The fastest 100m freestyle swimmers in history, ranked by each swimmer’s best long course time. Pan Zhanle of China leads the men with the 46.40 world record from the Paris 2024 Olympics. Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands leads the women with the 51.68 world record she swam at the Sette Colli Trophy in June 2026.
At a glance
| Events | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| World record | 46.40, Pan Zhanle (CHN) | 51.68, Marrit Steenbergen (NED) |
| Record set | Jul 31, 2024 | Jun 27, 2026 |
| Top-25 swimmers from the USA | 5 | 6 |
| Top-25 swimmers whose best came in 2026 | 6 | 7 |
Top 25 fastest 100m freestyle swimmers (men)
Long course (50-meter pool) only, one time per swimmer. Tied swimmers share a rank. Times swum in heats, semifinals and relay lead-off legs count.
| Rank | Time | Swimmer | Nation | Date | Meet | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46.40 (WR) | Pan Zhanle | CHN | Jul 31, 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France |
| 2 | 46.51 | David Popovici | ROU | Jul 31, 2025 | World Championships | Singapore |
| 3 | 46.74 | Egor Kornev | RUS | Aug 12, 2026 | European Championships | Paris, France |
| 4 | 46.81 | Jack Alexy | USA | Jul 30, 2025 | World Championships (semifinal) | Singapore |
| 5 | 46.87 | Kristóf Milák | HUN | Aug 12, 2026 | European Championships | Paris, France |
| 6 | 46.91 | César Cielo | BRA | Jul 30, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| 7 | 46.94 | Alain Bernard | FRA | Apr 23, 2009 | French Championships | Montpellier, France |
| 8 | 46.96 | Caeleb Dressel | USA | Jul 25, 2019 | World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea |
| 9 | 47.04 | Cameron McEvoy | AUS | Apr 10, 2016 | Australian Championships | Adelaide, Australia |
| 10 | 47.05 | Eamon Sullivan | AUS | Aug 13, 2008 | Olympic Games (semifinal) | Beijing, China |
| 11 | 47.08 | Kyle Chalmers | AUS | Jul 25, 2019 | World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea |
| 12 | 47.09 | Flynn Southam | AUS | Jul 24, 2026 | Commonwealth Games (relay lead-off) | Glasgow, UK |
| T-13 | 47.10 | James Magnussen | AUS | Mar 15, 2012 | Australian Championships | Adelaide, Australia |
| T-13 | 47.10 | Guilherme Santos | BRA | Apr 23, 2025 | Maria Lenk Trophy | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| 15 | 47.11 | Kliment Kolesnikov | RUS | Jul 28, 2021 | Olympic Games (semifinal) | Tokyo, Japan |
| 16 | 47.16 | Chris Guiliano | USA | Aug 13, 2026 | Pan Pacific Championships | Irvine, USA |
| 17 | 47.25 | Frédérick Bousquet | FRA | Jul 30, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| 18 | 47.26 | Luca Hoek | ESP | Aug 11, 2026 | European Championships (semifinal) | Paris, France |
| 19 | 47.27 | Brent Hayden | CAN | Jul 30, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| T-20 | 47.33 | David Walters | USA | Jul 30, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| T-20 | 47.33 | Maxime Grousset | FRA | Jun 18, 2024 | French Elite Championships | Chartres, France |
| 22 | 47.37 | Stefan Nystrand | SWE | Jul 30, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| 23 | 47.39 | Ryan Held | USA | Jul 31, 2019 | U.S. Championships | Palo Alto, USA |
| 24 | 47.42 | Jere Hribar | CRO | Aug 12, 2026 | European Championships | Paris, France |
| 25 | 47.43 | Vladislav Grinev | RUS | Apr 9, 2019 | Russian Championships (semifinal) | Moscow, Russia |
Source: World Aquatics all-time rankings, generated Sep 29, 2026. Swims from 2026 may still be awaiting World Aquatics ratification. Russian swimmers who raced as Neutral Athletes are listed under their home nation. <!– EDIT: link “Caeleb Dressel” to /caeleb-dressel/ and “Pan Zhanle” to /pan-zhanle/ once published –>
Top 25 fastest 100m freestyle swimmers (women)
Long course (50-meter pool) only, one time per swimmer. Tied swimmers share a rank. Times swum in heats, semifinals and relay lead-off legs count.
