World record progression 200 metres butterfly
This is a history of the progression of the World Record for the Swimming event: the 200 Butterfly. 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 Aquatics.
The long course records are historically older than the short course records: the long course records go back to at least the 1950s, whereas the short course marks having only been recognized since the early 1990s.
All-time top 25
Men long course
- Correct as of December 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 1:50.34 | Kristóf Milák | 21 June 2022 | Budapest | ||
| 2 | 1:50.73 | Milák #2 | 24 July 2019 | Gwangju | |||
| 3 | 1:51.10 | Milák #3 | 19 May 2021 | Budapest | |||
| 2 | 4 | 1:51.21 | Léon Marchand | 31 July 2024 | Paris | ||
| 5 | 1:51.25 | Milák #4 | 28 July 2021 | Tokyo | |||
| 6 | 1:51.40 | Milák #5 | 23 March 2021 | Budapest | |||
| 3 | 7 | 1:51.51 | Michael Phelps | 29 July 2009 | Rome | ||
| 8 | 1:51.75 | Milák #6 | 31 July 2024 | Paris | |||
| 4 | 9 | 1:51.87 | Luca Urlando | 30 July 2025 | Singapore | ||
| 10 | 1:52.01 | Milák #7 | 16 August 2022 | Rome | |||
| 11 | 1:52.03 | Phelps #2 | 13 August 2008 | Beijing | |||
| 12 | 1:52.09 | Phelps #3 | 28 March 2007 | Melbourne | |||
| 13 | 1:52.20 | Phelps #4 | 2 July 2008 | Omaha | |||
| 14 | 1:52.22 | Milák #8 | 27 July 2021 | Tokyo | |||
| 15 | 1:52.37 | Urlando #2 | 4 April 2025 | Sacramento | |||
| 16 | 1:52.39 | Milák #9 | 20 June 2022 | Budapest | |||
| 17 | 1:52.43 | Marchand #2 | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 18 | 1:52.50 | Milák #10 | 23 March 2021 | Budapest | |||
| 5 | 19 | 1:52.53 | Daiya Seto | 18 January 2020 | Beijing | ||
| 20 | 1:52.57 | Marchand #3 | 6 December 2025 | Austin | |||
| 21 | 1:52.58 | Milák #11 | 20 April 2023 | Kaposvár | |||
| 6 | 22 | 1:52.64 | Krzysztof Chmielewski | 30 July 2025 | Singapore | ||
| 7 | 23 | 1:52.70 | László Cseh | 13 August 2008 | Beijing | ||
| 7 | 23 | 1:52.70 | Tomoru Honda | 3 December 2022 | Tokyo | ||
| 25 | 1:52.71 | Milák #12 | 28 March 2018 | Debrecen | |||
| 25 | 1:52.71 | Urlando #3 | 29 July 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 9 | 1:52.80 | Ilya Kharun | 31 July 2024 | Paris | |||
| 10 | 1:52.96 | Chad le Clos | 31 July 2012 | London | |||
| 11 | 1:52.97 | Takeshi Matsuda | 13 August 2008 | Beijing | |||
| 12 | 1:53.23 | Paweł Korzeniowski | 29 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 13 | 1:53.40 | Masato Sakai | 9 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
| 14 | 1:53.42 | Tamás Kenderesi | 27 March 2019 | Debrecen | |||
| 15 | 1:53.64 | Tyler Clary | 8 July 2009 | Indianapolis | |||
| 16 | 1:53.67 | Carson Foster | 7 July 2022 | Austin | |||
| 17 | 1:53.79 | Nao Horomura | 6 April 2018 | Tokyo | |||
| 18 | 1:53.82 | Thomas Heilman | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 19 | 1:53.86 | Gil Stovall | 2 July 2008 | Omaha | |||
| 20 | 1:53.92 | Kaio de Almeida | 8 May 2009 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
| 21 | 1:54.02 | Chen Juner | 29 July 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 22 | 1:54.07 | Genki Terakado | 21 March 2024 | Tokyo | |||
