The 200 metres freestyle is an event in competitive swimming. World records are ratified by World Aquatics (formerly FINA). The current long course world record holders are Germany's Paul Biedermann and the Australia's Ariarne Titmus, while the current short course world record holders are the US' Luke Hobson and Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan.
The men's event was first contested at the Olympic Games in 1900, but was absent from the program from 1904–1964. In 1968, the men's event was reinstated and the women's event was introduced; the current Olympic champions are Romania's David Popovici, and O'Callaghan. It was first contested at the World Aquatics Championships in 1973; the current world champions (long course) are Popovici and O'Callaghan. It was first contested at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in 1993; the current world champions (short course) are Hobson, and Hong Kong's Siobhán Haughey.
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 25 200 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 September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 1:42.00 Paul Biedermann 28 July 2009 Rome 2 1:42.81Biedermann #2 31 July 2009 Rome 2 3 1:42.96 Michael Phelps 12 August 2008 Beijing 3 4 1:42.97 David Popovici 15 August 2022 Rome 5 1:43.13Popovici #2 21 June 2024 Belgrade 4 6 1:43.14 Yannick Agnel 30 July 2012 London 7 1:43.21Popovici #3 20 June 2022 Budapest 8 1:43.22Phelps #2 28 July 2009 Rome 9 1:43.31Phelps #3 13 August 2008 Beijing 5101:43.49Zhang Zhanshuo23 September 2026Tokyo 11 1:43.53Popovici #4 29 July 2025 Singapore 12 1:43.64Popovici #5 26 June 2025 Šamorín 13 1:43.65Biedermann #3 27 July 2009 Rome 6 14 1:43.73 Luke Hobson 4 June 2025 Indianapolis 7 15 1:43.76 Léon Marchand 10 August 2026 Paris 16 1:43.84Hobson #2 29 July 2025 Singapore 17 1:43.85Hobson #3 12 August 2026 Irvine 18 1:43.86Phelps #4 27 March 2007 Melbourne 8 19 1:43.90 Danila Izotov 28 July 2009 Rome 9 20 1:43.92 Hwang Sun-woo 20 October 2025 Busan 10 21 1:43.96 Gabriel Jett 12 August 2026 Irvine 22 1:44.02Biedermann #4 31 July 2009 Rome 11 23 1:44.06 Ian Thorpe 25 July 2001 Fukuoka 24 1:44.10Phelps #5 1 July 2008 Omaha 25 1:44.13Hobson #4 13 August 2026 Irvine 12 1:44.14 Lukas Märtens 27 April 2024 Berlin 13 1:44.22 Tom Dean 27 July 2021 Tokyo 14 1:44.26 Duncan Scott 27 July 2021 Tokyo 15 1:44.30 Matt Richards 25 July 2023 Fukuoka 16 1:44.38 Danas Rapšys 17 August 2019 Singapore 17 1:44.39 Sun Yang 25 July 2017 Budapest 18 1:44.44 Ryan Lochte 26 July 2011 Shanghai 19 1:44.54 Tatsuya Murasa 29 July 2025 Singapore 20 1:44.55 Tomas Navikonis 14 August 2026 Paris 21 1:44.65 Katsuhiro Matsumoto 5 April 2021 Tokyo Pan Zhanle 4 May 2023 Hangzhou 23 1:44.66 Fernando Scheffer 27 July 2021 Tokyo 24 1:44.72 Carlos D'Ambrosio 10 August 2026 Paris 25 1:44.74 Kieran Smith 28 July 2021 Tokyo
Men short course
Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 1:38.61 Luke Hobson 15 December 2024 Budapest 2 1:38.91Hobson #2 13 December 2024 Budapest 2 3 1:39.37 Paul Biedermann 15 November 2009 Berlin 3 4 1:39.70 Yannick Agnel 15 November 2012 Angers 4 5 1:39.72 Hwang Sun-woo 18 December 2022 Melbourne 6 1:39.81Biedermann #2 13 December 2009 Istanbul 5 7 1:39.83 Duncan Scott 2 November 2024 Singapore 8 1:39.94Hobson #3 25 October 2025 Toronto 6 9 1:40.08 Danila Izotov 13 December 2009 Istanbul 7 10 1:40.16 Edward Sommerville 29 September 2026 Sydney 8 11 1:40.19 Chris Guiliano 25 October 2025 Toronto 12 1:40.25Scott #2 22 November 2020 Budapest 13 1:40.29Scott #3 26 October 2024 Incheon 9 14 1:40.36 Maximillian Giuliani 15 December 2024 Budapest 15 1:40.39Guiliano #2 25 October 2025 Toronto 10 16 1:40.49 Townley Haas 22 November 2020 Budapest 17 1:40.54Scott #4 4 December 2025 Lublin 18 1:40.59Sommerville #2 9 August 2025 Brisbane 19 1:40.62Hobson #4 19 October 2025 Westmont 20 1:40.64Sommerville #3 25 September 2024 Adelaide 11 21 1:40.65 Matthew Sates 3 October 2021 Berlin 12 22 1:40.69 Carlos D'Ambrosio 30 March 2026 Riccione 23 1:40.73Giuliani #2 13 December 2024 Budapest 24 1:40.76Scott #5 15 November 2020 Budapest 13 25 1:40.79 David Popovici 18 December 2022 Melbourne 14 1:40.80 Brent Hayden 15 November 2009 Berlin Cameron McEvoy 25 November 2015 Sydney 16 1:40.82 Kyle Chalmers 3 October 2021 Berlin 17 1:40.85 Danas Rapšys 14 December 2017 Copenhagen 18 1:40.86 Tom Dean 18 December 2022 Melbourne 19 1:40.88 Shaine Casas 13 December 2024 Budapest 20 1:40.89 Darian Townsend 15 November 2009 Berlin 21 1:40.91 Léon Marchand 2 November 2024 Singapore 22 1:40.94 Jack McMillan 4 December 2025 Lublin 23 1:41.01 Aleksandr Shchegolev 19 November 2021 Eindhoven Matt Richards 9 December 2023 Otopeni 25 1:41.03 Park Tae-hwan 7 December 2016 Windsor Dominik Kozma 7 August 2017 Berlin
Women long course
Correct as of August 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 1:52.23 Ariarne Titmus 12 June 2024 Brisbane 2 2 1:52.48 Mollie O'Callaghan 12 June 2024 Brisbane 3 1:52.85O'Callaghan #2 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 4 1:52.86O'Callaghan #3 10 June 2026 Sydney 3 5 1:52.98 Federica Pellegrini 29 July 2009 Rome 6 1:53.01Titmus #2 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 7 1:53.09Titmus #3 14 June 2021 Adelaide 8 1:53.27O'Callaghan #4 29 July 2024 Paris 9 1:53.31Titmus #4 20 May 2022 Adelaide 10 1:53.48O'Callaghan #5 30 July 2025 Singapore 11 1:53.50Titmus #5 28 July 2021 Tokyo 12 1:53.52O'Callaghan #6 1 August 2024 Paris O'Callaghan #7 20 March 2026 Shenzhen 14 1:53.57O'Callaghan #8 20 April 2024 Gold Coast 4 15 1:53.61 Allison Schmitt 31 July 2012 London 5 16 1:53.65 Summer McIntosh 26 July 2023 Fukuoka Lani Pallister 10 June 2026 Sydney 18 1:53.66O'Callaghan #9 27 July 2023 Fukuoka 19 1:53.67Pellegrini #2 28 July 2009 