List of World Championships records in swimming
Below is a list of current championship (or "meet") records for the two World Championships in swimming:
- the swimming events of the FINA World Aquatics Championships, held in a long course (50 meter) pool.
- FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), at which swimming is the only discipline. This meet is held in a short course (25 meter) pool.
Both events are organized by the international governing body for aquatics, FINA. These are the fastest times ever swum at any edition of the meet.
Long course (50 m)
Men
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50m freestyle | 21.04 | Caeleb Dressel | United States | 27 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | ||
| 100m freestyle | 46.91 | AM | César Cielo Filho | Brazil | 30 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | |
| 200m freestyle | 1:42.00 | WR | Paul Biedermann | Germany | 28 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | |
| 400m freestyle | 3:40.07 | WR | Paul Biedermann | Germany | 26 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | |
| 800m freestyle | 7:32.12 | WR | Zhang Lin | China | 29 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | |
| 1500m freestyle | 14:31.54 | AF | Ahmed Hafnaoui | Tunisia | 30 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 50m backstroke | 24.04 | Liam Tancock | Great Britain | 2 August 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | ||
| 100m backstroke | 51.60 | WR | Thomas Ceccon | Italy | 20 June 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | |
| 200m backstroke | 1:51.92 | WR | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 31 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | |
| 50m breaststroke | 25.95 | sf, WR | Adam Peaty | Great Britain | 25 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | |
| 100m breaststroke | 56.88 | sf, WR | Adam Peaty | Great Britain | 21 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | |
| 200m breaststroke | 2:05.48 | WR | Qin Haiyang | China | 28 July 2023 | 2019 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 50m butterfly | 22.35 | AM | Caeleb Dressel | United States | 22 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | |
| 100m butterfly | 49.50 | sf | Caeleb Dressel | United States | 26 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | |
| 200m butterfly | 1:50.34 | WR | Kristóf Milák | Hungary | 21 June 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | |
| 200m individual medley | 1:54.00 | WR | Ryan Lochte | United States | 28 July 2011 | 2011 World Championships | Shanghai, China | |
| 400m individual medley | 4:02.50 | WR | Léon Marchand | France | 23 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 4×100m freestyle relay | 3:09.06 |
|
United States | 21 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | ||
| 4×200m freestyle relay | 6:58.55 | WR |
|
United States | 31 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | |
| 4×100m medley relay | 3:27.20 |
|
United States | 30 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan |
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; WR – World record; AF – African record; AM – Americas record; ER – European record; OC – Oceanian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Women
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50m freestyle | 23.61 | sf, WR | Sarah Sjöström | Sweden | 29 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 100m freestyle | 51.71 | r, WR | Sarah Sjöström | Sweden | 23 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | |
| 200m freestyle | 1:52.85 | WR | Mollie O'Callaghan | Australia | 26 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 400m freestyle | 3:55.38 | WR | Ariarne Titmus | Australia | 23 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 800m freestyle | 8:07.39 | Katie Ledecky | United States | 8 August 2015 | 2015 World Championships | Kazan, Russia | ||
| 1500m freestyle | 15:25.48 | Katie Ledecky | United States | 4 August 2015 | 2015 World Championships | Kazan, Russia | ||
| 50m backstroke | 27.06 | Zhao Jing | China | 30 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | ||
| 100m backstroke | 57.53 | Kaylee McKeown | Australia | 25 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 200m backstroke | 2:03.35 | sf, AM | Regan Smith | United States | 26 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | |
| 50m breaststroke | 29.16 | WR | Rūta Meilutytė | Lithuania | 30 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 100m breaststroke | 1:04.13 | WR | Lilly King | United States | 25 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | |
| 200m breaststroke | 2:19.11 | sf, ER | Rikke Møller Pedersen | Denmark | 1 August 2013 | 2013 World Championships | Barcelona, Spain | |
| 50m butterfly | 24.60 | Sarah Sjöström | Sweden | 29 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | ||
| 100m butterfly | 55.53 | Sarah Sjöström | Sweden | 24 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | ||
| 200m butterfly | 2:03.41 | OC | Jessicah Schipper | Australia | 30 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | |
| 200m individual medley | 2:06.12 | WR | Katinka Hosszú | Hungary | 3 August 2015 | 2015 World Championships | Kazan, Russia | |
| 400m individual medley | 4:27.11 | Summer McIntosh | Canada | 30 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 4×100m freestyle relay | 3:27.96 | WR |
|
Australia | 23 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 4×200m freestyle relay | 7:37.50 | WR |
|
Australia | 27 July 2023 | 2022 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 4×100m medley relay | 3:50.40 | WR |
|
United States | 28 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea |
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; WR – World record; AF – African record; AM – Americas record; ER – European record; OC – Oceanian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Mixed relay
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4×100m freestyle relay | 3:18.83 | WR |
|
Australia | 29 July 2023 | World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| 4×100m medley relay | 3:38.56 |
|
United States | 26 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary |
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; WR – World record; AF – African record; AM – Americas record; ER – European record; OC – Oceanian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat
Records not set in finals: h – heat
Short course (25 m)
Men
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50m freestyle | 20.26 | Florent Manaudou | France | 5 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | ||
