World record progression 200 metres backstroke
Appearance
This is a history of the progression of the world record for the 200-meter backstroke event. It is a listing of the fastest-time-ever swum in the event, in both long course (50-meter) and short course (25-meter) swimming pools. These records are maintained/recognized by FINA, which oversees international competitive swimming and aquatics.
The long course records are historically older than the short course records; the latter having only been recognized since the early 1990s.
Men
Long course
Old regulations
No | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3'04"4 | Oscar Schiele | Germany | 27 June 1909 | Berlin, Germany[1] |
2 | 2'59"8 | George Arnold | Germany | 3 January 1910 | Magdeburg, Germany |
3 | 2'56"4 | Maurice Wechesser | Belgium | 18 October 1910 | Schaerbeek, Belgium |
4 | 2'50"6 | Hermann Pentz | Germany | 11 March 1911 | Magdeburg, Germany |
5 | 2'48"4 | Otto Fahr | Germany | 3 April 1912 | Magdeburg, Germany |
6 | 2'47"1 | Walter Laufer | United States | 24 June 1926 | Bremen, Germany[2] |
7 | 2'44"9 | Walter Laufer | United States | 11 July 1926 | Nuremberg, Germany |
8 | 2'38"8 | Walter Laufer | United States | 13 July 1926 | Magdeburg, Germany[3][4] |
9 | 2'37"8 | Toshio Irie | Japan | 14 October 1928 | Tamagawa, Japan[5] |
10 | 2'32"2 | George Kojac | United States | 16 June 1930 | New Haven, United States |
11 | 2'27"8 | Al Vande Weghe | United States | 30 August 1934 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
12 | 2'24"0 | Adolph Kiefer | United States | 11 April 1935 | Chicago, United States |
13 | 2'23"0 | Adolph Kiefer | United States | 23 May 1941 | Honolulu, Hawaii |
14 | 2'22"9 | Harry Holiday | United States | 18 May 1943 | Detroit, United States |
15 | 2'19"3 | Adolph Kiefer | United States | 4 March 1944 | Annapolis, United States |
16 | 2'18"5 | Allen Stack | United States | 4 May 1949 | New Haven, United States |
17 | 2'18"3 | Gilbert Bozon | France | 26 June 1953 | Algiers, Algeria |
New regulations
# | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2:18.5 | = | Allen Stack | United States | 4 May 1949 | - | New Haven, United States | [6][7] | |
2:18.3 | Gilbert Bozon | France | 26 June 1953 | - | Algiers, Algeria | [6] | ||
2:18.8 | John Monckton | Australia | 15 January 1958 | - | Sydney, Australia | [6] | ||
2:18.4 | John Monckton | Australia | 18 February 1958 | - | Melbourne, Australia | [6] | ||
2:17.9 | Frank McKinney | United States | 12 July 1959 | - | Los Altos, United States | [6][8] | ||
2:17.8 | Frank McKinney | United States | 25 July 1959 | - | Osaka, Japan | [6][9] | ||
2:17.6 | Chuck Bittick | United States | 26 June 1960 | - | Los Angeles, United States | [6] | ||
2:16.0 | Tom Stock | United States | 24 July 1960 | - | Toledo, United States | [6] | ||
2:13.2 | Tom Stock | United States | 2 July 1961 | - | Chicago, United States | [6] | ||
2:11.5 | Tom Stock | United States | 20 August 1961 | - | Los Angeles, United States | [6] | ||
2:10.9 | Tom Stock | United States | 10 August 1962 | - | Cuyahoga Falls, United States | [6] | ||
2:10.3 | Jed Graef | United States | 13 October 1964 | 1964 Summer Olympics | Tokyo, Japan | [6] | ||
2:09.4 | Charles Hickcox | United States | 29 August 1967 | 1967 Summer Universiade | Tokyo, Japan | [6] | ||
2:07.9 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 8 November 1967 | - | Leipzig, East Germany | [6] | ||
2:07.5 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 14 August 1968 | - | Leipzig, East Germany | [6] | ||
2:07.4 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 12 July 1969 | - | Santa Clara, United States | [6][10] | ||
