World record progression 50 metres backstroke

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This is a listing of the history of the world record for the 50 metres backstroke swimming event. Swimming world records are maintained by World Aquatics, the international sports federation which oversees the sport. World records are recognized only in long course (50m) and short course (25m). Like the 50 m breaststroke, 50 m butterfly, and the 50 m backstroke, world record status and monitoring for this event first began in the 1990s.

Graphic data for World Record Progression in Men and Women Swimming 50m-100m-200m Long and Short Course Butterfly-Backstroke-Breaststroke-Freestyle

Men

Long course

More information #, Time ...
# Time NameNationalityDateMeetLocation Ref
WB 25.13 Jeff Rouse United States 15 April 1993Robert Burns Invitational Edinburgh, United Kingdom
1 24.99 ttLenny Krayzelburg United States 28 August 1999Pan Pacific Championships Sydney, Australia
2 24.80 Thomas Rupprath Germany 27 July 2003World Championships Barcelona, Spain
3 24.47 h, †Liam Tancock Great Britain 2 April 2008British Championships Sheffield, United Kingdom [1]
4 24.33 Randall Bal United States 5 December 2008Eindhoven Cup Eindhoven, Netherlands [2]
5 24.08 sfLiam Tancock Great Britain 1 August 2009World Championships Rome, Italy [3]
6 24.04 Liam Tancock Great Britain 2 Aug 2009World Championships Rome, Italy [4]
7 24.00 Kliment Kolesnikov Russia 4 Aug 2018European Championships Glasgow, United Kingdom [5]
8 23.93 sfKliment Kolesnikov Russia 17 May 2021European Championships Budapest, Hungary [6][7]
9 23.80 Kliment Kolesnikov Russia 18 May 2021European Championships Budapest, Hungary [8]
10 23.71 Hunter Armstrong United States 28 April 2022USA International Team Trials Greensboro, United States [9]
11 23.55 sfKliment Kolesnikov Russia 27 July 2023Russian Cup Kazan, Russia [10]
Close
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; so – swim-off; tt – time trial

Short course

More information #, Time ...
# Time NameNationalityDateMeetLocation Ref
1 25.10 Daichi Suzuki Japan 10 Feb 1990World Cup Bonn, West Germany [11]
# 24.66 Alexander Popov Russia 13 March 1994World Cup Desenzano, Italy
2 24.60 Franck Schott France 26 March 1994World Cup Paris, France
3 24.37 hJeff Rouse United States 12 Feb 1995World Cup Sheffield, United Kingdom
4 24.25 Chris Renaud Canada 28 Feb 1997CIAU Championships St. Catharines, Canada
5 24.13 Thomas Rupprath Germany 11 December 1998European 25m Championships Sheffield, United Kingdom
5 24.13 =Matt Welsh Australia 2 September 1999Australia 25m Nationals Canberra, Australia
6 24.12 Neil Walker United States 18 November 1999World Cup College Park, United States
7 24.11 Matt Welsh Australia 14 January 2000World Cup Hobart, Australia
8 24.04 hNeil Walker United States 13 March 2000World Championships Athens, Greece
9 23.42 sfNeil Walker United States 13 March 2000World Championships Athens, Greece
10 23.31 Matt Welsh Australia 2 Sep 2002Australia 25m Nationals Melbourne, Australia
11 23.27 Thomas Rupprath Germany 10 Dec 2004European 25m Championships Vienna, Austria [12]
12 23.24 Robert Hurley Australia 26 Oct 2008World Cup Sydney, Australia [13]
13 23.05 Peter Marshall United States 12 Nov 2008World Cup Stockholm, Sweden [14]
14 22.87 Randall Bal United States 15 Nov 2008World Cup Berlin, Germany [15]
15 22.75 Peter Marshall United States 17 October 2009World Cup Durban, South Africa [16]
16 22.73 Peter Marshall United States 11 Nov 2009World Cup Stockholm, Sweden [17]
17 22.61 Peter Marshall United States 22 Nov 2009World Cup Singapore [18]
18 22.22 Florent Manaudou France 6 December 2014World Championships Doha, Qatar [19]
19 22.11 Kliment Kolesnikov Russia 23 November 2022Solidarity Games Kazan, Russia [20]
Close
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; so – swim-off; tt – time trial

