There are two different kinds of swimming records in the United States and certified by USA Swimming: American record: the fastest time by an American swimmer. U.S. Open record: the fastest time within the United States.
Note: The American records should not be confused with the Americas records, which are the fastest times ever swum by a swimmer representing any country of the Americas.
Long course (50 m) Men Event American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m) freestyle50 free 21.04 Caeleb Dressel (USA) 2019 World Championships July 27, 2019 / Gwangju, South Korea 21.04 Caeleb Dressel (Gator Swim Club) 2020 US Olympic Trials June 20, 2021 / Omaha, Nebraska 21.04 Caeleb Dressel (Gator Swim Club) 2020 US Olympic Trials June 20, 2021 / Omaha, Nebraska 100 free 46.81 Jack Alexy (USA) 2025 World Championships (sf) July 30, 2025 / Singapore, Singapore 46.99 Jack Alexy (California Aquatics) 2025 USA Championships (p) June 3, 2025 / Indianapolis, Indiana 200 free 1:42.96 Michael Phelps (USA) 2008 Olympic Games August 12, 2008 / Beijing, China 1:43.73 Luke Hobson (Longhorn Aquatics) 2025 USA Championships June 4, 2025 / Indianapolis, Indiana 400 free 3:42.78 Larsen Jensen (USA) 2008 Olympic Games August 10, 2008 / Beijing, China 3:40.52 Samuel Short (Australia) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 14, 2026 / Irvine, California800 free 7:38.67 Bobby Finke (USA) 2023 World Championships July 26, 2023 / Fukuoka, Japan 7:37.02 Samuel Short (Australia) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 12, 2026 / Irvine, California1500 free 14:30.67 Bobby Finke (USA) 2024 Olympic Games August 4, 2024 / Paris, France 14:33.97 Samuel Short (Australia) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 15, 2026 / Irvine, California backstroke American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)50 back 23.71 Hunter Armstrong (Ohio State) 2022 USA International Team Trials April 28, 2022 / Greensboro, North Carolina same 100 back 51.85 Ryan Murphy (USA) 2016 Olympic Games (r) August 13, 2016 / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 51.94 Aaron Peirsol (Longhorn Aquatics) 2009 USA Championships July 8, 2009 / Indianapolis, Indiana200 back 1:51.92+ Aaron Peirsol (USA) 2009 World Championships July 31, 2009 / Rome, Italy 1:53.08 Aaron Peirsol (Longhorn Aquatics) 2009 USA Championships July 11, 2009 / Indianapolis, Indiana breaststroke American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)50 breast 26.30 Van Mathias (Indiana) 2026 USA Swimming Pro Swim Series June 17, 2026 / Indianapolis, Indiana same100 breast 58.01 Van Mathias (Indiana) 2026 USA Swimming Pro Swim Series June 20, 2026 / Indianapolis, Indiana same200 breast 2:06.54 Matthew Fallon (University of Pennsylvania) 2024 US Olympic Trials June 19, 2024 / Indianapolis, Indiana same butterfly American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)50 fly 22.35 Caeleb Dressel (USA) 2019 World Championships July 22, 2019 / Gwangju, South Korea 22.59 Ilya Kharun (Sun Devil Swimming) 2026 USA Championships July 29, 2026 / Irvine, California 100 fly 49.45+ Caeleb Dressel (USA) 2020 Olympic Games July 31, 2021 / Tokyo, Japan 49.76"2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wave II: Men's 100m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary". Omega Timing. June 18, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021. Caeleb Dressel (Gator Swim Club) 2020 US Olympic Trials (sf) June 18, 2021 / Omaha, Nebraska 200 fly 1:51.51 Michael Phelps (USA) 2009 World Championships July 29, 2009 / Rome, Italy 1:52.20 Michael Phelps (Club Wolverine) 2008 US Olympic Trials July 2, 2008 / Omaha, Nebraska individual medley American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)200 IM 1:54.00 Ryan Lochte (USA) 2011 World Championships July 28, 2011 / Shanghai, China 1:54.43 Ryan Lochte (USA) 2010 Pan Pacific Championships August 21, 2010 / Irvine, California400 IM 4:03.84 Michael Phelps (USA) 2008 Olympic Games August 10, 2008 / Beijing, China 4:05.25 Michael Phelps (Club Wolverine) 2008 US Olympic Trials June 29, 2008 / Omaha, Nebraska relays American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)400 free relay 3:08.24+ USA Michael Phelps (47.51) Garrett Weber-Gale (47.02) Cullen Jones (47.65) Jason Lezak (46.06) 2008 Olympic Games August 11, 2008 / Beijing, China 3:09.01 USA Chris Guiliano (47.51) Patrick Sammon (46.98)Destin Lasco (47.74) Jack Alexy (46.78) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 14, 2026 / Irvine, California 800 free relay 6:58.55+ USA Michael Phelps (1:44.49) Ricky Berens (1:44.13) David Walters (1:45.47) Ryan Lochte (1:44.46) 2009 World Championships July 31, 2009 / Rome, Italy 6:59.37 USA Luke Hobson (1:44.13) Aaron Shackell (1:44.23)Patrick Sammon (1:46.92) Gabriel Jett (1:44.09) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 13, 2026 / Irvine, California 400 medley relay 3:26.78+ USA Ryan Murphy (52.31) Michael Andrew (58.49) Caeleb Dressel (49.03) Zach Apple (46.95) 2020 Olympic Games August 1, 2021 / Tokyo, Japan 3:29.06 USA Will Modglin (53.86) Van Mathias (57.72)Luca Urlando (50.51) Jack Alexy (46.97) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 15, 2026 / Irvine, California
