The 50 metres backstroke is an event in competitive swimming. World records are ratified by World Aquatics (formerly FINA). The current long course world record holders are Russia's Kliment Kolesnikov and Italy's Sara Curtis, while the current short course world record holders are Kolesnikov, and the US' Regan Smith.
The men's and women's events have been contested at the World Aquatics Championships since 2001; the current world champions (long course) are Kolesnikov, and the US' Katharine Berkoff. The men's and women's events have been contested at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) since 1999; the current world champions (short course) are Miron Lifintsev and Smith.
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 50 m backstroke times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 50 m backstroke times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 50 m backstroke times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 50 m backstroke times
Men long course Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 23.55 Kliment Kolesnikov 27 July 2023 Kazan 2 23.68Kolesnikov #2 28 July 2023 Kazan Kolesnikov #3 3 August 2025 Singapore 2 4 23.71 Hunter Armstrong 28 April 2022 Greensboro 5 23.80Kolesnikov #4 18 May 2021 Budapest 6 23.86Kolesnikov #5 7 June 2026 Kazan 7 23.90Kolesnikov #6 26 July 2024 Yekaterinburg Kolesnikov #7 16 April 2025 Kazan 3 9 23.92 Justin Ress 28 April 2022 Greensboro Xu Jiayu 17 June 2026 Hangzhou 11 23.93Kolesnikov #8 17 May 2021 Budapest 12 23.96Kolesnikov #9 17 April 2024 Kazan 13 24.00Kolesnikov #10 4 August 2018 Glasgow 5 13 24.00 Shaine Casas 28 April 2022 Greensboro 15 24.01Armstrong #2 28 April 2022 Greensboro 6 15 24.01 Pavel Samusenko 16 April 2025 Kazan 17 24.03Samusenko #2 13 August 2026 Paris 7 18 24.04 Liam Tancock 2 August 2009 Rome 18 24.04Xu #2 21 September 2026 Tokyo 20 24.05Ress #2 28 April 2022 Greensboro Armstrong #3 30 July 2023 Fukuoka 8 22 24.07 Camille Lacourt 12 August 2010 Budapest 23 24.08Tancock #2 1 August 2009 Rome Kolesnikov #11 3 April 2021 Kazan Kolesnikov #12 2 August 2025 Singapore 9 24.11 Miroslav Knedla 14 August 2026 Paris 10 24.12 Robert Glință 3 August 2018 Glasgow Isaac Cooper 17 February 2024 Doha 12 24.15 Apostolos Christou 14 August 2026 Paris 13 24.17 Pieter Coetze 3 August 2025 Singapore 14 24.23 Mark Nikolaev 11 April 2019 Kazan 15 24.24 Junya Koga 2 August 2009 Rome Ryan Murphy 27 July 2018 Irvine 17 24.28 Miron Lifintsev 7 August 2024 Debrecen 18 24.29 Vladimir Morozov 3 August 2018 Glasgow 19 24.32 Shane Ryan 3 August 2018 Glasgow 20 24.33 Randall Bal 5 December 2008 Eindhoven 21 24.34 Johannes Zandberg 2 August 2009 Rome Quintin McCarty 5 June 2025 Indianapolis 23 24.36 Oliver Morgan 17 April 2026 London 24 24.38 Michele Lamberti 14 April 2026 Riccione 25 24.39 Michael Andrew 21 June 2019 Rome