Women

Long course

More information #, Time ...
# Time NameNationalityDateMeetLocation Ref
1 29.00 Sandra Völker Germany 24 May 1997Mare Nostrum Monte Carlo, Monaco
2 28.78 sfSandra Völker Germany 12 Jun 1999Mare Nostrum Monte Carlo, Monaco
3 28.71 Sandra Völker Germany 1 Aug 1999European Championships Istanbul, Turkey
4 28.69 Nina Zhivanevskaya Spain 8 April 2000Spain Spring Nationals Madrid, Spain
5 28.67 Mai Nakamura Japan 25 April 2000Japan Championships Tokyo, Japan
6 28.25 hSandra Völker Germany 17 Jun 2000Germany Championships Berlin, Germany
7 28.19 Janine Pietsch Germany 25 May 2005Germany Championships Berlin, Germany
8 28.16 sfLeila Vaziri United States 28 Mar 2007World Championships Melbourne, Australia
8 28.16 =Leila Vaziri United States 29 Mar 2007World Championships Melbourne, Australia
9 28.09 Li Yang China 19 Oct 2007World Military Games Hyderabad, India
10 28.00 rHayley McGregory United States 7 Mar 2008Texas Senior Circuit Championships Austin, United States
11 27.95 sfEmily Seebohm Australia 22 Mar 2008Australia Championships Sydney, Australia
12 27.67 Sophie Edington Australia 23 Mar 2008Australia Championships Sydney, Australia [21]
12 27.67 =Zhao Jing China 9 April 2009China Championships Shaoxing, China [22]
13 27.61 Daniela Samulski Germany 26 Jun 2009Germany Championships Berlin, Germany [23]
14 27.39 sfDaniela Samulski Germany 29 Jul 2009World Championships Rome, Italy
15 27.38 sfAnastasia Zuyeva Russia 29 Jul 2009World Championships Rome, Italy
16 27.06 Zhao Jing China 30 Jul 2009World Championships Rome, Italy [24]
17 26.98 Liu Xiang  China 21 Aug 2018Asian Games Jakarta, Indonesia [25]
18 26.86 Kaylee McKeown  Australia 20 October 2023World Cup Budapest, Hungary [26]
Close
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; so – swim-off; tt – time trial

Short course

More information #, Time ...
# Time NameNationalityDateMeetLocation Ref
WB 28.47 Lei Xue China 9 January 1993World Cup Beijing, China
1 28.33 Sandra Völker Germany 16 February 1993World Cup Sheffield, United Kingdom
2 27.64 Xiuyu Bai China 13 March 1994World Cup Desenzano, Italy
3 27.27 Sandra Völker Germany 13 December 1998European Championships Sheffield, United Kingdom [27]
4 27.25 rHaley Cope United States 18 March 2000NCAA Division I Championships Indianapolis, United States [28]
5 26.83 Li Hui China 2 December 2001World Cup Shanghai, China [27]
6 26.50 Sanja Jovanović Croatia 15 December 2007European Championships Debrecen, Hungary
7 26.37 Sanja Jovanović Croatia 13 April 2008World Championships Manchester, United Kingdom [29]
8 26.23 Sanja Jovanović Croatia 13 December 2008European Championships Rijeka, Croatia
9 26.17 Marieke Guehrer Australia 6 November 2009World Cup Moscow, Russia
10 26.08 hZhao Jing China 10 November 2009World Cup Stockholm, Sweden [30]
11 25.82 Zhao Jing China 10 November 2009World Cup Stockholm, Sweden [31]
12 25.70 Sanja Jovanović Croatia 12 December 2009European Championships Istanbul, Turkey [32]
13 25.67 Etiene Medeiros Brazil 7 December 2014World Championships Doha, Qatar [33]
14 25.60 Kira Toussaint Netherlands 14 November 2020International Swimming League Budapest, Hungary [34]
14 25.60 =Kira Toussaint Netherlands 18 December 2020Amsterdam Christmas Meet Amsterdam, Netherlands [35]
15 25.27 Maggie Mac Neil  Canada 20 December 2021World Championships Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates [36]
16 25.25 Maggie Mac Neil  Canada 16 December 2022World Championships Melbourne, Australia [37]
17 25.23 Regan Smith United States 13 December 2024World Championships Budapest, Hungary [38]
Close
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; so – swim-off; tt – time trial