Rome Pallister #2 12 August 2026 Irvine 21 1:53.69McIntosh #2 14 May 2024 Toronto O'Callaghan #10 8 April 2026 Gold Coast 7 23 1:53.73 Katie Ledecky 9 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 24 1:53.80McIntosh #3 6 March 2026 Westmont 25 1:53.81Titmus #6 29 July 2024 Paris 8 1:53.92 Siobhán Haughey 28 July 2021 Tokyo 9 1:54.08 Sarah Sjöström 9 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 10 1:54.26 Tang Muhan 26 September 2021 Xi'an 11 1:54.34 Freya Colbert 16 April 2026 London 12 1:54.37 Yang Junxuan 29 July 2021 Tokyo 13 1:54.38 Barbora Seemanová 13 August 2026 Paris 14 1:54.44 Taylor Ruck 9 August 2018 Tokyo 15 1:54.52 Li Bingjie 30 July 2025 Singapore 16 1:54.55 Emma McKeon 11 June 2019 Brisbane 17 1:54.65 Marrit Steenbergen 13 August 2026 Paris 18 1:54.66 Camille Muffat 6 June 2012 Canet-en-Roussillon 19 1:54.67 Claire Weinstein 30 July 2025 Singapore 20 1:54.68 Femke Heemskerk 3 April 2015 Eindhoven 21 1:54.70 Penny Oleksiak 28 July 2021 Tokyo 22 1:54.81 Missy Franklin 31 July 2013 Barcelona 23 1:54.85 Rikako Ikee 9 August 2018 Tokyo 24 1:54.95 Charlotte Bonnet 6 August 2018 Glasgow 25 1:54.96 Liu Yaxin 23 March 2025 Qingdao
Women short course
Correct as of October 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 1:49.36 Mollie O'Callaghan 24 October 2025 Toronto 2 1:49.77 O'Callaghan #2 18 October 2025 Westmont 2 3 1:50.31 Siobhán Haughey 16 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 3 4 1:50.33 Marrit Steenbergen 4 December 2025 Lublin 4 5 1:50.43 Sarah Sjöström 12 August 2017 Eindhoven 6 1:50.62Haughey #2 15 December 2024 Budapest 7 1:50.65Haughey #3 26 November 2021 Eindhoven 8 1:50.66Haughey #4 19 November 2021 Eindhoven 9 1:50.77 O'Callaghan #3 11 October 2025 Carmel 10 1:50.78Sjöström #2 7 December 2014 Doha 11 1:51.02Haughey #5 25 October 2024 Incheon 12 1:51.04Haughey #6 4 December 2021 Eindhoven 13 1:51.08Haughey #7 2 October 2026 Baku 14 1:51.11Haughey #8 22 November 2020 Budapest 15 1:51.13Haughey #9 29 October 2022 Toronto 5 16 1:51.17 Federica Pellegrini 13 December 2009 Istanbul 16 1:51.17Haughey #10 12 November 2021 Eindhoven 6 18 1:51.18 Katinka Hosszú 7 December 2014 Doha 19 1:51.19Haughey #11 10 November 2020 Budapest Haughey #12 4 November 2022 Indianapolis 7 21 1:51.25 Li Bingjie 28 October 2022 Beijing 22 1:51.36Haughey #13 15 November 2020 Budapest Haughey #14 22 October 2022 Berlin 8 24 1:51.38 Ariarne Titmus 11 December 2018 Hangzhou 25 1:51.41Hosszú #2 17 August 2014 Doha 9 1:51.47 Minna Abraham 4 December 2025 Lublin 10 1:51.49 Mary-Sophie Harvey 15 December 2024 Budapest 11 1:51.61 Yang Junxuan 28 October 2022 Beijing 12 1:51.62 Claire Weinstein 15 December 2024 Budapest 13 1:51.65 Camille Muffat 15 November 2012 Angers 14 1:51.66 Emma McKeon 28 November 2015 Sydney 15 1:51.67 Allison Schmitt 19 December 2009 Manchester 16 1:51.69 Femke Heemskerk 7 December 2014 Doha 