| Rank | Time | Swimmer | Nation | Date | Meet | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51.68 (WR) | Marrit Steenbergen | NED | Jun 27, 2026 | Sette Colli Trophy | Rome, Italy |
| 2 | 51.69 | Kate Douglass | USA | Aug 14, 2026 | Pan Pacific Championships (relay lead-off) | Irvine, USA |
| 3 | 51.71 | Sarah Sjöström | SWE | Jul 23, 2017 | World Championships (relay lead-off) | Budapest, Hungary |
| 4 | 51.88 | Anna Moesch | USA | Jul 28, 2026 | U.S. Championships | Irvine, USA |
| 5 | 51.96 | Emma McKeon | AUS | Jul 30, 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan |
| 6 | 52.02 | Siobhan Haughey | HKG | Oct 8, 2023 | World Cup | Berlin, Germany |
| 7 | 52.03 | Cate Campbell | AUS | Aug 10, 2018 | Pan Pacific Championships | Tokyo, Japan |
| 8 | 52.04 | Simone Manuel | USA | Jul 26, 2019 | World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea |
| 9 | 52.07 | Britta Steffen | GER | Jul 31, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| 10 | 52.08 | Mollie O’Callaghan | AUS | Jul 23, 2023 | World Championships (relay lead-off) | Fukuoka, Japan |
| 11 | 52.27 | Bronte Campbell | AUS | Apr 9, 2018 | Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia |
| 12 | 52.28 | Shayna Jack | AUS | Jul 23, 2023 | World Championships (relay heats, lead-off) | Fukuoka, Japan |
| 13 | 52.29 | Torri Huske | USA | Jul 31, 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France |
| 14 | 52.48 | Yang Junxuan | CHN | Jul 27, 2024 | Olympic Games (relay lead-off) | Paris, France |
| 15 | 52.51 | Meg Harris | AUS | Aug 14, 2026 | Pan Pacific Championships (relay lead-off) | Irvine, USA |
| 16 | 52.57 | Gretchen Walsh | USA | Aug 13, 2026 | Pan Pacific Championships (heats) | Irvine, USA |
| T-17 | 52.59 | Mallory Comerford | USA | Jul 23, 2017 | World Championships (relay lead-off) | Budapest, Hungary |
| T-17 | 52.59 | Penny Oleksiak | CAN | Jul 30, 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan |
| 19 | 52.62 | Libby Trickett | AUS | Jul 26, 2009 | World Championships (relay lead-off) | Rome, Italy |
| T-20 | 52.69 | Femke Heemskerk | NED | Apr 5, 2015 | Eindhoven Swim Cup (semifinal) | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| T-20 | 52.69 | Pernille Blume | DEN | Jul 28, 2017 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary |
| T-20 | 52.69 | Sara Curtis | ITA | Jun 27, 2026 | Sette Colli Trophy | Rome, Italy |
| 23 | 52.71 | Milou van Wijk | NED | Aug 11, 2026 | European Championships | Paris, France |
| 24 | 52.72 | Taylor Ruck | CAN | Aug 10, 2018 | Pan Pacific Championships | Tokyo, Japan |
| 25 | 52.74 | Charlotte Bonnet | FRA | May 26, 2018 | French Championships | Saint-Raphaël, France |
Source: World Aquatics all-time rankings, generated Sep 29, 2026. Swims from 2026 may still be awaiting World Aquatics ratification. Libby Trickett is listed by World Aquatics under her maiden name, Lenton.
Fastest 100m freestyle times by nation
| Nation | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 46.81, Jack Alexy (2025) | 51.69, Kate Douglass (2026) |
| Great Britain | 47.45, Matt Richards (2023) | 52.75, Anna Hopkin (2021) |
| Australia | 47.04, Cameron McEvoy (2016) | 51.96, Emma McKeon (2021) |
100m freestyle world record progression since 2000
Men
Eleven world records since 2000. Six of them fell in 2008 and 2009, and three of the eleven came from relay lead-off legs.
| # | Time | Swimmer | Nation | Date | Meet | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 48.18 | Michael Klim | AUS | Sep 16, 2000 | Olympic Games (relay lead-off) | Sydney, Australia |
| 2 | 47.84 | Pieter van den Hoogenband | NED | Sep 19, 2000 | Olympic Games (semifinal) | Sydney, Australia |
| 3 | 47.60 | Alain Bernard | FRA | Mar 21, 2008 | European Championships (semifinal) | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| 4 | 47.50 | Alain Bernard | FRA | Mar 22, 2008 | European Championships | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| 5 | 47.24 | Eamon Sullivan | AUS | Aug 11, 2008 | Olympic Games (relay lead-off) | Beijing, China |
| 6 | 47.20 | Alain Bernard | FRA | Aug 13, 2008 | Olympic Games (semifinal) | Beijing, China |
| 7 | 47.05 | Eamon Sullivan | AUS | Aug 13, 2008 | Olympic Games (semifinal) | Beijing, China |
| 8 | 46.91 | César Cielo | BRA | Jul 30, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| 9 | 46.86 | David Popovici | ROU | Aug 13, 2022 | European Championships | Rome, Italy |
| 10 | 46.80 | Pan Zhanle | CHN | Feb 11, 2024 | World Championships (relay lead-off) | Doha, Qatar |
| 11 | 46.40 | Pan Zhanle | CHN | Jul 31, 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France |
Women
Fourteen world records since 2000. Britta Steffen broke it four times in 2009 alone, and Sarah Sjöström’s 51.71 from 2017 lasted nine years.
