World record progression 200 metres backstroke


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 and short course 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

NoTimeNameNationalityDateLocation
13'04"4Oscar Schiele|empire

All-time top 25

Men long course

  • Correct as of August 2025
TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
111:51.92Aaron Peirsol31 July 2009Rome
221:52.51Ryosuke Irie31 July 2009Rome
31:52.86Irie #210 May 2009Canberra
341:52.96Ryan Lochte29 July 2011Shanghai
51:53.08Peirsol #211 July 2009Indianapolis
461:53.17Mitch Larkin7 November 2015Dubai
571:53.19Hubert Kós1 August 2025Singapore
681:53.23Evgeny Rylov8 April 2021Kazan
91:53.26Irie #325 September 2014Incheon
101:53.27Rylov #230 July 2021Tokyo
111:53.34Larkin #229 October 2015Tokyo
121:53.36Rylov #38 August 2018Glasgow
7121:53.36Pieter Coetze1 August 2025Singapore
141:53.40Rylov #426 July 2019Gwangju
8151:53.41Tyler Clary2 August 2012London
9161:53.57Ryan Murphy12 August 2018Tokyo
171:53.58Larkin #37 August 2015Kazan
181:53.61Rylov #528 July 2017Budapest
191:53.62Murphy #211 August 2016Rio de Janeiro
201:53.71Rylov #625 April 2018Moscow
211:53.72Larkin #415 December 2015Brisbane
221:53.73Irie #47 December 2009Hong Kong
231:53.78Irie #52 August 2012London
241:53.79Lochte #22 August 2013Barcelona
251:53.80Larkin #53 November 2015Doha
101:53.99Xu Jiayu23 August 2018Jakarta
111:54.23Kosuke Hagino10 April 2014Tokyo
121:54.24Radosław Kawęcki2 August 2013Barcelona
131:54.25Jack Aikins4 June 2025Indianapolis
141:54.43Luke Greenbank21 May 2021Budapest
151:54.47Yohann Ndoye Brouard31 July 2025Singapore
161:54.51Hugo González20 June 2024Palma
171:54.59Nick Thoman5 August 2009Federal Way
181:54.61Keaton Jones20 June 2024Indianapolis
191:54.65Michael Phelps31 July 2007Indianapolis
201:54.66Apostolos Siskos18 May 2025Thessaloniki
211:54.75Arkady Vyatchanin31 July 2009Rome
221:54.77Jacob Pebley1 July 2016Omaha
231:54.79Bryce Mefford18 June 2021Omaha
241:54.82Apostolos Christou1 August 2024Paris
251:54.83Roman Mityukov31 July 2025Singapore
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Men short course

  • Correct as of December 2025
TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
111:45.12Hubert Kós23 October 2025Toronto
221:45.63Mitch Larkin27 November 2015Sydney
31:45.65Kós #215 December 2024Budapest
341:46.11Arkady Vyatchanin15 November 2009Berlin
451:46.37Evgeny Rylov21 November 2020Budapest
61:46.41Vyatchanin #222 November 2009Singapore
571:46.68Ryan Lochte19 December 2010Dubai
81:46.84Kós #310 October 2025Carmel
91:47.02Rylov #216 December 2018Hangzhou
6101:47.08George Du Rand7 November 2009Moscow
7111:47.34Ryan Murphy16 December 2018Hangzhou
8121:47.38Radosław Kawęcki7 December 2014Doha
131:47.41Larkin #24 November 2016Brisbane
131:47.41Murphy #221 November 2020Budapest
131:47.41Murphy #318 December 2022Melbourne
161:47.48Murphy #415 November 2020Budapest
9171:47.49Thomas Ceccon23 October 2025Toronto
181:47.51Kós #417 October 2025Westmont
191:47.63Kawęcki #211 August 2013Berlin
191:47.63Kawęcki #311 December 2016Windsor
10211:47.64Markus Rogan11 November 2009Stockholm
221:47.66Vyatchanin #311 November 2009Stockholm
11231:47.68Léon Marchand10 October 2025Carmel
241:47.72Larkin #39 November 2014Adelaide
251:47.84Rogan #213 April 2008Manchester
121:47.89John Shortt3 December 2025Lublin
131:48.01Shaine Casas18 December 2022Melbourne
141:48.02Kliment Kolesnikov13 December 2017Copenhagen
151:48.25Masaki Kaneko17 January 2016Tokyo
161:48.32Xu Jiayu9 November 2018Tokyo
171:48.43Lorenzo Mora10 December 2023Otopeni
181:48.53Luke Greenbank10 December 2023Otopeni
191:48.55Mewen Tomac10 December 2023Otopeni
201:48.59Jacob Pebley29 September 2021Naples
211:48.60Tyler Clary11 August 2013Berlin
221:48.62Stanislav Donets10 December 2009Istanbul
231:48.74Matt Grevers18 December 2009Manchester
241:48.77Ryosuke Irie7 December 2014Doha
251:48.97Christian Diener21 December 2021Abu Dhabi
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Women long course