17 1:51.75 Lani Pallister 15 December 2024 Budapest 24 October 2025 Toronto 18 1:51.81 Mallory Comerford 11 December 2018 Hangzhou 19 1:51.87 Freya Anderson 22 November 2020 Budapest 20 1:51.94 Freya Colbert 3 December 2025 Lublin 4 December 2025 Lublin 21 1:52.10 Katie Ledecky 4 November 2022 Indianapolis 22 1:52.15 Rebecca Smith 14 December 2022 Melbourne 23 1:52.19 Charlotte Bonnet 16 December 2017 Copenhagen 24 1:52.23 Madison Wilson 4 November 2022 Indianapolis 25 1:52.46 Veronika Andrusenko 5 December 2015 Netanya
Olympic champions Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Paris 1900 2:25.2 1904–1964not included in the program Mexico City 1968 1:55.2 Munich 1972 1:52.78 Montreal 1976 1:50.29 Moscow 1980 1:49.81 Los Angeles 1984 1:47.44 Seoul 1988 1:47.25 Barcelona 1992 1:46.70 Atlanta 1996 1:47.63 Sydney 2000 1:45.35 = Athens 2004 1:44.71 Beijing 2008 1:42.96 London 2012 1:43.14 Rio de Janeiro 2016 1:44.65 Tokyo 2020 1:44.22 Paris 2024 1:44.72
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Mexico City 1968 2:10.5 Munich 1972 2:03.56 Montreal 1976 1:59.26 Moscow 1980 1:58.33 Los Angeles 1984 1:59.23 Seoul 1988 1:57.65 Barcelona 1992 1:57.90 Atlanta 1996 1:58.16 Sydney 2000 1:58.24 Athens 2004 1:58.03 Beijing 2008 1:54.82 London 2012 1:53.61 Rio de Janeiro 2016 1:53.73 Tokyo 2020 1:53.50 Paris 2024 1:53.27
World champions (long course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 1:53.02 CR Cali 1975 1:51.04 CR West Berlin 1978 1:51.02 CR Guayaquil 1982 1:49.84 CR Madrid 1986 1:47.92 CR Perth 1991 1:47.27 CR Rome 1994 1:47.32 Perth 1998 1:47.41 Fukuoka 2001 1:44.06 Barcelona 2003 1:45.14 Montreal 2005 1:45.20 Melbourne 2007 1:43.86 Rome 2009 1:42.00 Shanghai 2011 1:44.44 Barcelona 2013 1:44.20 Kazan 2015 1:45.14 Budapest 2017 1:44.39 Gwangju 2019 1:44.93 Budapest 2022 1:43.21 Fukuoka 2023 1:44.30 Doha 2024 1:44.75 Singapore 2025 1:43.53
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 2:04.99 CR Cali 1975 2:02.50 CR West Berlin 1978 1:58.53 Guayaquil 1982 1:59.53 Madrid 1986 1:58.26 CR Perth 1991 2:00.48 Rome 1994 1:56.78 Perth 1998 1:58.90 Fukuoka 2001 1:58.57 Barcelona 2003 1:58.32 Montreal 2005 1:58.60 Melbourne 2007 1:55.52 Rome 2009 1:52.98 Shanghai 2011 1:55.58 Barcelona 2013 1:54.81 Kazan 2015 1:55.16 Budapest 2017 1:54.73 Gwangju 2019 1:54.22 Budapest 2022 1:54.92 Fukuoka 2023 1:52.85 Doha 2024 1:54.89 Singapore 2025 1:53.48
World champions (short course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Palma de Mallorca 1993 1:45.21 CR Rio de Janeiro 1995 1:45.55 Gothenburg 1997 1:45.45 Hong Kong 1999 1:43.28 Athens 2000 1:45.27 Moscow 2002 1:44.36 Indianapolis 2004 1:43.59 Shanghai 2006 1:43.51 Manchester 2008 1:43.46 Dubai 2010 1:41.08 CR Istanbul 2012 1:41.92 Doha 2014 1:41.45 Windsor 2016 1:41.03 CR Hangzhou 2018 1:41.49 Abu Dhabi 2021 1:41.60 Melbourne 2022 1:39.72 CR Budapest 2024 1:38.61
Women