| 23 | 1:54.10 | Jan Świtkowski | 5 August 2015 | Kazan | |||
| 24 | 1:54.14 | Noè Ponti | 30 July 2024 | Paris | |||
| 24 | 1:54.14 | Noè Ponti | 31 July 2024 | Paris | |||
| 25 | 1:54.15 | Moss Burmester | 4 April 2009 | Christchurch |
Men short course
- Correct as of December 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 1:46.85 | Tomoru Honda | 22 October 2022 | Tokyo | ||
| 2 | 2 | 1:48.24 | Daiya Seto | 11 December 2018 | Hangzhou | ||
| 2 | 2 | 1:48.24 | Ilya Kharun | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | ||
| 4 | 4 | 1:48.27 | Chad le Clos | 15 December 2022 | Melbourne | ||
| 5 | 1:48.32 | le Clos #2 | 11 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 6 | 1:48.46 | Kharun #2 | 18 October 2025 | Westmont | |||
| 7 | 1:48.56 | le Clos #3 | 5 November 2013 | Singapore | |||
| 8 | 1:48.57 | le Clos #4 | 22 November 2020 | Budapest | |||
| 9 | 1:48.61 | le Clos #5 | 7 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 5 | 10 | 1:48.64 | Alberto Razzetti | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | ||
| 6 | 11 | 1:48.66 | Tom Shields | 22 November 2020 | Budapest | ||
| 12 | 1:48.67 | le Clos #6 | 11 August 2017 | Eindhoven | |||
| 13 | 1:48.76 | le Clos #7 | 6 December 2016 | Windsor | |||
| 14 | 1:48.77 | Seto #2 | 21 December 2019 | Las Vegas | |||
| 7 | 14 | 1:48.77 | Noè Ponti | 11 April 2025 | Uster | ||
| 16 | 1:48.88 | le Clos #8 | 1 November 2014 | Singapore | |||
| 17 | 1:48.92 | Seto #3 | 7 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 8 | 18 | 1:49.00 | László Cseh | 6 December 2015 | Netanya | ||
| 19 | 1:49.02 | Shields #2 | 16 November 2020 | Budapest | |||
| 20 | 1:49.04 | le Clos #9 | 7 August 2013 | Eindhoven | |||
| 21 | 1:49.05 | Shields #3 | 12 December 2015 | Indianapolis | |||
| 22 | 1:49.06 | Razzetti #2 | 16 December 2021 | Abu Dhabi | |||
| 23 | 1:49.07 | le Clos #10 | 17 October 2013 | Dubai | |||
| 24 | 1:49.08 | le Clos #11 | 7 August 2017 | Berlin | |||
| 25 | 1:49.10 | le Clos #12 | 3 September 2016 | Moscow | |||
| 9 | 1:49.11 | Kaio de Almeida | 10 November 2009 | Stockholm | |||
| 10 | 1:49.26 | Krzysztof Chmielewski | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 11 | 1:49.46 | Nikolay Skvortsov | 12 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 12 | 1:49.50 | Takeshi Matsuda | 12 November 2011 | Tokyo | |||
| 13 | 1:49.61 | Chen Juner | 28 October 2022 | Beijing | |||
| 14 | 1:49.69 | Trenton Julian | 29 October 2022 | Toronto | |||
| 15 | 1:49.86 | Kristóf Milák | 16 November 2022 | Kaposvár | |||
| 16 | 1:49.89 | Wang Kuan-hung | 16 November 2020 | Budapest | |||
| 17 | 1:50.13 | Paweł Korzeniowski | 12 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 18 | 1:50.23 | Andreas Vazaios | 8 December 2019 | Glasgow | |||
| 19 | 1:50.26 | Teppei Morimoto | 15 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 20 | 1:50.28 | Hidemasa Sano | 11 February 2012 | Tokyo | |||