  • Correct as of August 2025
TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
112:03.14Kaylee McKeown10 March 2023Sydney
22:03.30McKeown #213 June 2024Brisbane
32:03.33McKeown #32 August 2025Singapore
242:03.35Regan Smith26 July 2019Gwangju
52:03.69Smith #227 July 2019Gwangju
62:03.70McKeown #416 June 2023Melbourne
72:03.73McKeown #52 August 2024Paris
82:03.80Smith #328 June 2023Indianapolis
92:03.84McKeown #620 April 2024Gold Coast
102:03.85McKeown #729 July 2023Fukuoka
112:03.99Smith #49 March 2024Westmont
3122:04.06Missy Franklin3 August 2012London
132:04.18McKeown #814 May 2023Sydney
142:04.21McKeown #915 March 2024Sydney
152:04.26Smith #52 August 2024Paris
162:04.27Smith #62 December 2023Greensboro
172:04.28McKeown #1017 June 2021Adelaide
182:04.29Smith #72 August 2025Singapore
192:04.31McKeown #1114 May 2021Sydney
202:04.47McKeown #1212 June 2025Adelaide
212:04.49McKeown #1315 November 2020Brisbane
222:04.57McKeown #1421 March 2025Sydney
232:04.64McKeown #1518 February 2022Melbourne
242:04.68McKeown #1631 July 2021Tokyo
252:04.76Franklin #23 August 2013Barcelona
252:04.76Smith #815 April 2023Westmont
42:04.81Kirsty Coventry1 August 2009Rome
52:04.94Anastasia Fesikova1 August 2009Rome
62:05.08Phoebe Bacon27 April 2022Greensboro
72:05.09Claire Curzan4 June 2025Indianapolis
82:05.13Rhyan White27 April 2022Greensboro
92:05.42Kylie Masse31 July 2021Tokyo
102:05.56Margherita Panziera31 March 2021Riccione
112:05.68Emily Seebohm29 July 2017Budapest
122:05.85Katinka Hosszú29 July 2017Budapest
132:05.99Maya DiRado12 August 2016Rio de Janeiro
132:05.99Leah Shackley18 July 2025Berlin
152:06.06Belinda Hocking30 July 2011Shanghai
162:06.09Margaret Hoelzer29 June 2008Omaha
172:06.14Kathleen Baker9 August 2018Tokyo
182:06.18Elizabeth Beisel2 August 2012London
192:06.29Elizabeth Pelton25 June 2013Indianapolis
202:06.36Taylor Ruck2 March 2018Atlanta
212:06.46Zhao Jing13 November 2010Guangzhou
222:06.54Kennedy Noble28 June 2023Indianapolis
222:06.54Peng Xuwei20 March 2025Qingdao
242:06.62Krisztina Egerszegi25 August 1991Athens
252:06.64Laure Manaudou26 April 2008Dunkirk
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Women short course

  • Correct as of October 2025
TimeAthleteNationDatePlace
111:57.33Kaylee McKeown25 October 2025Toronto
221:57.86Regan Smith25 October 2025Toronto
31:57.87McKeown #219 October 2025Westmont
41:57.91Smith #219 October 2025Westmont
51:58.04Smith #315 December 2024Budapest
61:58.83Smith #42 November 2024Singapore
71:58.86McKeown #312 October 2025Carmel
81:58.94McKeown #428 November 2020Brisbane
391:59.23Katinka Hosszú5 December 2014Doha
4101:59.25Minna Atherton23 November 2019London
111:59.26McKeown #518 December 2022Melbourne
5121:59.35Daryna Zevina26 August 2016Chartres
131:59.48Atherton #226 October 2019Budapest
131:59.48McKeown #625 August 2022Sydney
6151:59.49Emily Seebohm26 November 2015Sydney
161:59.60Smith #526 October 2024Incheon
171:59.75Hosszú #211 December 2015Indianapolis
181:59.84Hosszú #34 December 2015Netanya
191:59.94Seebohm #26 October 2018Budapest
201:59.95Hosszú #44 December 2015Netanya
7211:59.96Summer McIntosh15 December 2024Budapest
8222:00.03Missy Franklin22 October 2011Berlin
232:00.05Hosszú #511 August 2017Eindhoven
242:00.07Smith #612 October 2025Carmel
252:00.13Seebohm #35 December 2014Doha
92:00.15Anastasiya Shkurdai10 November 2023Brest
102:00.18Shiho Sakai14 November 2009Berlin
112:00.27Beata Nelson21 November 2020Budapest
122:00.53Claire Curzan18 December 2022Melbourne
132:00.69Kathleen Baker6 October 2018Budapest
142:00.71Lisa Bratton13 December 2018Hangzhou
152:00.76Phoebe Bacon15 December 2024Budapest
162:00.83Elizabeth Simmonds16 December 2011Atlanta
172:00.91Kirsty Coventry11 April 2008Manchester
182:01.24Belinda Hocking22 October 2011Berlin
192:01.26Kira Toussaint4 November 2021Kazan
192:01.26Kylie Masse18 December 2022Melbourne
212:01.29Amy Bilquist30 October 2020Budapest
222:01.33Courtney Bartholomew11 December 2015Indianapolis
232:01.45Margherita Panziera6 December 2019Glasgow
242:01.57Daria Ustinova4 December 2015Netanya
252:01.58Rhyan White19 December 2021Abu Dhabi