The 400 metres individual medley is an event in competitive swimming. World records are ratified by World Aquatics (formerly FINA). The current long course world record holders are France's Léon Marchand and Canada's Summer McIntosh, while the current short course world record holders are Japan's Daiya Seto, and McIntosh.
The men's and women's events have been contested at the Olympic Games since 1964; the current Olympic champions are Marchand and McIntosh. The men's and women's events have been contested at the World Aquatics Championships since the inaugural championships in 1973; the current world champions (long course) are Marchand and McIntosh. The men's and women's events have been contested at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) since the inaugural championships in 1993; the current world champions (short course) are Ilya Borodin, and McIntosh.
World record progression
Men long course
Men short course
Women long course
Women short course
All-time top 25 Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 400 m individual medley times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 400 m individual medley times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 400 m individual medley times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 400 m individual medley times
Men long course
Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 4:02.50 Léon Marchand 25 July 2023 Fukuoka 2 4:02.95 Marchand #2 28 July 2024 Paris 2 3 4:03.84 Michael Phelps 10 August 2008 Beijing 4 4:04.28 Marchand #3 18 June 2022 Budapest 5 4:04.56 Marchand #4 27 June 2026 Saint-Étienne 6 4:04.73 Marchand #5 3 August 2025 Singapore 3 7 4:05.18 Ryan Lochte 28 July 2012 London 8 4:05.25 Phelps #2 29 June 2008 Omaha 4 9 4:05.83 Tomoyuki Matsushita 3 September 2026 Osaka 5 10 4:05.90 Chase Kalisz 30 July 2017 Budapest 6 11 4:06.05 Kosuke Hagino 6 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 12 4:06.08 Lochte #2 29 June 2008 Omaha 7 13 4:06.09 Daiya Seto 25 January 2020 Tokyo 8 14 4:06.16 László Cseh 10 August 2008 Beijing 15 4:06.22 Phelps #3 1 April 2007 Melbourne 16 4:06.40 Lochte #3 7 July 2009 Indianapolis 9 17 4:06.56Carson Foster 18 June 2022 Budapest 25 July 2023 Fukuoka 19 4:06.75 Kalisz #2 6 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro Matsushita #2 13 August 2026 Irvine 21 4:06.93 Matsushita #3 22 March 2026 Tokyo 10 22 4:06.96 Tyler Clary 7 July 2009 Indianapolis 23 4:06.99 Kalisz #3 29 June 2017 Indianapolis 24 4:07.01 Lochte #4 2 August 2009 Rome 25 4:07.02 Foster #3 5 December 2025 Austin 11 25 4:07.02 Yumeki Kojima 22 September 2026 Tokyo 12 4:07.46 Bobby Finke 5 June 2025 Indianapolis 13 4:07.47 Dávid Verrasztó 24 June 2017 Rome 14 4:07.67 Asaki Nishikawa 29 November 2025 Tokyo 15 4:08.05 Ilya Borodin 25 July 2022 Kazan 16 4:08.70 Lewis Clareburt 30 July 2022 Birmingham 17 4:08.85 Max Litchfield 28 July 2024 Paris 184:08.86Thiago Pereira 2 August 2009 Rome 28 July 2012 London 19 4:09.10 Wang Shun 4 September 2013 Shenyang 20 4:09.18 Duncan Scott 7 April 2022 Sheffield 21 4:09.19 Raito Numata 12 September 2026 Aomori 22 4:09.22 Jay Litherland 28 July 2019 Gwangju 23 4:09.24 William Petric 13 August 2026 Irvine 24 4:09.27 Brendon Smith 28 July 2021 Tokyo 25 4:09.29 Alberto Razzetti 30 November 2023 Riccione
