World record progression 100 metres backstroke

This is a history of the 100 m backstroke world record as swum in both long-course (50 m; Olympic) pools and short-course (25 m) pools—the two categories recognized/tracked by FINA.

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	1:02.2		David Theile	Australia	6 December 1956	Olympic Games	Melbourne, Australia
2	1:01.5		John Monckton	Australia	15 February 1958	Australian Championships	Perth, Australia
3	1:01.3		Bob Bennett	United States	19 August 1961	Men’s NAAA Championships	Los Angeles, United States
4	1:01.0	h	Tom Stock	United States	11 August 1962	-	Cuyahoga Falls, United States
5	1:00.9		Tom Stock	United States	12 August 1962	-	Cuyahoga Falls, United States
6	1:00.8		Ernst-Joachim Küppers	West Germany	28 August 1964	-	Dortmund, West Germany
7	1:00.0		Thompson Mann	United States	3 September 1964	-	New York City, United States
8	59.6	r	Thompson Mann	United States	16 October 1964	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan
9	59.5	h	Doug Russell	United States	28 August 1967	Summer Universiade	Tokyo, Japan
10	59.3		Charlie Hickcox	United States	28 August 1967	Summer Universiade	Tokyo, Japan
11	59.1		Charlie Hickcox	United States	31 August 1967	Summer Universiade	Tokyo, Japan
12	58.4		Roland Matthes	East Germany	21 September 1967	-	Leipzig, East Germany
13	58.0		Roland Matthes	East Germany	26 October 1968	Olympic Games	Mexico City, Mexico
14	57.8		Roland Matthes	East Germany	23 August 1969	-	Würzburg, West Germany
15	56.9	h	Roland Matthes	East Germany	8 September 1970	European Championships	Barcelona, Spain
16	56.7		Roland Matthes	East Germany	4 September 1971	-	Leipzig, East Germany
17	56.3		Roland Matthes	East Germany	8 April 1972	-	Moscow, Soviet Union
17	56.30	=, r	Roland Matthes	East Germany	4 September 1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany
19	56.19	sf	John Naber	United States	18 July 1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada
20	55.49		John Naber	United States	19 July 1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada
21	55.44	h	Rick Carey	United States	6 August 1983	US National Championships	Clovis, United States
22	55.38		Rick Carey	United States	6 August 1983	US National Championships	Clovis, United States
23	55.19		Rick Carey	United States	21 August 1983	Pan American Games	Caracas, Venezuela
24	55.17	h	Igor Polyansky	Soviet Union	15 March 1988	-	Tallinn, Soviet Union
25	55.16		Igor Polyansky	Soviet Union	16 March 1988	-	Tallinn, Soviet Union
26	55.00		Igor Polyansky	Soviet Union	16 July 1988	Soviet Union Championships	Moscow, Soviet Union
27	54.95	h	David Berkoff	United States	12 August 1988	US Olympic Trials	Austin, United States
28	54.91		David Berkoff	United States	12 August 1988	US Olympic Trials	Austin, United States
29	54.51	h	David Berkoff	United States	16 September 1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea
30	53.93	r	Jeff Rouse	United States	25 August 1991	Pan Pacific Championships	Edmonton, Canada
31	53.86	r	Jeff Rouse	United States	31 July 1992	Olympic Games	Barcelona, Spain
32	53.60		Lenny Krayzelburg	United States	24 August 1999	Pan Pacific Championships	Sydney, Australia
33	53.45	r	Aaron Peirsol	United States	21 August 2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	^[1]
34	53.17		Aaron Peirsol	United States	2 April 2005	US World Championships Trials	Indianapolis, United States	^[2]
35	52.98		Aaron Peirsol	United States	27 March 2007	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	^[3]
36	52.89		Aaron Peirsol	United States	1 July 2008	US Olympic Trials	Omaha, United States	^[4]
37	52.54		Aaron Peirsol	United States	12 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	^[5]
38	52.38	r	Aschwin Wildeboer	Spain	1 July 2009	Mediterranean Games	Pescara, Italy	^[6]
39	51.94		Aaron Peirsol	United States	8 July 2009	US National Championships	Indianapolis, United States	^[7]
40	51.85	r	Ryan Murphy	United States	13 August 2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	^[8]
41	51.60		Thomas Ceccon	Italy	20 June 2022	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	^[9]