2:06.6 | Gary Hall | United States | 14 August 1969 | - | Louisville, United States | [6] | ||
2:06.6 | = | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 29 August 1969 | - | Berlin, West Germany | [6] | |
2:06.3 | Mike Stamm | United States | 20 August 1970 | - | Los Angeles, United States | [6] | ||
2:06.1 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 11 September 1970 | - | Barcelona, Spain | [6] | ||
2:05.6 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 3 September 1971 | - | Leipzig, East Germany | [6] | ||
2:02.8 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 10 July 1972 | - | Leipzig, East Germany | [6] | ||
2:02.8 | = | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 2 September 1972 | 1972 Summer Olympics | Munich, West Germany | [6] | |
2:01.87 | Roland Matthes | East Germany | 6 September 1973 | - | Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | [6] | ||
2:00.64 | John Naber | United States | 19 June 1976 | - | Long Beach, United States | [6] | ||
1:59.19 | John Naber | United States | 27 July 1976 | 1976 Summer Olympics | Montreal, Canada | [6] | ||
1:58.93 | Rick Carey | United States | 3 August 1983 | 1983 U.S. Summer Nationals | Clovis, United States | [6][11] | ||
1:58.86 | Rick Carey | United States | 27 June 1984 | 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials | Indianapolis, United States | [6] | ||
1:58.41 | Sergei Zabolotnov | Soviet Union | 21 August 1984 | - | Moscow, Soviet Union | [6] | ||
1:58.14 | Igor Polyansky | Soviet Union | 3 March 1985 | - | Erfurt, East Germany | [6] | ||
1:57.30 | Martin Zubero | Spain | 13 August 1991 | 1991 U.S. Summer Nationals | Fort Lauderdale, United States | [6][12] | ||
1:56.57 | Martin Zubero | Spain | 23 November 1991 | Alabama LC Invitational | Tuscaloosa, United States | [6][13] | ||
1:55.87 | Lenny Krayzelburg | United States | 27 August 1999 | 1999 Pan Pacific Championships | Sydney, Australia | [6] | ||
1:55.15 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 20 March 2002 | U.S. Spring Nationals | Minneapolis, United States | [6] | ||
1:54.74 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 12 July 2004 | USA Olympic Trials | Long Beach, United States | [6] | ||
1:54.66 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 29 July 2005 | 2005 World Championships | Montreal, Canada | [6] | ||
1:54.44 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 19 August 2006 | 2006 Pan Pacific Championships | Victoria, Canada | |||
1:54.32 | Ryan Lochte | United States | 30 March 2007 | 2007 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | |||
1:54.32 | = | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 4 July 2008 | 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials | Omaha, United States | ||
1:53.94 | Ryan Lochte | United States | 15 August 2008 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing, China | |||
1:53.08 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 11 July 2009 | 2009 U.S. Summer Nationals | Indianapolis, United States | |||
1:51.92 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 31 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy |
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; tt – time trial
Records not set in finals: h – heat;
Short course
# | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WBT | ? | ? ? | ? | 1 March 1991 | ||||
01 | 1:52.51 | Martin Lopez-Zubero | Spain | 10 April 1991 | ? | [14] | ||
02 | 1:52.47 | Lenny Krayzelburg | United States | 18 November 1999 | World Cup meet | College Park, United States | [15] | |