Legend: + – World record; * – Record awaiting ratification by USA Swimming; Records not set in finals: p – preliminary; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial;
Women Event American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m) freestyle50 free 23.19+ Kate Douglass (USA) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 15, 2026 / Irvine, California same100 free 51.69 Kate Douglass (USA) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships (r) August 14, 2026 / Irvine, California same200 free 1:53.61 Allison Schmitt (USA) 2012 Olympic Games July 31, 2012 / London, UK 1:53.67 Lani Pallister (Australia) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 12, 2026 / Irvine, California400 free 3:56.46 Katie Ledecky (USA) 2016 Olympic Games August 7, 2016 / Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3:55.37 Summer McIntosh (Longhorn Aquatics) 2025 U.S. Open December 4, 2025 / Austin, Texas 800 free 8:04.12+ Katie Ledecky (Gator Swim Club) 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series May 3, 2025 / Fort Lauderdale, Florida same1500 free 15:20.48+ Katie Ledecky (USA) 2018 TYR Pro Swim Series May 16, 2018 / Indianapolis, Indiana same backstroke American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)50 back 26.90 Katharine Berkoff (USA) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 13, 2026 / Irvine, California same100 back 57.13+ Regan Smith (Longhorn Aquatics) 2024 US Olympic Trials June 19, 2024 / Indianapolis, Indiana same 200 back 2:03.35 Regan Smith (USA) 2019 World Championships (sf) July 26, 2019 / Gwangju, South Korea 2:03.80 Regan Smith (Sun Devil) 2023 USA Championships June 28, 2023 / Indianapolis, Indiana breaststroke American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)50 breast 29.40 Lilly King (USA) 2017 World Championships July 30, 2017 / Budapest, Hungary 29.59 Tang Qianting (China) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships (p) August 14, 2026 / Irvine, California100 breast 1:04.13+ Lilly King (USA) 2017 World Championships July 25, 2017 / Budapest, Hungary 1:04.45 Jessica Hardy (Trojan Swim Club) 2009 U.S. Open Championships August 7, 2009 / Federal Way, Washington 200 breast 2:18.50 Kate Douglass (USA) 2025 World Championships August 1, 2025 / Singapore, Singapore 2:19.30 Kate Douglass (New York Aquatic Club) 2024 TYR Pro Swim Series January 13, 2024 / Knoxville, Tennessee butterfly American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)50 fly 24.51 Gretchen Walsh (USA) 2026 Sette Colli Trophy June 26, 2026 / Rome, Italy 24.65 Gretchen Walsh (USA) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 12, 2026 / Irvine, California100 fly 54.33+ Gretchen Walsh (New York Athletic Club) 2026 Fort Lauderdale Open May 2, 2026 / Fort Lauderdale, Florida same200 fly 2:03.84 Regan Smith (USA) 2024 Olympic GamesAugust 1, 2024 / Paris, France 2:02.62 Summer McIntosh (Longhorn Aquatics) 2025 U.S. Open December 6, 2025 / Austin, Texas individual medley American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)200 IM 2:06.15 Ariana Kukors (USA) 2009 World Championships July 27, 2009 / Rome, Italy 2:06.79 Kate Douglass (New York Aquatic Club) 2024 US Olympic Trials June 22, 2024 / Indianapolis, Indiana400 IM 4:31.12 Katie Hoff (North Baltimore) 2008 US Olympic Trials June 29, 2008 / Omaha, Nebraska 4:26.98 Summer McIntosh (Canada) 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series March 7, 2025 / Westmont, Illinois relays American Record (50 m) U.S. Open Record (50 m)400 free relay 3:29.32 USA Kate Douglass (51.69) Gretchen Walsh (52.23)Torri Huske (52.79) Simone Manuel (52.61) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 14, 2026 / Irvine, California same800 free relay 7:40.01 USA Claire Weinstein (1:54.83) Anna Peplowski (1:54.75) Erin Gemmell (1:56.72) Katie Ledecky (1:53.71) 2025 World Championships July 31, 2025 / Singapore, Singapore 7:42.40 Australia Inez Miller (1:55.83) Lani Pallister (1:53.46)Hannah Casey (1:57.84) Milla Jansen (1:55.27) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 13, 2026 / Irvine, California 400 medley relay 3:49.34+ USA Regan Smith (57.57) Kate Douglass (1:04.27) Gretchen Walsh (54.98) Torri Huske (52.52) 2025 World Championships August 3, 2025 / Singapore, Singapore 3:50.43 USA Katharine Berkoff (58.35) McKenzie Siroky (1:05.07)Gretchen Walsh (54.78) Kate Douglass (52.23) 2026 Pan Pacific Championships August 15, 2026 / Irvine, California
Legend: + – World record; * – Record awaiting ratification by USA Swimming; Records not set in finals: p – preliminary; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial;
Short course meters (25 m) Men