| 21 | 1:50.30 | Michal Chmielewski | 7 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 22 | 1:50.32 | Dinko Jukić | 12 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 23 | 1:50.39 | Li Zhuhao | 11 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 23 | 1:50.39 | Kregor Zirk | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 23 | 1:50.39 | Andrey Minakov | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
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Women long course
- Correct as of December 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 2:01.81 | Liu Zige | 21 October 2009 | Jinan | ||
| 2 | 2 | 2:01.99 | Summer McIntosh | 31 July 2025 | Singapore | ||
| 3 | 2:02.26 | McIntosh #2 | 10 June 2025 | Victoria | |||
| 4 | 2:02.62 | McIntosh #3 | 6 December 2025 | Austin | |||
| 5 | 2:03.03 | McIntosh #4 | 1 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 3 | 6 | 2:03.41 | Jessicah Schipper | 30 July 2009 | Rome | ||
| 4 | 7 | 2:03.84 | Regan Smith | 1 August 2024 | Paris | ||
| 5 | 8 | 2:03.86 | Zhang Yufei | 29 July 2021 | Tokyo | ||
| 9 | 2:03.87 | Smith #2 | 4 June 2023 | Tempe | |||
| 10 | 2:03.90 | Liu #2 | 30 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 11 | 2:04.00 | McIntosh #5 | 6 March 2025 | Westmont | |||
| 6 | 12 | 2:04.06 | Jiao Liuyang | 1 August 2012 | London | ||
| 12 | 2:04.06 | McIntosh #6 | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 7 | 14 | 2:04.14 | Mary DeScenza | 29 July 2009 | Rome | ||
| 15 | 2:04.18 | Liu #3 | 14 August 2008 | Beijing | |||
| 8 | 16 | 2:04.27 | Katinka Hosszú | 29 July 2009 | Rome | ||
| 17 | 2:04.28 | Hosszú #2 | 30 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 18 | 2:04.33 | DeScenza #2 | 29 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 18 | 2:04.33 | McIntosh #7 | 28 May 2024 | Toronto | |||
| 20 | 2:04.40 | Liu #4 | 6 April 2011 | Wuhan | |||
| 21 | 2:04.41 | DeScenza #3 | 30 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 22 | 2:04.44 | Jiao #2 | 6 April 2011 | Wuhan | |||
| 23 | 2:04.50 | Jiao #3 | 30 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 24 | 2:04.54 | Jiao #4 | 8 September 2013 | Shenyang | |||
| 25 | 2:04.59 | Liu #5 | 1 August 2013 | Barcelona | |||
| 9 | 2:04.69 | Natsumi Hoshi | 5 April 2012 | Tokyo | |||
| 10 | 2:04.78 | Mireia Belmonte | 1 August 2013 | Barcelona | |||
| 11 | 2:04.83 | Ellen Gandy | 16 March 2009 | Sheffield | |||
| 12 | 2:04.88 | Madeline Groves | 10 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
| 13 | 2:05.09 | Aurore Mongel | 29 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 14 | 2:05.20 | Elizabeth Dekkers | 18 April 2024 | Gold Coast | |||
| 14 | 2:05.20 | Tess Howley | 22 July 2025 | Berlin | |||
| 16 | 2:05.26 | Franziska Hentke | 3 July 2015 | Essen | |||
| 17 | 2:05.36 | Jemma Lowe | 17 June 2011 | Sheffield | |||
| 18 | 2:05.38 | Gong Jie | 6 April 2012 | Shaoxing | |||
| 19 | 2:05.45 | Alys Thomas | 9 April 2018 | Gold Coast | |||
| 19 | 2:05.45 | Chen Luying | 14 November 2025 | Shenzhen | |||
| 21 | 2:05.61 | Otylia Jędrzejczak | 28 July 2005 | Montreal | |||
| 22 | 2:05.62 | Suzuka Hasegawa | 30 August 2020 | Tokyo | |||