03 | 1:52.43 | Lenny Krayzelburg | United States | 6 February 2000 | World Cup meet | Berlin, Germany | [16] | |
04 | 1:51.62 | Matt Welsh | Australia | 13 October 2000 | ? | Melbourne, Australia | ||
05 | 1:51.62 | = | Gordan Kožulj | Croatia | 21 January 2001 | ? | Berlin, Germany | |
06 | 1:51.17 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 7 April 2002 | Short Course Worlds | Moscow, Russia | ||
07 | 1:50.52 | Aaron Peirsol | United States | 11 October 2004 | Short Course Worlds | Indianapolis, United States | ||
08 | 1:50.43 | Markus Rogan | Austria | 8 December 2005 | Short Course Europeans | Trieste, Italy | ||
09 | 1:49.05 | Ryan Lochte | United States | 9 April 2006 | Short Course Worlds | Shanghai, China | ||
10 | 1:47.84 | Markus Rogan | Austria | 13 April 2008 | Short Course Worlds | Manchester, United Kingdom | ||
11 | 1:47.08 | George Du Rand | South Africa | 7 November 2009 | World Cup meet | Moscow, Russia | ||
12 | 1:46.11 | Arkady Vyatchanin | Russia | 15 November 2009 | World Cup meet | Berlin, Germany | ||
13 | 1:45.63 | Mitch Larkin | Australia | 27 November 2015 | Australian Championships | Sydney, Australia | [17] |
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; tt – time trial
Records not set in finals: h – heat;
Women
Long course
Old Regulations
No | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3'06"8 | Sybil Bauer | United States | 4 July 1922 | Brighton Beach, United States |
2 | 3'03"8 | Sybil Bauer | United States | 9 February 1924 | Miami, United States |
3 | 2'59"2 | Marie Braun | Netherlands | 24 November 1928 | Brussels, Belgium |
4 | 2'58"8 | Eleanor Holm | United States | 1 February 1930 | Buffalo, United States |
5 | 2'58"2 | Eleanor Holm | United States | 1 March 1930 | New York City, United States |
6 | 2'50"4 | Phyllis Harding | United Kingdom | 19 September 1932 | Wallasey, United Kingdom |
7 | 2'49"6 | Rie Mastenbroek | Netherlands | 20 January 1935 | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
8 | 2'48"7 | Eleanor Holm | United States | 3 March 1936 | Toledo, United States |
9 | 2'44"6 | Nida Senff | Netherlands | 2 February 1937 | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
10 | 2'41"3 | Ragnhild Hveger | Denmark | 14 February 1937 | Århus, Denmark |
11 | 2'41"0 | Cor Kint | Netherlands | 17 April 1938 | Århus, Denmark |
12 | 2'40"6 | Iet van Feggelen | Netherlands | 26 October 1938 | Düsseldorf, Germany |
13 | 2'39"0 | Iet van Feggelen | Netherlands | 18 December 1938 | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
14 | 2'38"8 | Cor Kint | Netherlands | 29 November 1939 | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
15 | 2'35"3 | Geertje Wielema | Netherlands | 2 April 1950 | Hilversum, Netherlands |
New Regulations
# | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | 2:39.9 | Philippa Gould | New Zealand | 16 Jan 1957 | ? | Auckland, New Zealand | [18] | |
02 | 2:38.5 | Lenie de Nijs | Netherlands | 17 May 1957 | ? | Blackpool, United Kingdom | ||
03 | 2:37.4 | Chris von Saltza | USA | 1 Aug 1958 | ? | Topeka, United States | ||
04 | 2:37.1 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 12 Jul 1959 | ? | Tokyo, Japan | ||
05 | 2:34.8 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 2 Apr 1960 | ? | Tokyo, Japan | ||
06 | 2:33.5 | Lynn Burke | USA | 15 Jul 1960 | ? | Indianapolis, United States | ||
07 | 2:33.3 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 23 Jul 1960 | ? | Tokyo, Japan | ||
08 | 2:33.2 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 30 Jul 1961 | ? | Tokyo, Japan | ||
09 | 2:32.1 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 3 Jun 1962 | ? | Beppu, Japan | ||
