Swimming at the World Aquatics Championships

Michael Phelps—pictured here (right) at the 2005 World Championships—won 26 World Championships gold medals – more than any other athlete.

The aquatics discipline of swimming has been the core component of every edition of the FINA World Aquatics Championships since its introduction in 1973. In 1991, open water swimming events were introduced to the program of the World Championships.

Championships[edit]

Year	Date	Edition	Location	Events (men/women/mixed)		Winner of the medal table	Second in the medal table	Third in the medal table
Year	Date	Edition	Location	Long course	Open water	Winner of the medal table	Second in the medal table	Third in the medal table
1973	31 August – 9 September	1	Belgrade, Yugoslavia	15 / 14 / 0	0 / 0 / 0	East Germany	United States	Australia
1975	19–27 July	2	Cali, Colombia	15 / 14 / 0	0 / 0 / 0	United States	East Germany	Hungary
1978	20–28 August	3	West Berlin, West Germany	15 / 14 / 0	0 / 0 / 0	United States	Soviet Union	Australia
1982	29 July – 8 August	4	Guayaquil, Ecuador	15 / 14 / 0	0 / 0 / 0	East Germany	United States	Soviet Union
1986	13–23 August	5	Madrid, Spain	16 / 16 / 0	0 / 0 / 0	East Germany (3)	United States	West Germany
1991	3–13 January	6	Perth, Australia	16 / 16 / 0	1 / 1 / 0	United States	Hungary	Germany
1994	1–11 September	7	Rome, Italy	16 / 16 / 0	1 / 1 / 0	China	Australia	United States
1998	8–17 January	8	Perth, Australia	16 / 16 / 0	2 / 2 / 2	United States	Australia	China
2001	16–29 July	9	Fukuoka, Japan	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 0	Australia	United States (4)	Italy
2003	12–27 July	10	Barcelona, Spain	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 0	United States	Australia	Russia
2005	16–31 July	11	Montreal, Canada	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 0	United States	Australia	Germany (3)
2007	18 March – 1 April	12	Melbourne, Australia	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 0	United States	Australia	Russia (2)
2009	17 July – 2 August	13	Rome, Italy	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 0	United States	Germany	Australia
2011	16–31 July	14	Shanghai, China	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 1	United States	China	Brazil
2013	19 July – 4 August	15	Barcelona, Spain	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 1	United States	China (2)	France
2015	24 July – 9 August	16	Kazan, Russia	20 / 20 / 2	3 / 3 / 1	United States	Australia	China (2)
2017	14–30 July	17	Budapest, Hungary	20 / 20 / 2	3 / 3 / 1	United States	France	Great Britain
2019	12–28 July	18	Gwangju, South Korea	20 / 20 / 2	3 / 3 / 1	United States	Australia (7)	Hungary (2)
2022	18 June – 3 July	19	Budapest, Hungary	20 / 20 / 2	3 / 3 / 1	United States (14)	Italy	Australia (4)

Future championships[edit]

Year	Date	Edition	Location
2023	14–30 July	20	Fukuoka, Japan
2024	January	21	Doha, Qatar
2025	TBA	22	Kazan, Russia

Events[edit]

The number of events competed for at each edition of the championships has grown steadily through the years. In 1973, 29 events were swum: 15 for men and 14 for women, all in the pool. Since 2015, the combined number of events for men and women including pool and open water events has been 49, a drastic increase compared to the first edition. Historically, 50 different events have been held across the 17 editions of the championships.

Long course[edit]

Long course events have been competed since the inaugural edition of the championships in 1973. The youngest male swimmer to participate in the World Swimming Championships was Ahnt Khaung Htut^[1] from Myanmar, who was 12 years old in 2015. He took part at the 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke events. The youngest female swimmer to participate in the World Swimming Championships was 10-year-old Alzain Tareq^[2] from Bahrain in 2015. She participated at the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle events.