| # | Time | Swimmer | Nation | Date | Meet | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 53.80 | Inge de Bruijn | NED | May 28, 2000 | Super Speedo Grand Prix | Sheffield, UK |
| 2 | 53.77 | Inge de Bruijn | NED | Sep 20, 2000 | Olympic Games (semifinal) | Sydney, Australia |
| 3 | 53.66 | Libby Lenton | AUS | Mar 31, 2004 | Australian Championships (semifinal) | Sydney, Australia |
| 4 | 53.52 | Jodie Henry | AUS | Aug 18, 2004 | Olympic Games (semifinal) | Athens, Greece |
| 5 | 53.42 | Libby Lenton | AUS | Jan 31, 2006 | Australian Championships (semifinal) | Melbourne, Australia |
| 6 | 53.30 | Britta Steffen | GER | Aug 2, 2006 | European Championships | Budapest, Hungary |
| 7 | 52.88 | Libby Trickett | AUS | Mar 27, 2008 | Australian Championships | Sydney, Australia |
| 8 | 52.85 | Britta Steffen | GER | Jun 25, 2009 | German Championships (heats) | Berlin, Germany |
| 9 | 52.56 | Britta Steffen | GER | Jun 27, 2009 | German Championships | Berlin, Germany |
| 10 | 52.22 | Britta Steffen | GER | Jul 26, 2009 | World Championships (relay lead-off) | Rome, Italy |
| 11 | 52.07 | Britta Steffen | GER | Jul 31, 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy |
| 12 | 52.06 | Cate Campbell | AUS | Jul 2, 2016 | Swimming Australia Grand Prix | Brisbane, Australia |
| 13 | 51.71 | Sarah Sjöström | SWE | Jul 23, 2017 | World Championships (relay lead-off) | Budapest, Hungary |
| 14 | 51.68 | Marrit Steenbergen | NED | Jun 27, 2026 | Sette Colli Trophy | Rome, Italy |
Source: World Aquatics world record history and official meet results.
100m freestyle FAQ
What is the men’s 100m freestyle world record?
46.40, set by Pan Zhanle of China in the Olympic final in Paris on Jul 31, 2024. He had already broken the record once that year, with 46.80 leading off China’s relay at the World Championships in Doha. See all current marks on our swimming world records page.
What is the women’s 100m freestyle world record?
51.68, set by Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands at the Sette Colli Trophy in Rome on Jun 27, 2026. It broke Sarah Sjöström’s 51.71, which she swam leading off Sweden’s relay at the 2017 World Championships.
Who are the fastest Americans ever in the 100m freestyle?
Jack Alexy (46.81) and Kate Douglass (51.69). Alexy swam his time in the semifinals of the 2025 World Championships in Singapore. Douglass led off the U.S. relay at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships and missed the world record by 0.01. Anna Moesch is next among the women with 51.88 from the 2026 U.S. Championships. The USA has five men and six women in the two top 25s.
How many men have broken 47 seconds?
Eight: Pan Zhanle, David Popovici, Egor Kornev, Jack Alexy, Kristóf Milák, César Cielo, Alain Bernard and Caeleb Dressel. All three medalists in the 2026 European Championships final in Paris went under 47: Popovici (46.56), Kornev (46.74) and Milák (46.87).
Why is Alain Bernard’s 46.94 in the list but not in the record progression?
Bernard swam 46.94 at the French Championships in April 2009, faster than the world record at the time. World Aquatics never ratified it as a record because his suit had not been approved. The time still counts in the all-time rankings.
Do relay swims count in the all-time rankings?
Only the lead-off leg, because the first swimmer starts from the blocks like an individual race. Flynn Southam’s 47.09 at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Kate Douglass’s 51.69 at Pan Pacs and Sarah Sjöström’s 51.71 all came this way. Splits from legs two, three and four use a flying start and never count.
Is the 100m freestyle raced at the LA 2028 Olympics?
Yes. It has been on the Olympic program for men since 1896 and for women since 1912. Pan Zhanle is the reigning men’s Olympic champion and Sarah Sjöström the women’s. See our LA 2028 swimming page for dates and events.
Keep exploring
Check Other records
Bookmark this page. We update these lists the same day someone breaks into the all-time top 25.
Last updated: Sep 29, 2026