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	52.71		Mark Tewksbury	Canada	16 March 1991	World Cup	Bonn, Germany
2	52.58		Mark Tewksbury	Canada	29 March 1991	World Cup	Sheffield, United Kingdom
3	52.52		Mark Tewksbury	Canada	20 February 1992	-	Winnipeg, Canada
4	52.50	r	Mark Tewksbury	Canada	22 February 1992	-	Winnipeg, Canada
5	51.43		Jeff Rouse	United States	12 April 1993	World Cup	Sheffield, United Kingdom
6	51.28		Lenny Krayzelburg	United States	5 February 2000	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
7	50.75		Neil Walker	United States	19 March 2000	World Cup	Athens, Greece
8	50.58		Thomas Rupprath	Germany	8 December 2002	World Cup	Melbourne, Australia
9	50.32		Peter Marshall	United States	26 March 2004	-	New York City, United States
10	49.99	r	Ryan Lochte	United States	9 April 2006	World Championships	Shanghai, China
11	49.94		Peter Marshall	United States	11 November 2008	World Cup	Stockholm, Sweden
12	49.63		Peter Marshall	United States	15 November 2008	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
13	49.32		Stanislav Donets	Russia	14 December 2008	European Championships	Rijeka, Croatia
14	49.20	r	Aschwin Wildeboer	Spain	21 December 2008	Spanish Championships	Madrid, Spain
15	49.17	sf	Arkady Vyatchanin	Russia	12 December 2009	European Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	^[10]
16	48.97	=	Arkady Vyatchanin	Russia	13 December 2009	European Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	^[11]
16	48.97	=	Stanislav Donets	Russia	13 December 2009	European Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	^[11]
18	48.94	r	Nick Thoman	United States	18 December 2009	Duel in the Pool	Manchester, United Kingdom	^[12]
19	48.92		Matt Grevers	United States	12 December 2015	Duel in the Pool	Indianapolis, United States	^[13]
20	48.90		Kliment Kolesnikov	Russia	22 December 2017	Vladimir Salnikov Cup	Saint Petersburg, Russia	^[14]
21	48.88		Xu Jiayu	China	11 November 2018	World Cup	Tokyo, Japan	^[15]
22	48.58	r	Kliment Kolesnikov	Russia	21 November 2020	International Swimming League	Budapest, Hungary	^[16]
23	48.33		Coleman Stewart	United States	29 August 2021	International Swimming League	Naples, Italy	^[17]
24	48.16		Hubert Kós	Hungary	25 October 2025	World Cup	Toronto, Canada	^[18]