Men short course
Correct as of October 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 3:54.81 Daiya Seto 20 December 2019 Las Vegas 2 2 3:55.50 Ryan Lochte 16 December 2010 Dubai 3 3:55.53Seto #2 26 October 2019 Tokyo 4 3:55.75Seto #3 17 December 2022 Melbourne 3 5 3:56.13 Shaine Casas 25 October 2025 Toronto 6 3:56.26Seto #4 20 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 7 3:56.33Seto #5 4 December 2014 Doha 8 3:56.43Seto #6 15 December 2018 Hangzhou 4 9 3:56.47 Ilya Borodin 20 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 5 10 3:56.48 Kosuke Hagino 13 January 2014 Tokyo 11 3:56.83Borodin #2 14 December 2024 Budapest 6 12 3:57.01 Alberto Razzetti 10 December 2023 Otopeni 7 13 3:57.23 Carson Foster 3 October 2026 Baku 14 3:57.25Seto #7 30 September 2018 Eindhoven 8 15 3:57.27 László Cseh 11 December 2009 Istanbul 9 16 3:57.40 Oussama Mellouli 16 December 2010 Dubai 17 3:57.41Casas #2 19 October 2025 Westmont 18 3:57.45Foster #2 14 December 2024 Budapest 10 19 3:57.56 Tyler Clary 16 December 2010 Dubai 20 3:57.63Foster #3 17 December 2022 Melbourne 21 3:57.66Seto #8 15 November 2017 Tokyo 22 3:57.67Borodin #3 25 November 2024 Saint Petersburg 23 3:57.85Seto #9 30 October 2021 Kazan 11 24 3:57.91 Thomas Fraser-Holmes 28 November 2015 Sydney 25 3:57.99Foster #4 20 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 12 3:58.30 Léon Marchand 26 October 2024 Incheon 13 3:59.21 Matthew Sates 17 December 2022 Melbourne 14 3:59.23 Chad le Clos 9 November 2013 Tokyo 15 3:59.27 William Petric 30 September 2024 Sydney 16 3:59.33 Brendon Smith 30 September 2021 Naples 17 3:59.47 Péter Bernek 14 December 2017 Copenhagen 18 3:59.81 Duncan Scott 20 December 2019 Las Vegas 19 3:59.90 Conor Dwyer 10 August 2013 Berlin 20 3:59.99 Wang Shun 17 November 2018 Singapore 21 4:00.10 Dávid Verrasztó 11 December 2009 Istanbul 22 4:00.18 Max Litchfield 16 December 2018 Sheffield 23 4:00.43 Kaito Tabuchi 14 December 2024 Budapest 24 4:00.44 Tomoyuki Matsushita 19 October 2024 Tokyo 25 4:00.55 Gal Nevo 11 December 2009 Istanbul
Women long course
Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 4:23.65 Summer McIntosh 11 June 2025 Victoria 2 4:24.38McIntosh #2 16 May 2024 Toronto 3 4:25.78McIntosh #3 3 August 2025 Singapore 4 4:25.87McIntosh #4 1 April 2023 Toronto 2 5 4:26.36 Katinka Hosszú 6 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 6 4:26.98 McIntosh #5 7 March 2025 Westmont 7 4:27.11 McIntosh #6 30 July 2023 Fukuoka 8 4:27.31 McIntosh #7 5 June 2026 Austin 9 4:27.35 McIntosh #8 6 July 2026 Montreal 10 4:27.71 McIntosh #9 29 July 2024 Paris 11 4:28.01McIntosh #10 13 August 2026 Irvine 12 4:28.13McIntosh #1116 January 2026 Austin 3 13 4:28.22 