10 | 2:31.6 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 29 Jul 1962 | ? | Osaka, Japan | ||
11 | 2:29.6 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 10 Feb 1963 | ? | Sydney, Australia | ||
12 | 2:28.9 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 18 Feb 1963 | ? | Perth, Australia | ||
13 | 2:28.5 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 21 Feb 1963 | ? | Perth, Australia | ||
14 | 2:28.2 | Satoko Tanaka | Japan | 4 Aug 1963 | ? | Tokyo, Japan | ||
15 | 2:27.4 | Cathy Ferguson | USA | 28 Sep 1964 | ? | Los Angeles, United States | ||
16 | 2:27.1 | Karen Muir | South Africa | 25 Jul 1966 | ? | Béziers, France | ||
17 | 2:26.4 | Karen Muir | South Africa | 18 Aug 1966 | ? | Lincoln, United States | ||
18 | 2:24.4 | Elaine Tanner | Canada | 26 Jul 1967 | ? | Winnipeg, Canada | ||
19 | 2:24.1 | Karen Muir | South Africa | 6 Jan 1968 | ? | Kimberley, South Africa | ||
20 | 2:23.8 | Karen Muir | South Africa | 21 Jul 1968 | ? | Los Angeles, United States | ||
21 | 2:21.5 | Susie Atwood | USA | 14 Aug 1968 | ? | Louisville, United States | ||
22 | 2:20.64 | Melissa Belote | USA | 5 Aug 1972 | ? | Chicago, United States | ||
23 | 2:20.58 | Melissa Belote | USA | 4 Sep 1972 | Olympic Games | Munich, West Germany | ||
24 | 2:19.19 | Melissa Belote | USA | 4 Sep 1972 | Olympic Games | Munich, West Germany | ||
25 | 2:18.41 | Ulrike Richter | East Germany | 7 Jul 1974 | ? | Rostock, East Germany | ||
26 | 2:17.35 | Ulrike Richter | East Germany | 25 Aug 1974 | ? | Vienna, Austria | ||
27 | 2:16.33 | Nancy Garapick | Canada | 27 Apr 1975 | ? | Brantford, Canada | ||
28 | 2:16.10 | Birgit Treiber | East Germany | 6 Jun 1975 | ? | Wittenberg, East Germany | ||
29 | 2:15.46 | Birgit Treiber | East Germany | 27 Jul 1975 | World Championships | Cali, Colombia | ||
30 | 2:14.41 | Antje Stille | East Germany | 29 Feb 1976 | ? | East Berlin, East Germany | ||
31 | 2:13.50 | Antje Stille | East Germany | 13 Mar 1976 | ? | Tallinn, Soviet Union | ||
32 | 2:12.47 | Birgit Treiber | East Germany | 4 Jun 1976 | ? | East Berlin, East Germany | ||
33 | 2:11.93 | Linda Jezek | USA | 28 Aug 1978 | World Championships | West Berlin, West Germany | ||
34 | 2:11.77 | Rica Reinisch | East Germany | 27 Jul 1980 | Olympic Games | Moscow, Soviet Union | ||
35 | 2:09.91 | Cornelia Sirch | East Germany | 8 Aug 1982 | World Championships | Guayaquil, Ecuador | ||
36 | 2:08.60 | Betsy Mitchell | USA | 27 Jun 1986 | U.S. Swimming World Championship Trials | Orlando, United States | ||
37 | 2:06.62 | Krisztina Egerszegi | Hungary | 25 Aug 1991 | European Championships | Athens, Greece | ||
38 | 2:06.39 | Kirsty Coventry | Zimbabwe | 16 Feb 2008 | USA Grand Prix meet | Columbia, United States | ||
39 | 2:06.09 | Margaret Hoelzer | USA | 5 Jul 2008 | USA Olympic Trials | Omaha, United States | ||
40 | 2:05.24 | Kirsty Coventry | Zimbabwe | 16 Aug 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | [19] | |
41 | 2:04.81 | Kirsty Coventry | Zimbabwe | 1 Aug 2009 | World Championships | Rome, Italy | ||
42 | 2:04.06 | Missy Franklin | USA | 3 Aug 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London, United Kingdom |
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; tt – time trial
Records not set in finals: h – heat;
Short course
# | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WBT | ? | ? ? | ? | 1 Mar 1991 | World Cup | Berlin, Germany | ||
01 | 2:06.09 | Cihong He | China | 5 Dec 1993 | World Championships | Palma de Mallorca, Spain | [20] | |
02 | 2:05.83 | Clementine Stoney | Australia | 4 Aug 2001 | Australia Championships | Perth, Australia | [20] | |