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 April 2026[39]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref.
1 1 23.55 Kliment Kolesnikov  Russia 27 July 2023 Kazan [10]
2 23.68 Kolesnikov #2 28 July 2023 Kazan [40]
Kolesnikov #2 3 August 2025 Singapore [41]
2 4 23.71 Hunter Armstrong  United States 28 April 2022 Greensboro [9]
5 23.80 Kolesnikov #3 18 May 2021 Budapest [8]
6 23.90 Kolesnikov #4 26 July 2024 Yekaterinburg [42]
Kolesnikov #5 16 April 2025 Kazan [43]
3 8 23.92 Justin Ress  United States 28 April 2022 Greensboro [9]
9 23.93 Kolesnikov #6 17 May 2021 Budapest [6]
10 23.96 Kolesnikov #7 17 April 2024 Kazan [44]
11 24.00 Kolesnikov #8 4 August 2018 Glasgow [5]
4 11 24.00 Shaine Casas  United States 28 April 2022 Greensboro [9]
13 24.01 Armstrong #2 28 April 2022 Greensboro [45]
5 13 24.01 Pavel Samusenko  Russia 16 April 2025 Kazan [43]
6 15 24.04 Liam Tancock  Great Britain 2 August 2009 Rome [4]
16 24.05 Ress #2 28 April 2022 Greensboro [45]
Armstrong #3 30 July 2023 Fukuoka [46]
7 18 24.07 Camille Lacourt  France 12 August 2010 Budapest [47]
19 24.08 Tancock #2 1 August 2009 Rome [3]
Kolesnikov #9 3 April 2021 Kazan [48]
Kolesnikov #9 2 August 2025 Singapore [49]
22 24.10 Ress #3 29 June 2023 Indianapolis [50]
23 24.11 Kolesnikov #10 27 July 2023 Kazan [51]
8 24 24.12 Robert Glință  Romania 3 August 2018 Glasgow [52]
24 24.12 Ress #4 25 June 2022 Budapest [53]
Kolesnikov #11 19 April 2023 Kazan [54]
8 24 24.12 Isaac Cooper  Australia 17 February 2024 Doha [55]
10 24.17 Pieter Coetze  South Africa 3 August 2025 Singapore [41]
11 24.23 Mark Nikolaev  Russia 11 April 2019 Kazan
12 24.24 Junya Koga  Japan 2 August 2009 Rome [4]
Ryan Murphy  United States 27 July 2018 Irvine [56]
14 24.28 Miron Lifintsev  Russia 7 August 2024 Debrecen
15 24.29 Vladimir Morozov  Russia 3 August 2018 Glasgow [52]
16 24.32 Shane Ryan  Ireland 3 August 2018 Glasgow [57]
17 24.33 Randall Bal  United States 5 December 2008 Eindhoven [2]
18 24.34 Johannes Zandberg  South Africa 2 August 2009 Rome [4]
Quintin McCarty  United States 5 June 2025 Indianapolis [58]
20 24.36 Apostolos Christou  Greece 15 August 2022 Rome [59]
Xu Jiayu  China 16 November 2025 Shenzhen [60]
Oliver Morgan  Great Britain 17 April 2026 London [61]
23 24.38 Michele Lamberti  Italy 14 April 2026 Riccione [62]
24 24.39 Michael Andrew  United States 21 June 2019 Rome
25 24.40 Thomas Ceccon  Italy 15 August 2022 Rome [59]
Close