Men short course Correct as of October 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 22.11 Kliment Kolesnikov 23 November 2022 Kazan 2 2 22.22 Florent Manaudou 6 December 2014 Doha 3 3 22.23 Egor Kornev 2 October 2026 Baku 4 22.31Kolesnikov #2 22 November 2022 Kazan 4 5 22.37 Pavel Samusenko 20 December 2025 Saint Petersburg 6 22.42Kolesnikov #3 16 December 2023 Saint Petersburg 7 22.43Kolesnikov #4 10 November 2025 Kazan 8 22.44 Kornev #2 20 December 2025 Saint Petersburg 9 22.47Kolesnikov #5 3 November 2021 Kazan 5 9 22.47 Miron Lifintsev 13 December 2024 Budapest 6 11 22.49 Mark Nikolaev 28 December 2021 Saint Petersburg Isaac Cooper 13 December 2024 Budapest 13 22.51 Samusenko #2 2 October 2026 Baku 8 13 22.51 Pieter Coetze 2 October 2026 Baku 15 22.52Cooper #2 15 December 2022 Melbourne Kornev #3 10 November 2025 Kazan 9 17 22.53 Ryan Murphy 25 November 2021 Eindhoven 17 22.53Cooper #3 1 October 2026 Sydney 19 22.54Murphy #2 21 November 2020 Budapest 10 20 22.55 Guilherme Guido 26 October 2019 Budapest 20 22.55Kolesnikov #6 22 November 2022 Kazan 22 22.56Murphy #3 3 December 2021 Eindhoven 11 22 22.56 Shane Ryan 13 December 2024 Budapest 24 22.57Kolesnikov #7 2 November 2021 Kazan 12 25 22.58 Evgeny Rylov 14 December 2018 Hangzhou 25 22.58Kolesnikov #8 3 November 2021 Kazan Cooper #4 19 October 2024 Shanghai 13 22.61 Peter Marshall 22 November 2009 Singapore Coleman Stewart 28 August 2021 Naples 15 22.62 Michele Lamberti 3 November 2021 Kazan 16 22.63 Ralf Tribuntsov 6 December 2025 Lublin 17 22.64 Hubert Kós 13 December 2024 Budapest 18 22.65 Lorenzo Mora 17 December 2022 Melbourne 19 22.68 Kacper Stokowski 13 December 2024 Budapest 20 22.69 Miroslav Knedla 7 December 2025 Lublin 21 22.70 Xu Jiayu 3 November 2018 Beijing 22 22.72 Dylan Carter 4 November 2022 Indianapolis 23 22.73 Thierry Bollin 12 December 2024 Budapest 24 22.74 Stanislav Donets 26 November 2010 Eindhoven Robert Glință 3 November 2021 Kazan
Notes Pavel Samusenko also swam 22.26, leading off the National Team squad’s mixed 4×50 medley relay final at the 2025 Vladimir Salnikov Cup.
Women long course
Correct as of August 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 26.56 Sara Curtis 13 August 2026 Paris 2 26.63 Curtis #2 12 August 2026 Paris 2 3 26.86 Kaylee McKeown 20 October 2023 Budapest 3 4 26.90 Katharine Berkoff 13 August 2026 Irvine 4 5 26.91 Alina Gaifutdinova 12 August 2026 Paris 6 26.97Berkoff #2 5 June 2025 Indianapolis 5 7 26.98 Liu Xiang 21 August 2018 Jakarta 7 26.98McKeown #2 9 December 2023 Brisbane Berkoff #3 18 June 2026 Indianapolis 10 27.02McKeown #3 13 October 2023 Athens 11 27.04Berkoff #4 13 August 2026 Irvine 12 27.05Berkoff #5 18 June 2026 Indianapolis 6 13 27.06 Zhao Jing 30 July 2009 Rome Mary-Ambre Moluh 13 August 2026 Paris 13 27.06McKeown #4 23 March 2025 Sydney 16 27.07McKeown #5 18 April 2024 Gold Coast Curtis #3 26 June 2026 Rome 18 27.08McKeown #6 27 July 2023 Fukuoka Berkoff #6 31 July 2025 Singapore 8 20 27.09 Wan Letian 23 March 2025 Qingdao Isabelle Stadden 30 July 2026 Irvine 10 22 27.10 Kira Toussaint 10 April 2021 Eindhoven Regan Smith 26 July 2023 Fukuoka 12 24 27.11 Fu Yuanhui 6 August 2015 Kazan 24 27.11Smith #2 27 July 2023 Fukuoka 13 27.13 Kylie Masse 1 May 2025 Fort Lauderdale 14 27.14 Etiene Medeiros 27 July 2017 Budapest 15 27.15 Lauren Cox 24 May 2025 London 12 August 2026 Paris 16 27.16 Mollie O'Callaghan 18 April 2024 Gold Coast Marrit Steenbergen 13 August 2026 Paris 18 27.19 Kathleen Dawson 18 May 2021 Budapest 19 27.21 Georgia Davies 4 August 2018 Glasgow 20 27.23 Daniela Samulski 30 July 2009 Rome Aliaksandra Herasimenia 27 July 2017 Budapest Anastasia Fesikova 4 August 2018 Glasgow 23 27.24 Claire Curzan 5 June 2025 Indianapolis 24 27.26 Tessa Giele 13 August 2026 Paris 25 27.27 Analia Pigrée 14 August 2022 Rome