03 | 2:04.44 | Sara Price | Great Britain | 5 Aug 2001 | Australia Championships | Perth, Australia | [20] | |
04 | 2:03.62 | Natalie Coughlin | USA | 27 Nov 2001 | World Cup | East Meadow, United States | ||
05 | 2:03.24 | Reiko Nakamura | Japan | 23 Feb 2008 | Japan Open 2008 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
06 | 2:00.91 | Kirsty Coventry | Zimbabwe | 11 Apr 2008 | World Championships | Manchester, United Kingdom | ||
07 | 2:00.18 | Shiho Sakai | Japan | 14 Nov 2009 | World Cup | Berlin, Germany | ||
08 | 2:00.03 | Missy Franklin | USA | 22 Oct 2011 | World Cup | Berlin, Germany | ||
09 | 1:59.23 | WR | Katinka Hosszú | Hungary | 5 December 2014 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | [21] |
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; tt – time trial
Records not set in finals: h – heat;
References
- ^ Schwimmen im Kochsee; Berliner Volkszeitung; 29 June 1909; via the European Library
- ^ "New World Record". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. 25 June 1926. p. 6. Retrieved June 19, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Uued ilmarekordid; Waba Maa; 16 July 1926; via the European Library
- ^ "LAUFER BREAKS FOURTH SWIM MARK IN GERMANY". The Indianapolis News. 14 July 1926. p. 20. Retrieved June 19, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Toshio Irie at sports-reference.com
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj International Swimming Hall of Fame, Current Exhibits, World Records: Men - 200m Backstroke. Archived July 16, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ Associated Press, "Sets Swim Record," The Ottawa Journal (May 5, 1949). Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ United Press International, "Paddler Sets Record in Back Event," The Salt Lake Tribune, p. 26 (July 13, 1959). Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ Associated Press, "U.S. Swimmers Take Early Lead in Jap Swimming Meet," The Ogden Standard-Examiner, p. 2B (July 26, 1959). Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ "Roland Matthes Being Embraced by Opponent in Pool". Corbis Images. July 12, 1969. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
- ^ "Rick Carey replaces John Naber as 200-meter back record holder," The Tuscaloosa News (August 3, 1983).
- ^ Associated Press, "Swimming National Meet: Barrowman, Zubero get world marks," Los Angeles Times (August 14, 1991). Retrieved April 14, 2012.
- ^ "200-meter Backstroke record falls to former UF swimmer," Orlando Sentinel (November 25, 1991). Retrieved April 14, 2012.
- ^ (scm-m) This Day in Sports History April 10; retrieved 2012-04-14.
- ^ (scm-m) Three World Records set at World Cup. Published by Swimming World Magazine on 1999-11-20; retrieved 2012-04-14.
- ^ (scm-m) Krayzelburg sets another swim record, Associated Press. Published by the Los Angeles Times on 2000-02-07; retrieved 2012-04-14.
- ^ Lord, Craig (November 27, 2015). "Dolphin Mitch Larkin Leaps To 1:45.6 WR 200 Back Not Far Off Free Pace Of The Albatross". Swimvortex. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ^ International Swimming Hall of Fame, Current Exhibits, World Records: Women - 200m Backstroke. Archived July 16, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ (lcm-w) "Women's 200m Backstroke: Coventry finally wins gold". Beijing 2008. 2008-08-16. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
- ^ a b c (scm-w) Swimming: Price breaks short-course world record, by Astrid Andersson, The Telegraph. Published 2011-08-05; retrieved 2012-04-14.
- ^ "Women's 200m Backstroke Results". Omega Timing. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.