Men short course

  • Correct as of December 2025[63]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref.
1 1 22.11 Kliment Kolesnikov  Russia 23 November 2022 Kazan [20]
2 2 22.22 Florent Manaudou  France 6 December 2014 Doha [19]
3 22.31 Kolesnikov #2 22 November 2022 Kazan
3 4 22.37 Pavel Samusenko  Russia 20 December 2025 Saint Petersburg [64]
5 22.42 Kolesnikov #3 16 December 2023 Saint Petersburg [65]
6 22.43 Kolesnikov #4 10 November 2025 Kazan [66]
4 7 22.44 Egor Kornev  Russia 20 December 2025 Saint Petersburg [64]
8 22.47 Kolesnikov #5 3 November 2021 Kazan [67]
5 8 22.47 Miron Lifintsev  Russia 13 December 2024 Budapest [68]
6 10 22.49 Mark Nikolaev  Russia 28 December 2021 Saint Petersburg [69]
Isaac Cooper  Australia 13 December 2024 Budapest [68]
12 22.52 Cooper #2 15 December 2022 Melbourne [70]
Kornev #2 10 November 2025 Kazan [66]
8 14 22.53 Ryan Murphy  United States 25 November 2021 Eindhoven [71]
15 22.54 Murphy #2 21 November 2020 Budapest [72]
9 16 22.55 Guilherme Guido  Brazil 26 October 2019 Budapest [73]
16 22.55 Kolesnikov #6 22 November 2022 Kazan
18 22.56 Murphy #3 3 December 2021 Eindhoven [74]
10 18 22.56 Shane Ryan  Ireland 13 December 2024 Budapest [68]
20 22.57 Kolesnikov #7 2 November 2021 Kazan
11 21 22.58 Evgeny Rylov  Russia 14 December 2018 Hangzhou [75]
21 22.58 Kolesnikov #8 3 November 2021 Kazan [76]
Cooper #3 19 October 2024 Shanghai [77]
24 22.59 Rylov #2 3 December 2021 Eindhoven [74]
25 22.60 Guido #2 2 September 2021 Naples [78]
Guido #3 11 September 2021 Naples [79]
12 22.61 Peter Marshall  United States 22 November 2009 Singapore [18]
Coleman Stewart  United States 28 August 2021 Naples [80]
14 22.62 Michele Lamberti  Italy 3 November 2021 Kazan [76]
15 22.63 Ralf Tribuntsov  Estonia 6 December 2025 Lublin [81]
16 22.64 Hubert Kós  Hungary 13 December 2024 Budapest [68]
17 22.65 Lorenzo Mora  Italy 17 December 2022 Melbourne [82]
18 22.68 Kacper Stokowski  Poland 13 December 2024 Budapest [68]
19 22.69 Miroslav Knedla  Czech Republic 7 December 2025 Lublin [83]
20 22.70 Xu Jiayu  China 3 November 2018 Beijing [84]
21 22.72 Dylan Carter  Trinidad and Tobago 4 November 2022 Indianapolis [85]
22 22.73 Thierry Bollin  Switzerland 12 December 2024 Budapest [86]
23 22.74 Stanislav Donets  Russia 26 November 2010 Eindhoven [87]
Robert Glință  Romania 3 November 2021 Kazan [67]
25 22.75 Pieter Coetze  South Africa 1 November 2024 Singapore [88]
Close

Notes

  • Pavel Samusenko also swam the third-fastest swim in history with 22.26, leading off the National Team squad’s mixed 4×50 medley relay final at the 2025 Vladimir Salnikov Cup.[89]

Women long course

  • Correct as of April 2026[90]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref.
1 1 26.86 Kaylee McKeown  Australia 20 October 2023 Budapest [26]
2 2 26.97 Katharine Berkoff  United States 5 June 2025 Indianapolis [91]
3 3 26.98 Liu Xiang  China 21 August 2018 Jakarta [25]
3 26.98 McKeown #2 9 December 2023 Brisbane [92]
5 27.02 McKeown #3 13 October 2023 Athens [93]
4 6 27.06 Zhao Jing  China 30 July 2009 Rome [24]
6 27.06 McKeown #4 23 March 2025 Sydney [94]
8 27.07 McKeown #5 18 April 2024 Gold Coast [95]
9 27.08 McKeown #6 27 July 2023 Fukuoka [96]
Berkoff #2 31 July 2025 Singapore [97]
5 11 27.09 Wan Letian  China 23 March 2025 Qingdao [98]
6 12 27.10 Kira Toussaint  Netherlands 10 April 2021 Eindhoven [99]
Regan Smith  United States 26 July 2023 Fukuoka [100]
8 14 27.11 Fu Yuanhui  China 6 August 2015 Kazan [101]
14 27.11 Smith #2 27 July 2023 Fukuoka [96]
16 27.12 Berkoff #3 28 April 2022 Greensboro [102]
17 27.13 Berkoff #4 29 June 2023 Indianapolis [103]
9 17 27.13 Kylie Masse  Canada 1 May 2025 Fort Lauderdale [104]
10 19 27.14 Etiene Medeiros  Brazil 27 July 2017 Budapest [105]
19 27.14 Smith #3 29 June 2023 Indianapolis [103]
21 27.15 Fu #2 27 July 2017 Budapest [105]
11 21 27.15 Lauren Cox  Great Britain 24 May 2025 London [106]
23 27.16 Fu #3 15 April 2018 Shanxi [107]
McKeown #7 16 May 2021 Sydney [108]
12 23 27.16 Mollie O'Callaghan  Australia 18 April 2024 Gold Coast [95]
13 27.19 Kathleen Dawson  Great Britain 18 May 2021 Budapest [109]
14 27.21 Georgia Davies  Great Britain 4 August 2018 Glasgow [110]
15 27.23 Daniela Samulski  Germany 30 July 2009 Rome [24]
Aliaksandra Herasimenia  Belarus 27 July 2017 Budapest [105]
Anastasia Fesikova  Russia 4 August 2018 Glasgow [110]
Alina Gaifutdinova  Russia 19 April 2026 Saint Petersburg [111]
19 27.24 Claire Curzan  United States 5 June 2025 Indianapolis [91]
20 27.27 Analia Pigrée  France 14 August 2022 Rome [112]
21 27.28 Gao Chang  China 30 July 2009 Rome [24]
22 27.29 Isabelle Stadden  United States 5 March 2026 Westmont [113]
30 April 2026 Fort Lauderdale [114]
23 27.31 Leah Shackley  United States 22 July 2025 Berlin [115]
24 27.33 Olivia Smoliga  United States 25 July 2019 Gwangju [116]
28 April 2022 Greensboro [102]
Sara Curtis  Italy 15 April 2026 Riccione [117]
Close