Men's events[edit]

Edition		1973	1975	1978	1982	1986	1991	1994	1998	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2022
Freestyle	50 m					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	400 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	800 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	1500 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Backstroke	50 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Breaststroke	50 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Butterfly	50 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Individual medley	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Individual medley	400 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Relays	4×100 m freestyle	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	4×200 m freestyle	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	4×100 m medley	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Number of events		15	15	15	15	16	16	16	16	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20

Women's events[edit]

Edition		1973	1975	1978	1982	1986	1991	1994	1998	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2022
Freestyle	50 m					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	400 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	800 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	1500 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Backstroke	50 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Breaststroke	50 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Butterfly	50 m									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	100 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Individual medley	200 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Individual medley	400 m	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Relays	4×100 m freestyle	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	4×200 m freestyle					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	4×100 m medley	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Number of events		14	14	14	14	16	16	16	16	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20	20

Mixed events[edit]

Edition		2015	2017	2019	2022
Relays	4×100 m freestyle	X	X	X	X
Relays	4×100 m medley	X	X	X	X
Number of events		2	2	2	2

Open water[edit]

Open water swimming events have been competed since the sixth edition of the championships in 1991. From 2000 to 2010, FINA organized in even years specific championships for open water swimming events, the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships.

Events[edit]

Edition		1991	1994	1998	2001	2003	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2022
Men	5 km			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	10 km				X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	25 km	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Women	5 km			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	10 km				X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
	25 km	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Mixed	5/6 km			X						X	X	X	X	X	X
Mixed	25 km			X
Number of events		2	2	6	6	6	6	6	6	7	7	7	7	7	7

Medalists[edit]

A select number of athletes have won medals at both long course and open water events, including Oussama Mellouli from Tunisia, Hayley Lewis from Australia, Gregorio Paltrinieri from Italy, Florian Wellbrock from Germany, and Sharon van Rouwendaal from the Netherlands. For a full list of medalists covering all editions of the championships see List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men) and List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women). For a complete list of medal winners in open water swimming see List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in open water swimming.

All-time medal table 1973–2022[edit]

Updated after the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.

Swimming[edit]


Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	239	179	133	551
2	Australia	85	91	60	236
3	East Germany	50	40	25	115
4	China	50	25	46	121
5	Hungary	34	19	27	80
6	Italy	23	21	27	71
7	Great Britain	23	19	40	82
8	Germany	21	37	35	93
9	Russia	20	36	28	84
10	France	18	22	24	64
11	Sweden	16	19	16	51
12	Netherlands	11	26	26	63
13	Canada	11	22	37	70
14	Soviet Union	11	20	21	52
15	South Africa	11	6	15	32
16	Japan	10	27	37	74
17	Brazil	9	12	10	31
18	West Germany	8	7	11	26
19	Ukraine	7	6	7	20
20	Poland	6	10	9	25
21	Denmark	4	8	8	20
22	Spain	4	6	6	16
23	Romania	4	1	7	12
24	Zimbabwe	3	5	0	8
25	Finland	3	2	1	6
26	Lithuania	2	2	3	7
27	Belarus	2	1	1	4
27	South Korea	2	1	1	4
29	Serbia	2	1	0	3
30	Tunisia	1	2	3	6
31	Norway	1	2	1	4
32	Costa Rica	1	1	2	4
33	Greece	1	1	0	2
34	Belgium	1	0	2	3
35	Suriname	1	0	0	1
36	New Zealand	0	5	6	11
37	Switzerland	0	5	1	6
38	Austria	0	3	3	6
39	Slovakia	0	3	2	5
40	Croatia	0	2	0	2
41	Bulgaria	0	1	1	2
	Iceland	0	1	1	2
	Jamaica	0	1	1	2
	Yugoslavia	0	1	1	2
45	Czech Republic	0	1	0	1
46	Egypt	0	0	2	2
46	Singapore	0	0	2	2
48	Argentina	0	0	1	1
	Puerto Rico	0	0	1	1
	Trinidad and Tobago	0	0	1	1
	Venezuela	0	0	1	1
Totals (51 entries)		695	700	693	2088

Record by number of gold medals – United States (23 gold medals, 1978)
Record by number of total medals – United States (49 medals in total, 2022)

Open water swimming[edit]


Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Germany	15	17	13	45
2	Russia	12	11	9	32
3	Italy	11	9	18	38
4	United States	10	9	7	26
5	Brazil	8	3	7	18
6	France	6	8	3	17
7	Netherlands	5	6	5	16
8	Australia	3	6	5	14
9	Greece	2	4	3	9
10	Great Britain	2	1	1	4
11	Hungary	1	3	2	6
12	Spain	1	2	1	4
13	Canada	1	1	1	3
14	Bulgaria	1	0	3	4
15	South Africa	1	0	1	2
15	Tunisia	1	0	1	2
17	China	1	0	0	1
17	Switzerland	1	0	0	1
19	Belgium	0	1	0	1
	Czech Republic	0	1	0	1
	Ecuador	0	1	0	1
22	Argentina	0	0	1	1
	Egypt	0	0	1	1
	Ukraine	0	0	1	1
Totals (24 entries)		82	83	83	248

Multiple medalists[edit]

Boldface denotes active swimmers and highest medal count among all swimmers (including these who not included in these tables) per type.

All events[edit]

Rank	Swimmer	Country	Gender	From	To	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Michael Phelps	United States	M	2001	2011	26	6	1	33
2	Katie Ledecky	United States	F	2013	2022	19	3	–	22
3	Ryan Lochte	United States	M	2005	2015	* 18 *	5	* 4 *	27
4	Caeleb Dressel	United States	M	2017	2022	15	2	–	17
5	Simone Manuel	United States	F	2013	2019	* 11 *	3	2	* 16 *
6	Missy Franklin	United States	F	2011	2015	11	2	3	16
6	Sun Yang	China	M	2009	2019	11	2	3	16
8	Ian Thorpe	Australia	M	1998	2003	11	1	1	13
9	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	F	2009	2022	10	7	3	20
10	Grant Hackett	Australia	M	1998	2015	10	6	* 3 *	* 19 *

* including one medal in the relay event in which this swimmer participated in the heats only
** including two medals in the relay events in which this swimmer participated in the heats only

Individual events[edit]

Rank	Swimmer	Country	Gender	From	To	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Michael Phelps	United States	M	2001	2011	15	5	–	20
2	Katie Ledecky	United States	F	2013	2022	14	2	–	16
3	Sun Yang	China	M	2009	2019	11	2	1	14
4	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	F	2009	2022	10	6	3	19
5	Ryan Lochte	United States	M	2005	2015	10	3	3	16
6	Katinka Hosszú	Hungary	F	2009	2019	9	1	5	15
7	Caeleb Dressel	United States	M	2017	2022	8	–	–	8
8	Grant Hackett	Australia	M	1998	2007	7	6	1	14
9	Ana Marcela Cunha	Brazil	F	2011	2022	7	1	5	13
10	Aaron Peirsol	United States	M	2001	2009	7	1	–	8

World records[edit]

The World Championships have often been the occasion at which elite swimmers reach the peak of their season, and hence numerous world records are often broken.

Edition	Men	Women	Mixed	Total
1973	7	10	Not held	17
1975	1	4	Not held	5
1978	4	10	Not held	14
1982	4	3	Not held	7
1986	–	6	Not held	6
1991	7	–	Not held	7
1994	3	7	Not held	10
1998	–	–	Not held	0
2001	8	–	Not held	8
2003	12	2	Not held	14
2005	5	4	Not held	9
2007	7	8	Not held	15
2009	17	26	Not held	43
2011	2	–	Not held	2
2013	–	6	Not held	6
2015	2	6	3	11
2017	2	6	3	11
2019	5	4	1	10
2022	2	–	1	3

References[edit]

^ Matt Roebuck (4 August 2015). "Myanmar centre-stage at World Championships". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
^ "10-Year-Old Alzain Tareq Enjoying World Championship Experience". Swimming World Magazine. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.

External links[edit]

[1] Matt Roebuck (4 August 2015). "Myanmar centre-stage at World Championships". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 11 August 2015.

[2] "10-Year-Old Alzain Tareq Enjoying World Championship Experience". Swimming World Magazine. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.

[1]

[2]

v t e International swimming
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World Aquatics

Championships[edit]

Future championships[edit]

Events[edit]

Long course[edit]

Men's events[edit]

Women's events[edit]

Mixed events[edit]

Open water[edit]

Events[edit]

Medalists[edit]

All-time medal table 1973–2022[edit]

Swimming[edit]

Open water swimming[edit]

Multiple medalists[edit]

All events[edit]

Individual events[edit]

World records[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]