Swimming at the World Aquatics Championships

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.

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

Championships

Year	Date	Edition	Location	Events (men/women/mixed)		Winner of the medal table	Second in the medal table	Third in the medal table
				Long course	Open water
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	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	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
2007	18 March – 1 April	12	Melbourne, Australia	20 / 20 / 0	3 / 3 / 0	United States	Australia	Russia
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	France
2015	24 July – 9 August	16	Kazan, Russia	20 / 20 / 2	3 / 3 / 1	United States	Australia	China
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	Hungary

Future championships

Year	Date	Edition	Location
2022	13–29 May [1]	19	Fukuoka, Japan[2]
2023	6–22 October	20	Doha, Qatar
2025	TBA	21	Kazan, Russia
2027	TBA	22	Budapest, Hungary

Events

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

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[3] 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[4] from Bahrain in 2015. She participated at the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle events.

Men's events

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

Women's events

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

Mixed events

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

Open water

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

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

Medalists

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 1973-2019

Updated after the 2019 World Aquatics Championships.

Swimming

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	222	167	117	506
2	Australia	79	82	58	219
3	East Germany	50	40	25	115
4	China	49	25	42	116
5	Hungary	32	19	27	78
6	Great Britain	22	18	37	77
7	Germany	21	34	34	89
8	Russia	20	36	28	84
9	Italy	18	19	25	62
10	France	16	18	22	56
11	Sweden	14	17	16	47
12	Netherlands	11	25	25	61
13	Soviet Union	11	20	21	52
14	South Africa	11	6	14	31
15	Japan	10	25	35	70
16	Brazil	9	11	9	29
17	Canada	8	18	33	59
18	West Germany	8	7	11	26
19	Ukraine	7	6	6	19
20	Poland	6	9	8	23
21	Denmark	4	8	8	20
22	Spain	4	6	6	16
23	Zimbabwe	3	5	0	8
24	Finland	3	2	1	6
25	Romania	2	1	7	10
26	Belarus	2	1	1	4
27	Serbia	2	1	0	3
28	South Korea	2	0	1	3
29	Tunisia	1	2	3	6
30	Lithuania	1	2	2	5
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
	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 nations)		653	657	651	1961

Open water swimming

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Germany	13	15	12	40
2	Russia	12	11	9	32
3	United States	10	9	7	26
4	Italy	9	7	16	32
5	France	6	6	3	15
6	Brazil	6	3	6	15
7	Netherlands	4	6	4	14
8	Australia	3	6	5	14
9	Greece	2	4	3	9
10	Great Britain	2	1	1	4
11	Hungary	1	2	1	4
	Spain	1	2	1	4
13	Canada	1	1	1	3
14	Bulgaria	1	0	3	4
15	South Africa	1	0	1	2
	Tunisia	1	0	1	2
17	China	1	0	0	1
	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
Totals (23 nations)		75	76	76	227

Multiple medalists in swimming

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

All events

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

* 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

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

World records

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

Participation

Edition	Athletes	Nations
1973	686	47
1975	682	39
1978	828	49
1982	848	52
1986	1119	34
1991	1142	60
1994	1400	102
1998	1371	121
2001	1498	134
2003	2015	157
2005	1784	144
2007	2158	167

See also

• List of World Championships records in swimming
• Major achievements in swimming by nation
• Swimming at the Summer Olympics

References

1. "New dates set for world swim championships: May 13-19, 2022". AP NEWS. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
2. Fukuoka, Doha chosen as World Aquatics Championships hosts published by NBC Sports on 31 January 2016.
3. Matt Roebuck (4 August 2015). "Myanmar centre-stage at World Championships". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
4. "10-Year-Old Alzain Tareq Enjoying World Championship Experience". Swimming World Magazine. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.

External links

• FINA Official Championship Results History – Swimming (men)
• FINA Official Championship Results History – Swimming (women)