Women short course

  • Correct as of October 2025[118]
More information Ath.#, Perf.# ...
Ath.# Perf.# Time Athlete Nation Date Place Ref.
1 1 25.23 Regan Smith  United States 13 December 2024 Budapest [38]
2 2 25.25 Maggie Mac Neil  Canada 16 December 2022 Melbourne [37]
3 25.27 Mac Neil #2 20 December 2021 Abu Dhabi [36]
3 4 25.35 Kaylee McKeown  Australia 23 October 2025 Toronto [119]
5 25.36 McKeown #2 18 October 2024 Shanghai [120]
4 6 25.37 Gretchen Walsh  United States 18 October 2024 Charlottesville [121]
7 25.40 McKeown #3 28 September 2024 Adelaide [122]
Walsh #2 23 October 2025 Toronto [119]
9 25.42 McKeown #4 10 October 2025 Carmel [123]
5 9 25.42 Mollie O'Callaghan  Australia 23 October 2025 Toronto [119]
6 11 25.47 Marrit Steenbergen  Netherlands 7 December 2025 Lublin [124]
12 25.48 Smith #2 31 October 2024 Singapore [125]
13 25.49 O'Callaghan #2 17 December 2022 Melbourne [126]
7 13 25.49 Sara Curtis  Italy 7 December 2025 Lublin [127]
8 15 25.51 Katharine Berkoff  United States 12 December 2024 Budapest [128]
9 16 25.54 Claire Curzan  United States 16 December 2022 Melbourne [37]
10 17 25.60 Kira Toussaint  Netherlands 14 November 2020 Budapest [34]
18 December 2020 Amsterdam [35]
Maria Kameneva  Russia 24 November 2022 Kazan [129]
17 25.60 Curzan #2 15 December 2022 Melbourne [130]
21 25.61 O'Callaghan #3 16 December 2022 Melbourne [37]
Berkoff #2 13 December 2024 Budapest [38]
23 25.62 Toussaint #3 18 December 2020 Amsterdam [35]
12 23 25.62 Kylie Masse  Canada 20 December 2021 Abu Dhabi [36]
25 25.63 McKeown #5 17 October 2025 Westmont [131]
13 25.67 Etiene Medeiros  Brazil 4 December 2014 Doha [33]
14 25.70 Sanja Jovanović  Croatia 12 December 2009 Istanbul [32]
15 25.74 Olivia Smoliga  United States 16 October 2020 Budapest [132]
16 25.81 Minna Atherton  Australia 26 October 2019 Budapest [133]
Ingrid Wilm  Canada 12 December 2024 Budapest [128]
18 25.82 Zhao Jing  China 10 November 2009 Stockholm [31]
19 25.83 Emily Seebohm  Australia 7 December 2014 Doha [33]
Louise Hansson  Sweden 19 December 2021 Abu Dhabi [134]
Celia Pulido Ortíz  Mexico 10 October 2025 Carmel [123]
22 25.85 Julie Kepp Jensen  Denmark 15 December 2022 Melbourne [135]
23 25.92 Gao Chang  China 27 February 2010 Tokyo [136]
24 25.94 Analia Pigrée  France 13 December 2024 Budapest [38]
25 25.95 Katinka Hosszú  Hungary 16 December 2017 Copenhagen [137]
Iona Anderson  Australia 31 October 2024 Singapore [125]
Close

References

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