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	1:07.7		Cathy Ferguson	United States	14 October 1964	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan
2	1:07.4		Ann Farlie	South Africa	23 July 1966	-	Béziers, France
3	1:07.3	h	Elaine Tanner	Canada	27 July 1967	Pan American Games	Winnipeg, Canada
4	1:07.1		Elaine Tanner	Canada	30 July 1967	Pan American Games	Winnipeg, Canada
5	1:06.7		Karen Muir	South Africa	30 January 1968	-	Kimberley, South Africa
6	1:06.4		Karen Muir	South Africa	6 April 1968	-	Paris, France
7	1:06.2		Kaye Hall	United States	22 October 1968	Olympic Games	Mexico City, Mexico
8	1:05.6		Karen Muir	South Africa	6 July 1969	-	Utrecht, Netherlands
9	1:05.39		Ulrike Richter	East Germany	18 August 1973	-	Utrecht, Netherlands
10	1:04.99	r	Ulrike Richter	East Germany	4 September 1973	World Championships	Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
11	1:04.78	r	Wendy Cook	Canada	31 January 1974	Commonwealth Games	Christchurch, New Zealand
12	1:04.43		Ulrike Richter	East Germany	8 July 1974	-	Rostock, East Germany
13	1:04.09	h	Ulrike Richter	East Germany	22 August 1974	European Championships	Vienna, Austria
14	1:03.30		Ulrike Richter	East Germany	23 August 1974	European Championships	Vienna, Austria
15	1:02.98		Ulrike Richter	East Germany	1 September 1974	USA Vs. GDR Dual Meet	Concord, United States
16	1:02.60		Ulrike Richter	East Germany	14 March 1976	-	Tallinn, Soviet Union
17	1:01.62		Kornelia Ender	East Germany	3 June 1976	-	East Berlin, East Germany
18	1:01.51	r	Ulrike Richter	East Germany	5 June 1976	-	East Berlin, East Germany
18	1:01.51	r, =	Rica Reinisch	East Germany	20 July 1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union
20	1:01.50	h	Rica Reinisch	East Germany	22 July 1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union
21	1:00.86		Rica Reinisch	East Germany	23 July 1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union
22	1:00.59	r	Ina Kleber	East Germany	24 August 1984	Friendship Games	Moscow, Soviet Union
23	1:00.31		Krisztina Egerszegi	Hungary	24 August 1991	European Championships	Athens, Greece
24	1:00.16	r	He Cihong	China	10 September 1994	World Championships	Rome, Italy
25	59.58		Natalie Coughlin	United States	13 August 2002	US National Championships	Fort Lauderdale, United States
26	59.44		Natalie Coughlin	United States	27 March 2007	World Championships	Melbourne, Australia	^[19]
27	59.21		Natalie Coughlin	United States	17 February 2008	US Grand Prix	Columbia, United States
28	59.15	h	Hayley McGregory	United States	30 June 2008	US Olympic Trials	Omaha, United States	^[20]
29	59.03	h	Natalie Coughlin	United States	30 June 2008	US Olympic Trials	Omaha, United States	^[20]
30	58.97		Natalie Coughlin	United States	1 July 2008	US Olympic Trials	Omaha, United States	^[21]
31	58.77	sf	Kirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	11 August 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	^[22]
32	58.48	sf	Anastasia Zuyeva	Russia	27 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	^[23]
33	58.12		Gemma Spofforth	Great Britain	28 July 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	^[24]
34	58.10		Kylie Masse	Canada	25 July 2017	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	^[25]
35	58.00		Kathleen Baker	United States	28 July 2018	US National Championships	Irvine, United States	^[26]
36	57.57	r	Regan Smith	United States	28 July 2019	World Championships	Gwangju, South Korea	^[27]
37	57.45		Kaylee McKeown	Australia	13 June 2021	Australian Trials	Adelaide, Australia	^[28]
38	57.33		Kaylee McKeown	Australia	21 October 2023	World Cup	Budapest, Hungary	^[29]
39	57.13		Regan Smith	United States	18 June 2024	US Olympic Trials	Indianapolis, United States	^[30]^[31]

