungary2016
400m Individual Medley4:26.36Katinka HosszuHungary2016
4x100m Freestyle Relay3:29.69N/AAustralia2020
4x200m Freestyle Relay7:40.33N/AChina2020
4x100m Medley Relay3:51.60N/AAustralia2020

Men's

EventTimeAthleteCountryOlympics
50m Freestyle21.07Caeleb DresselUnited States2020
100m Freestyle47.02Caeleb DresselUnited States2020
200m Freestyle1:42.96Michael PhelpsUnited States2008
400m Freestyle3:40.14Sun YangChina2012
800m Freestyle7:41.28Mykhailo RomanchukUkraine2020
1500m Freestyle14:30.67*Bobby FinkeUnited States2024
100m Backstroke51.85Ryan MurphyUnited States2016
200m Backstroke1:53.27Evgeny RylovRussia2020
100m Breaststroke57.13Adam PeatyGreat Britain2016
200m Breaststroke2:06.38Zac Stubblety-CookAustralia2020
100m Butterfly49.45*Caeleb DresselUnited States2020
200m Butterfly1:51.25Kristof MilakHungary2020
200m Individual Medley1:54.23Michael PhelpsUnited States2008
400m Individual Medley4:03.84Michael PhelpsUnited States2008
4x100m Freestyle Relay3:08.24*N/AUnited States2008
4x200m Freestyle Relay6:58.56N/AUnited States2008
4x100m Medley Relay3:26.78*N/AUnited States2020

Mixed

EventTimeAthleteCountryOlympics
4x100m Medley Relay3:37.58*N/AGreat Britain2020

* - Also a world record.

MORE: What Katie Ledecky has said about potential retirement date

World swimming records

Women's

EventTimeAthleteCountryYear
50m Freestyle23.61Sarah SjostromSweden2023
100m Freestyle51.71Sarah SjostromAustralia2023
200m Freestyle1:52.23Ariarne TitmusAustralia2024
400m Freestyle3:55.38Ariarne TitmusAustralia2023
800m Freestyle8:04.79Katie LedeckyUnited States2016
1500m Freestyle15:20.48Katie LedeckyUnited States2018
100m Backstroke57.13Regan SmithUnited States2024
200m Backstroke2:03.14Kaylee McKeownUnited States2023
100m Breaststroke1:04.13Lilly KingUnited States2017
200m Breaststroke2:17.55Evgeniia ChikunovaRussia2023
100m Butterfly55.18Gretchen WalshUnited States2024
200m Butterfly2:01.81Liu ZigeChina2009
200m Individual Medley2:06.12Katinka HosszuHungary2015
400m Individual Medley4:24.38Summer McIntoshCanada2024
4x100m Freestyle Relay3:27.96N/AAustralia2023
4x200m Freestyle Relay7:37.50N/AAustralia2023
4x100m Medley Relay3:50.40N/AUnited States2019

Men's

EventTimeAthleteCountryOlympics
50m Freestyle20.91Cesar CieloBrazil2009
100m Freestyle46.80Pan ZhanleChina2024
200m Freestyle1:42.00Paul BiedermannGermany2009
400m Freestyle3:40.07Paul BiedermannGermany2009
800m Freestyle7:32.12Zhang LinChina2009
1500m Freestyle14:30.67Bobby FinkeUnited States2024
100m Backstroke51.60Thomas CecconItaly2022
200m Backstroke1:51.92Aaron PiersolUnited States2009
100m Breaststroke56.88Adam PeatyGreat Britain2019
200m Breaststroke2:05.48Qin HaiyangChina2023
100m Butterfly49.45Caeleb DresselUnited States2020
200m Butterfly1:50.34Kristof MilakHungary2022
200m Individual Medley1:54.00Ryan LochteUnited States2011
400m Individual Medley4:02.50Leon MarchandFrance2023
4x100m Freestyle Relay3:08.24N/AUnited States2008
4x200m Freestyle Relay6:58.55N/AUnited States2009
4x100m Medley Relay3:26.78N/AUnited States2020

Mixed

EventTimeAthleteCountryOlympics
4x100m Medley Relay3:37.58N/AGreat Britain2020

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.