Kaylee McKeown 18 April 2024 Gold Coast 4 14 4:28.43 Ye Shiwen 28 July 2012 London 5154:28.56Yu Zidi23 September 2026Tokyo 16 4:28.58 Hosszú #2 6 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 17 4:28.61 McIntosh #12 2 December 2022 Greensboro 18 4:29.01 McIntosh #13 29 July 2022 Birmingham 19 4:29.12 McIntosh #14 4 March 2022 Toronto 20 4:29.33 Hosszú #3 30 July 2017 Budapest 6 21 4:29.45 Stephanie Rice 10 August 2008 Beijing 7 22 4:29.89 Kirsty Coventry 10 August 2008 Beijing 22 4:29.89 Hosszú #4 4 March 2016 Marseille 24 4:29.96 McIntosh #15 1 December 2023 Greensboro 25 4:30.31 Hosszú #5 2 August 2009 Rome 8 4:30.43 Li Xuanxu 17 October 2009 Jinan 9 4:30.82 Yui Ohashi 8 April 2018 Tokyo 10 4:30.85 Qi Hui 17 October 2009 Jinan 11 4:31.12 Katie Hoff 29 June 2008 Omaha 12 4:31.15 Maya Dirado 6 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 13 4:31.19 Jenna Forrester 27 July 2026 Glasgow 14 4:31.21 Mireia Belmonte 4 August 2013 Barcelona 15 4:31.27 Elizabeth Beisel 28 July 2012 London 16 4:31.33 Hannah Miley 20 March 2009 Sheffield 17 4:31.41 Katie Grimes 30 July 2023 Fukuoka 18 4:32.51 Ke Wenxi 23 September 2026 Tokyo 19 4:32.52 Emily Overholt 9 August 2015 Kazan 20 4:32.53 Melanie Margalis 6 March 2020 Des Moines 21 4:32.54 Agostina Hein 13 August 2026 Irvine 22 4:32.76 Emma Weyant 25 July 2021 Tokyo 23 4:32.88 Sydney Pickrem 30 July 2017 Budapest 24 4:33.01 Aimee Willmott 24 July 2014 Glasgow 25 4:33.09 Yu Yiting 13 August 2026 Irvine
Women short course
Correct as of October 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 4:15.48 Summer McIntosh 14 December 2024 Budapest 2 2 4:18.94 Mireia Belmonte 12 August 2017 Eindhoven 3 3 4:19.46 Katinka Hosszú 2 December 2015 Netanya 4 4:19.75Hosszú #2 2 December 2015 Netanya 5 4:19.82Hosszú #3 6 August 2017 Berlin 6 4:19.86Belmonte #2 3 December 2014 Doha 4 7 4:20.14 Katie Grimes 14 December 2024 Budapest 8 4:20.83Hosszú #4 28 August 2014 Doha 9 4:20.85Hosszú #5 11 August 2013 Berlin 5 10 4:21.04 Julia Smit 18 December 2009 Manchester 11 4:21.05Hosszú #6 3 December 2014 Doha 12 4:21.21Hosszú #7 11 December 2015 Indianapolis 13 4:21.23Belmonte #3 15 December 2013 Herning 14 4:21.40Hosszú #8 11 December 2018 Hangzhou 15 4:21.49McIntosh #2 29 October 2022 Toronto 16 4:21.67Hosszú #9 6 December 2016 Windsor 17 4:21.91Hosszú #10 10 November 2018 Tokyo 18 4:22.05Hosszú #11 14 November 2017 Tokyo 19 4:22.06Hosszú #12 1 September 2014 Dubai 20 4:22.18Hosszú #13 8 August 2013 Eindhoven 21 4:22.55Belmonte #4 6 August 2017 Berlin 22 4:22.68Belmonte #5 2 November 2014 Singapore 6 23 4:22.73 Yui Ohashi 10 November 2018 Tokyo 7 24 4:22.88 Kathryn Meaklim 22 November 2009 Singapore 25 4:22.94Hosszú #14 3 December 2014 Doha 8 4:22.97 Ellen Walshe 24 October 2025 Toronto 9 4:23.14 Hannah Miley 12 December 2012 Istanbul 10 4:23.33 Ye Shiwen 12 December 2012 Istanbul 11 4:23.68 Sydney Pickrem 15 November 2020 Budapest 12 4:24.09 Yu Yiting 1 October 2026 Baku 13 4:24.15 Melanie Margalis 20 December 2019 Las Vegas 