| 100m freestyle | 45.16 | Kyle Chalmers | Australia | 15 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | ||
| 200m freestyle | 1:39.72 | AS | Hwang Sun-woo | South Korea | 18 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 400m freestyle | 3:34.01 | Danas Rapšys | Lithuania | 11 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | ||
| 800m freestyle | 7:29.99 | Gregorio Paltrinieri | Italy | 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | ||
| 1500m freestyle | 14:06.88 | WR | Florian Wellbrock | Germany | 21 December 2021 | 2021 World Championships | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| 50m backstroke | 22.22 | Florent Manaudou | France | 6 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | ||
| 100m backstroke | 48.50 | Ryan Murphy | United States | 14 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | ||
| 200m backstroke | 1:46.68 | Ryan Lochte | United States | 19 December 2010 | 2010 World Championships | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | ||
| 50m breaststroke | 25.38 | AM | Nic Fink | United States | 18 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 100m breaststroke | 55.70 | Ilya Shymanovich | Belarus | 17 December 2021 | 2021 World Championships | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | ||
| 200m breaststroke | 2:00.16 | WR | Kirill Prigoda | Russia | 13 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | |
| 50m butterfly | 21.78 | Nicholas Santos | Brazil | 14 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | ||
| 100m butterfly | 48.08 | Chad le Clos | South Africa | 8 December 2016 | 2016 World Championships | Windsor, Canada | ||
| 200m butterfly | 1:48.24 | Daiya Seto | Japan | 11 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | ||
| 100m individual medley | 50.63 | Kliment Kolesnikov | Russia | 14 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | ||
| 200m individual medley | 1:49.63 | WR | Ryan Lochte | United States | 14 December 2012 | 2012 World Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | |
| 400m individual medley | 3:55.50 | Ryan Lochte | United States | 16 December 2010 | 2010 World Championships | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | ||
| 4×50m freestyle relay | 1:21.80 | WR |
|
United States | 14 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | |
| 4×100m freestyle relay | 3:02.75 | WR |
|
Italy | 13 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×200m freestyle relay | 6:44.12 | WR |
|
United States | 16 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×50m medley relay | 1:29.72 | WR |
|
Italy | 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×100m medley relay | 3:18.98 | =WR |
|
Australia | 18 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×100m medley relay | 3:18.98 | =WR |
|
United States | 18 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia |
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; WR – World record; AF – African record; AM – Americas record; AS – Asian record; ER – European record; OC – Oceanian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Women
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50m freestyle | 23.04 | OC | Emma McKeon | Australia | 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 100m freestyle | 50.77 | Emma McKeon | Australia | 15 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | ||
| 200m freestyle | 1:50.31 | WR | Siobhán Haughey | Hong Kong | 16 December 2021 | 2021 World Championships | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| 400m freestyle | 3:53.92 | Ariarne Titmus | Australia | 14 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | ||
| 800m freestyle | 8:02.90 | Li Bingjie | China | 18 December 2021 | 2021 World Championships | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | ||
| 1500m freestyle | 15:21.43 | OC | Lani Pallister | Australia | 16 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 50m backstroke | 25.25 | WR | Margaret Mac Neil | Canada | 16 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 100m backstroke | 55.03 | Katinka Hosszú | Hungary | 4 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | ||
| 200m backstroke | 1:59.23 | Katinka Hosszú | Hungary | 5 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | ||
| 50m breaststroke | 28.37 | sf, WR | Rūta Meilutytė | Lithuania | 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 100m breaststroke | 1:02.36 | WR | Alia Atkinson | Jamaica | 6 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | |
| 200m breaststroke | 2:15.77 | Kate Douglass | United States | 16 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | ||
| 50m butterfly | 24.44 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo | Netherlands | 19 December 2021 | 2021 World Championships | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | ||
| 100m butterfly | 54.05 | WR | Maggie Mac Neil | Canada | 18 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 200m butterfly | 1:59.61 | WR | Mireia Belmonte | Spain | 3 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | |
| 100m individual medley | 56.70 | Katinka Hosszú | Hungary | 5 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | ||
| 200m individual medley | 2:01.86 | WR | Katinka Hosszú | Hungary | 6 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | |
| 400m individual medley | 4:19.86 | Mireia Belmonte | Spain | 3 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | ||
| 4×50m freestyle relay | 1:33.89 | AM |
|
United States | 15 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×100m freestyle relay | 3:25.43 | WR |
|
Australia | 13 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×200m freestyle relay | 7:30.87 | WR |
|
Australia | 14 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×50m medley relay | 1:42.35 | WR |
|
Australia | 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×100m medley relay | 3:44.35 | WR |
|
United States | 16 December 2018 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia |
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; WR – World record; AF – African record; AM – Americas record; ER – European record; OC – Oceanian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg
Mixed relay
| Event | Time | Name | Club | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4×50m freestyle relay | 1:27.33 | WR |
|
France | 16 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |
| 4×50m medley relay | 1:35.15 | WR |
|
United States | 14 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia |
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; WR – World record; AF – African record; AM – Americas record; ER – European record; OC – Oceanian record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat
Records not set in finals: h – heat