| 23 | 2:05.65 | Hali Flickinger | 29 July 2021 | Tokyo | |||
| 24 | 2:05.78 | Kathleen Hersey | 1 August 2012 | London | |||
| 25 | 2:05.80 | Caroline Bricker | 3 June 2025 | Indianapolis |
Women short course
- Correct as of October 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 1:59.32 | Summer McIntosh | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | ||
| 2 | 2 | 1:59.61 | Mireia Belmonte | 3 December 2014 | Doha | ||
| 3 | 3 | 2:00.20 | Regan Smith | 17 October 2025 | Westmont | ||
| 4 | 2:00.28 | Smith #2 | 10 October 2025 | Carmel | |||
| 5 | 2:00.34 | Smith #3 | 23 October 2025 | Toronto | |||
| 4 | 6 | 2:00.78 | Liu Zige | 15 November 2009 | Berlin | ||
| 7 | 2:01.00 | Smith #4 | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 5 | 8 | 2:01.12 | Katinka Hosszú | 3 December 2014 | Doha | ||
| 9 | 2:01.52 | Belmonte #2 | 12 December 2013 | Herning | |||
| 10 | 2:01.60 | Hosszú #2 | 12 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 6 | 11 | 2:01.73 | Kelsi Dahlia | 12 December 2018 | Hangzhou | ||
| 12 | 2:01.85 | Smith #5 | 18 October 2024 | Shanghai | |||
| 13 | 2:01.96 | McIntosh #2 | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 14 | 2:02.15 | Hosszú #3 | 7 December 2016 | Windsor | |||
| 15 | 2:02.20 | Hosszú #4 | 12 December 2012 | Istanbul | |||
| 16 | 2:02.21 | Hosszú #5 | 20 December 2013 | Saint Petersburg | |||
| 7 | 17 | 2:02.28 | Jiao Liuyang | 12 December 2012 | Istanbul | ||
| 8 | 18 | 2:02.36 | Ellen Walshe | 23 October 2025 | Toronto | ||
| 19 | 2:02.40 | Hosszú #6 | 20 December 2013 | Saint Petersburg | |||
| 20 | 2:02.42 | Hosszú #7 | 3 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 21 | 2:02.50 | Liu #2 | 11 November 2009 | Stockholm | |||
| 9 | 22 | 2:02.51 | Alex Shackell | 10 October 2025 | Carmel | ||
| 10 | 23 | 2:02.52 | Chen Luying | 26 September 2024 | Wuhan | ||
| 24 | 2:02.71 | Chen #2 | 18 October 2024 | Shanghai | |||
| 25 | 2:02.75 | Hosszú #8 | 2 August 2017 | Moscow | |||
| 11 | 2:02.88 | Ellen Gandy | 22 August 2013 | Sydney | |||
| 12 | 2:02.91 | Elizabeth Dekkers | 12 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 13 | 2:02.96 | Suzuka Hasegawa | 14 January 2017 | Tokyo | |||
| 14 | 2:03.01 | Franziska Hentke | 4 December 2015 | Netanya | |||
| 14 | 2:03.01 | Zhang Yufei | 17 December 2021 | Abu Dhabi | |||
| 16 | 2:03.08 | Madeline Groves | 28 November 2015 | Sydney | |||
| 17 | 2:03.12 | Yuko Nakanishi | 23 February 2008 | Tokyo | |||
| 18 | 2:03.13 | Laura Lahtinen | 18 October 2024 | Shanghai | |||
| 18 | 2:03.13 | Bella Grant | 24 October 2024 | Incheon | |||
| 20 | 2:03.19 | Jemma Lowe | 12 December 2012 | Istanbul | |||
| 21 | 2:03.20 | Audrey Lacroix | 6 August 2009 | Leeds | |||
| 22 | 2:03.22 | Aurore Mongel | 10 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 23 | 2:03.25 | Brianna Throssell | 28 November 2015 | Sydney | |||
| 24 | 2:03.27 | Jessicah Schipper | 22 November 2009 | Singapore | |||
| 25 | 2:03.30 | Angelina Köhler | 7 December 2023 | Otopeni | |||
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