14 4:24.25 Mary-Sophie Harvey 24 October 2025 Toronto 15 4:24.31 Dagny Knutson 18 December 2009 Manchester 16 4:24.34 Abbie Wood 14 December 2024 Budapest 17 4:24.62 Caitlin Leverenz 16 December 2011 Atlanta 18 4:25.37 Aimee Willmott 15 December 2013 Herning 19 4:25.50 Hali Flickinger 22 November 2020 Budapest 20 4:25.55 Tessa Cieplucha 16 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 21 4:25.56 Elizabeth Beisel 3 December 2014 Doha 22 4:25.61 Zsuzsanna Jakabos 25 November 2012 Chartres 23 4:26.06 Alessia Filippi 14 December 2008 Rijeka Ella Eastin 12 August 2017 Eindhoven 25 4:26.31 Bailey Andison 5 September 2021 Naples
Olympic champions Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Tokyo 1964 4:45.4 Mexico City 1968 4:48.4 Munich 1972 4:31.98 Montreal 1976 4:23.68 Moscow 1980 4:22.89 Los Angeles 1984 4:17.41 Seoul 1988 4:14.75 Barcelona 1992 4:14.23 Atlanta 1996 4:14.90 Sydney 2000 4:11.76 Athens 2004 4:08.26 Beijing 2008 4:03.84 London 2012 4:05.18 Rio de Janeiro 2016 4:06.05 Tokyo 2020 4:09.42 Paris 2024 4:02.95
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Tokyo 1964 5:18.7 Mexico City 1968 5:08.5 Munich 1972 5:02.97 Montreal 1976 4:42.77 Moscow 1980 4:36.29 Los Angeles 1984 4:39.24 Seoul 1988 4:37.76 Barcelona 1992 4:36.54 Atlanta 1996 4:39.18 Sydney 2000 4:33.59 Athens 2004 4:34.83 Beijing 2008 4:29.45 London 2012 4:28.43 Rio de Janeiro 2016 4:26.36 Tokyo 2020 4:32.08 Paris 2024 4:27.71
World champions (long course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 4:31.11 CR Cali 1975 4:32.57 West Berlin 1978 4:20.05 Guayaquil 1982 4:19.78 Madrid 1986 4:18.98 CR Perth 1991 4:12.36 Rome 1994 4:12.30 Perth 1998 4:14.95 Fukuoka 2001 4:13.15 Barcelona 2003 4:09.09 Montreal 2005 4:09.63 Melbourne 2007 4:06.22 Rome 2009 4:07.01 Shanghai 2011 4:07.13 Barcelona 2013 4:08.69 Kazan 2015 4:08.50 Budapest 2017 4:05.90 CR Gwangju 2019 4:08.95 Budapest 2022 4:04.28 CR Fukuoka 2023 4:02.50 Doha 2024 4:09.72 Singapore 2025 4:04.73
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 4:57.51 Cali 1975 4:52.76 CR West Berlin 1978 4:40.83 Guayaquil 1982 4:36.10 Madrid 1986 4:43.75 Perth 1991 4:41.45 Rome 1994 4:39.14 Perth 1998 4:36.66 Fukuoka 2001 4:36.98 Barcelona 2003 4:36.74 Montreal 2005 4:36.07 CR Melbourne 2007 4:32.89 Rome 2009 4:30.31 CR Shanghai 2011 4:31.78 Barcelona 2013 4:30.41 Kazan 2015 4:30.39 Budapest 2017 4:29.33 CR Gwangju 2019 4:30.39 Budapest 2022 4:32.04 Fukuoka 2023 4:27.11 CR Doha 2024 4:37.14 Singapore 2025 4:25.78 CR
World champions (short course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Palma de Mallorca 1993 4:10.41 CR Rio de Janeiro 1995 4:08.02 CR Gothenburg 1997 4:06.89 CR Hong Kong 1999 4:06.05 CR Athens 2000 4:09.54 Moscow 2002 4:04.82 CR Indianapolis 2004 4:07.02 Shanghai 2006 4:02.49 CR Manchester 2008 4:03.21 Dubai 2010 3:55.50 Istanbul 2012 3:59.15 Doha 2014 3:56.33 Windsor 2016 3:59.24 Hangzhou 2018 3:56.43 Abu Dhabi 2021 3:56.26 Melbourne 2022 3:55.75 Budapest 2024 Ilya Borodin () 3:56.83
Women