Women short course Correct as of October 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 25.23 Regan Smith 13 December 2024 Budapest 2 2 25.25 Maggie Mac Neil 16 December 2022 Melbourne 3 25.27Mac Neil #2 20 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 3 4 25.35 Kaylee McKeown 23 October 2025 Toronto 5 25.36McKeown #2 18 October 2024 Shanghai 4 6 25.37 Gretchen Walsh 18 October 2024 Charlottesville 7 25.40McKeown #3 28 September 2024 Adelaide Walsh #2 23 October 2025 Toronto 9 25.42McKeown #4 10 October 2025 Carmel 5 9 25.42 Mollie O'Callaghan 23 October 2025 Toronto 6 11 25.47 Marrit Steenbergen 7 December 2025 Lublin 12 25.48Smith #2 31 October 2024 Singapore 13 25.49O'Callaghan #2 17 December 2022 Melbourne 7 13 25.49 Sara Curtis 7 December 2025 Lublin 8 15 25.51 Katharine Berkoff 12 December 2024 Budapest 9 16 25.54 Claire Curzan 16 December 2022 Melbourne 10 17 25.60 Kira Toussaint 14 November 2020 Budapest 18 December 2020 Amsterdam Maria Kameneva 24 November 2022 Kazan 17 25.60Curzan #2 15 December 2022 Melbourne 21 25.61O'Callaghan #3 16 December 2022 Melbourne Berkoff #2 13 December 2024 Budapest 23 25.62Toussaint #3 18 December 2020 Amsterdam 12 23 25.62 Kylie Masse 20 December 2021 Abu Dhabi 25 25.63McKeown #5 17 October 2025 Westmont 13 25.67 Etiene Medeiros 4 December 2014 Doha 14 25.70 Sanja Jovanović 12 December 2009 Istanbul 15 25.74 Olivia Smoliga 16 October 2020 Budapest 16 25.81 Minna Atherton 26 October 2019 Budapest Ingrid Wilm 12 December 2024 Budapest 18 25.82 Zhao Jing 10 November 2009 Stockholm 19 25.83 Emily Seebohm 7 December 2014 Doha Louise Hansson 19 December 2021 Abu Dhabi Celia Pulido Ortíz 10 October 2025 Carmel 22 25.85 Julie Kepp Jensen 15 December 2022 Melbourne 23 25.88 Iona Anderson 1 October 2026 Sydney 24 25.92 Gao Chang 27 February 2010 Tokyo 25 25.94 Analia Pigrée 13 December 2024 Budapest
World champions (long course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Fukuoka 2001 25.34 Barcelona 2003 24.80 Montreal 2005 24.95 Melbourne 2007 24.98 Rome 2009 24.04 Shanghai 2011 24.50 Barcelona 2013 24.42 Kazan 2015 24.23 Budapest 2017 24.35 Gwangju 2019 24.43 Budapest 2022 24.12 Fukuoka 2023 24.05 Doha 2024 24.13 Singapore 2025 Kliment Kolesnikov () 23.68 CR
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Fukuoka 2001 28.51 Barcelona 2003 28.48 CR Montreal 2005 28.63 Melbourne 2007 28.16 = Rome 2009 27.06 Shanghai 2011 27.79 Barcelona 2013 27.29 Kazan 2015 27.11 Budapest 2017 27.14 Gwangju 2019 27.33 Budapest 2022 27.31 Fukuoka 2023 27.08 Doha 2024 27.43 Singapore 2025 27.08
World champions (short course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Hong Kong 1999 24.34 CR Athens 2000 23.99 Moscow 2002 23.66 Indianapolis 2004 23.51 Shanghai 2006 23.53 Manchester 2008 23.49 Dubai 2010 22.93 CR Istanbul 2012 23.04 Doha 2014 22.22 Windsor 2016 22.85 Hangzhou 2018 22.58 Abu Dhabi 2021 Kliment Kolesnikov () 22.66 Melbourne 2022 22.64 Budapest 2024 Miron Lifintsev () 22.47
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Hong Kong 1999 27.63 CR Athens 2000 27.90 Moscow 2002 27.38 CR Indianapolis 2004 27.49 Shanghai 2006 27.00 CR Manchester 2008 26.37 Dubai 2010 26.27 CR Istanbul 2012 25.95 CR Doha 2014 25.67 Windsor 2016 25.82 Hangzhou 2018 25.88 Abu Dhabi 2021 25.27 Melbourne 2022 25.25 Budapest 2024 25.23
Notes
References