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	59.41		Angel Martino	United States	21 November 1993	-	Stavanger, Norway
2	58.50		Angel Martino	United States	3 December 1993	World Championships	Palma de Mallorca, Spain
3	58.45		Reiko Nakamura	Japan	4 March 2001	-	Sagamihara, Japan
4	57.08		Natalie Coughlin	United States	29 November 2001	World Cup	East Meadow, United States
5	56.71		Natalie Coughlin	United States	23 November 2002	World Cup	East Meadow, United States
6	56.51		Natalie Coughlin	United States	28 October 2007	World Cup	Singapore
7	56.15		Shiho Sakai	Japan	22 February 2009	Japan Open	Tokyo, Japan
8	55.23		Shiho Sakai	Japan	15 November 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	^[32]
9	55.03		Katinka Hosszú	Hungary	4 December 2014	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	^[33]
10	54.89		Minna Atherton	Australia	27 October 2019	International Swimming League	Budapest, Hungary	^[34]
11	54.56		Kaylee McKeown	Australia	26 September 2024	Australian Championships	Adelaide, Australia	^[35]
12	54.41		Regan Smith	United States	25 October 2024	World Cup	Incheon, South Korea	^[36]
13	54.27		Regan Smith	United States	1 November 2024	World Cup	Singapore	^[37]
14	54.02	r	Regan Smith	United States	15 December 2024	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	^[38]
14	54.02	=	Regan Smith	United States	18 October 2025	World Cup	Westmont, United States	^[39]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	51.60	Thomas Ceccon	Italy	20 June 2022	Budapest	^[9]
	2	51.80	Ceccon #2		3 August 2025	Singapore	^[41]
2	3	51.82	Kliment Kolesnikov	Russia	26 July 2023	Kazan	^[42]
3	4	51.85	Ryan Murphy	United States	13 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	^[8]
3	4	51.85	Pieter Coetze	South Africa	29 July 2025	Singapore	^[43]
5	6	51.86	Xu Jiayu	China	12 April 2017	Qingdao	^[44]
	7	51.90	Ceccon #3		29 July 2025	Singapore	^[43]
6	8	51.92	Yohann Ndoye Brouard	France	29 July 2025	Singapore	^[43]
	9	51.93	Ceccon #4		25 June 2022	Budapest	^[45]
7	10	51.94	Aaron Peirsol	United States	8 July 2009	Indianapolis	^[7]
	10	51.94	Murphy #2		10 August 2018	Tokyo	^[46]
	12	51.97	Murphy #3		8 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	^[47]
	12	51.97	Murphy #4		20 June 2022	Budapest	^[9]
8	14	51.98	Evgeny Rylov	Russia	27 July 2021	Tokyo	^[48]
8	14	51.98	Hunter Armstrong	United States	20 June 2022	Budapest	^[9]
	16	51.99	Coetze #2		19 July 2025	Berlin	^[49]
	17	52.00	Kolesnikov #2		27 July 2021	Tokyo	^[48]
	17	52.00	Ceccon #5		29 July 2024	Paris	^[50]
	19	52.02	Xu #2		28 July 2024	Paris	^[51]
	20	52.04	Murphy #5		30 July 2023	Fukuoka	^[52]
	20	52.04	Kolesnikov #3		14 April 2025	Kazan	^[53]
	22	52.05	Xu #3		26 September 2023	Hangzhou	^[54]
10	23	52.08	Matt Grevers	United States	25 June 2012	Omaha	^[55]
10	23	52.08	Miron Lifintsev	Russia	28 July 2024	Yekaterinburg	^[56]
12	25	52.09	Apostolos Christou	Greece	19 June 2022	Budapest	^[57]
13		52.11	Camille Lacourt	France	10 August 2010	Budapest	^[58]
13		52.11	Mitch Larkin	Australia	6 November 2015	Dubai	^[59]
15		52.12	David Plummer	United States	27 June 2016	Omaha	^[60]
15		52.12	Oliver Morgan	Great Britain	17 April 2025	London	^[61]
17		52.20	Hubert Kós	Hungary	29 July 2025	Singapore	^[43]
18		52.24	Ryosuke Irie	Japan	4 September 2009	Kumamoto	^[62]
19		52.26	Junya Koga	Japan	28 July 2009	Rome	^[63]
20		52.27	Helge Meeuw	Germany	2 August 2009	Rome	^[64]
21		52.38	Aschwin Wildeboer	Spain	1 July 2009	Pescara	^[6]
22		52.40	Pavel Samusenko	Russia	14 April 2025	Kazan	^[53]
23		52.51	Nick Thoman	United States	7 August 2009	Federal Way	^[65]
23		52.51	Shaine Casas	United States	8 July 2022	Austin	^[66]
25		52.54	Will Modglin	United States	19 July 2025	Berlin	^[49]

World record progression 100 metres backstroke

Long course

Short course

Women

Long course

Short course

All-time top 25

Men long course

Men short course

Women long course

Women short course

References

Related Articles

v t e World records in swimming
Freestyle	50 100 200 400 800 1500
Backstroke	50 100 200
Breaststroke	50 100 200
Butterfly	50 100 200
Individual medley	100 200 400
Relays	4 × 50 freestyle relay 4 × 100 freestyle relay 4 × 200 freestyle relay 4 × 50 medley relay 4 × 100 medley relay