The world records in swimming are ratified by World Aquatics (formerly known as FINA), the international governing body of swimming. Records can be set in long course (50 metres) or short course (25 metres) swimming pools. World Aquatics recognizes world records in the following events for both men and women, except for the mixed relays, where teams consist of two men and two women, in any order. Freestyle: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m Backstroke: 50m, 100m, 200m Breaststroke: 50m, 100m, 200m Butterfly: 50m, 100m, 200m Individual medley: 100m (short course only), 200m, 400m Relays: 4 × 50 m freestyle relay (short course only), 4 × 100 m freestyle, 4 × 200 m freestyle, 4 × 50 m medley relay (short course only), 4 × 100 m medley Mixed relays: 4 × 50 m mixed freestyle (short course only), 4 × 100 m mixed freestyle (long course only), 4 × 50 m mixed medley (short course only), 4 × 100 m mixed medley (long course only)

The ratification process is described in FINA Rule SW12, and involves submission of paperwork certifying the accuracy of the timing system and the length of the pool, satisfaction of FINA rules regarding swimwear and a negative doping test by the swimmer(s) involved. Records can be set at intermediate distances in an individual race and for the first leg of a relay race. Records which have not yet been fully ratified are marked with a '#' symbol in these lists.

Some of the records below were established by swimmers wearing bodysuits or suits made of polyurethane or other non-textile materials allowed in the race pool from February 2008 until December 2009. On the eve of the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome, the international governing body for five Olympic aquatic sports voted to ban the use of bodysuits and all suits made of non-textile materials starting 1 January 2010. The suits seemed to improve the performance in those with larger physiques, boosting performance in some athletes more than others, depending on morphology and physiology. Since then, best times set by swimmers wearing textile materials have once again overtaken more than half of the world records recognized by World Aquatics.

On 25 July 2013, FINA Technical Swimming Congress voted to allow world records in the long course mixed 400 free relay and mixed 400 medley relay, as well as in six events in short course metres: the mixed 200 medley and 200 free relays, as well as the men's and women's 200 free relays and the men's and women's 200 medley relays. In October 2013, FINA decided to establish "standards" before something can be recognized as the first World Record in these events. But later on 13 March 2014 FINA has officially ratified the eight world records set by Indiana University swimmers at the IU Relay Rally held on 26 September 2013 in Bloomington.

Long course (50m pool)

Men

Women

Mixed relay

Short course (25m pool) Men

Women

Mixed relay

Record holders' rankings By nation NationRecordtallyLCSCTotalLCSCTotalLCSCTotalMenWomenMixed 33 5 5 10 7 13 20 2 1 3 10 1 1 2 4 4 8 8 1 1 4 3 7 5 1 3 4 1 1 4 2 2 4 4 3 1 4 4 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 3 3 1 2 3 3 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total 93 20 24 44 20 24 44 2 3 5

By athlete (men) Record countName (last record)NationalityEvents4Caeleb Dressel (2021)100m butterfly LC4 × 100m medley relay LC100m individual medley SC4 × 50m freestyle relay SC3Léon Marchand (2025)200m individual medley LC400m individual medley LC200m individual medley SCLuke Hobson (2024)200m freestyle SC4 × 100m freestyle relay SC4 × 200m freestyle relay SC2Egor Kornev (2026)100m freestyle SC4 × 100m medley relay SCHubert Kós (2025)100m backstroke SC200m backstroke SCJack Alexy (2025)Mixed 4 × 100m freestyle relay LC4 × 100m freestyle relay SCLeonardo Deplano (2025)4 × 50m medley relay SCMixed 4 × 50m freestyle relay SCKieran Smith (2024)4 × 100m freestyle relay SC4 × 200m freestyle relay SCKliment Kolesnikov (2023)50m backstroke LC50m backstroke SCRyan Murphy (2022)4 × 100m medley relay LCMixed 4 × 50m medley relay SCAdam Peaty (2019)50m breaststroke LC100m breaststroke LCMichael Phelps (2009)4 × 100m freestyle relay LC4 × 200m freestyle relay LC

By athlete (women) Record countName (last record)NationalityEvents10Kate Douglass (2026)50m freestyle LC4 × 100m medley relay LCMixed 4 × 100m freestyle relay LCMixed 4 × 100m medley relay LC100m freestyle SC200m breaststroke SC200m individual medley SC4 × 100m freestyle relay SC4 × 100m medley relay SCMixed 4 × 50m medley relay SC9Gretchen Walsh (2026)100m butterfly LC4 × 100m medley relay LCMixed 4 × 100m medley relay LC50m freestyle SC50m butterfly SC100m butterfly SC100m individual medley SC4 × 100m freestyle relay SC4 × 100m medley relay SC7Summer McIntosh (2026)400m freestyle LC200m butterfly LC200m individual medley LC400m individual medley LC400m freestyle SC200m butterfly SC400m individual medley SC5Regan Smith (2025)100m backstroke LC4 × 100m medley relay LC50m backstroke SC100m backstroke SC4 × 100m medley relay SC4Mollie O'Callaghan (2025)4 × 100m freestyle relay LC4 × 200m freestyle relay LC200m freestyle SC4 × 50m medley relay SCTorri Huske (2025)4 × 100m medley relay LCMixed 4 × 100m freestyle relay LCMixed 4 × 100m medley relay LCMixed 4 × 50m medley relay SC3Katie Ledecky (2025)800m freestyle LC1500m freestyle LC1500m freestyle SCRūta Meilutytė (2023)50m breaststroke LC50m breaststroke SC100m breaststroke SC2Sara Curtis (2026)50m backstroke LCMixed 4 × 50m freestyle relay SCKaylee McKeown (2025)200m backstroke LC200m backstroke SCAriarne Titmus (2024)200m freestyle LC4 × 200m freestyle relay LCLilly King (2024)100m breaststroke LC4 × 100m medley relay SCShayna Jack (2023)4 × 100m freestyle relay LC4 × 200m freestyle relay LCEmma McKeon (2023)4 × 100m freestyle relay LC4 × 50m medley relay SC

World bests and other relay performances World Aquatics recognises mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle and medley relay world records in 50 m pools, and mixed 4 × 50 m freestyle and medley relay world records in 25 m pools. For a relay world record to be recognised, all team members must have the same sporting nationality.

The tables below list documented world bests and championship or league records that are not ratified World Aquatics world records.

Long course (50m pool) Mixed {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! Event ! style="width:4em" class="unsortable" | Time ! class="unsortable" | ! Name !! Team !! Date !! Meet !! Location ! class="unsortable" | Ref

Short course (25m pool) Men France's 1:20.77 predates FINA's recognition of world records in the 4 × 50 m freestyle relay; the official world record is 1:21.80. Energy Standard's 3:18.28 was swum by a team of different sporting nationalities.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! Event ! style="width:4em" class="unsortable" | Time ! class="unsortable" | ! Name !! Team !! Date !! Meet !! Location ! class="unsortable" | Ref

Mixed {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! Event ! style="width:4em" class="unsortable" | Time ! class="unsortable" | ! Name !! Team !! Date !! Meet !! Location ! class="unsortable" | Ref

References

External links World Aquatics swimming world records