World record progression 50 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 50 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognized by the International Swimming Federation in 1976. In short course swimming events the world's governing body recognizes world records since March 3, 1991.
The drop in world record times in 2008-2009 coincided with the introduction of polyurethane suits from Speedo in 2008 and by Arena, Adidas and Italian swimming suit manufacturer Jaked in 2009. FINA's ban on non-textile suit came into effect in January 2010. FINA also released a .
All-time top 25
Men long course
- Correct as of August 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 20.91 | César Cielo | 18 December 2009 | São Paulo | ||
| 2 | 2 | 20.94 | Frédérick Bousquet | 26 April 2009 | Montpellier | ||
| 3 | 21.02 | Cielo #2 | 17 December 2009 | São Paulo | |||
| 3 | 4 | 21.04 | Caeleb Dressel | 27 July 2019 | Gwangju | ||
| 3 | 4 | 21.04 | Caeleb Dressel | 20 June 2021 | Omaha | ||
| 4 | 6 | 21.06 | Cameron McEvoy | 29 July 2023 | Fukuoka | ||
| 7 | 21.07 | Dressel #3 | 1 August 2021 | Tokyo | |||
| 8 | 21.08 | Cielo #3 | 1 August 2009 | Rome | |||
| 5 | 9 | 21.11 | Ben Proud | 8 August 2018 | Glasgow | ||
| 10 | 21.13 | McEvoy #2 | 16 February 2024 | Doha | |||
| 11 | 21.14 | Cielo #4 | 9 July 2009 | Indianapolis | |||
| 11 | 21.14 | McEvoy #3 | 2 August 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 13 | 21.15 | Dressel #4 | 29 July 2017 | Budapest | |||
| 14 | 21.16 | Proud #2 | 29 June 2018 | Rome | |||
| 15 | 21.17 | Bousquet #2 | 28 June 2009 | Pescara | |||
| 16 | 21.18 | Dressel #5 | 27 July 2019 | Gwangju | |||
| 6 | 17 | 21.19 | Ashley Callus | 26 November 2009 | Canberra | ||
| 6 | 17 | 21.19 | Florent Manaudou | 8 August 2015 | Kazan | ||
| 8 | 19 | 21.20 | George Bovell | 31 July 2009 | Rome | ||
| 20 | 21.21 | Bousquet #3 | 31 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 20 | 21.21 | Bousquet #4 | 1 August 2009 | Rome | |||
| 9 | 22 | 21.23 | Alain Bernard | 26 April 2009 | Montpellier | ||
| 22 | 21.23 | McEvoy #4 | 16 February 2024 | Doha | |||
| 24 | 21.24 | Callus #2 | 26 November 2009 | Canberra | |||
| 10 | 25 | 21.25 | Amaury Leveaux | 1 August 2009 | Rome | ||
| 25 | 21.25 | McEvoy #5 | 28 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 25 | 21.25 | Proud #3 | 6 April 2024 | London | |||
| 25 | 21.25 | McEvoy #6 | 2 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 11 | 21.27 | Bruno Fratus | 29 July 2017 | Budapest | |||
| 11 | 21.27 | Vladimir Morozov | 15 August 2019 | Singapore | |||
| 13 | 21.28 | Eamon Sullivan | 28 March 2008 | Sydney | |||
| 14 | 21.29 | Duje Draganja | 31 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 15 | 21.32 | Jack Alexy | 1 August 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 16 | 21.37 | Nathan Adrian | 7 August 2015 | Kazan | |||
| 16 | 21.37 | Andrea Vergani | 8 August 2018 | Glasgow | |||
| 18 | 21.38 | Vladyslav Bukhov | 16 February 2024 | Doha | |||
| 19 | 21.40 | Cullen Jones | 31 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 19 | 21.40 | Anthony Ervin | 12 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
| 21 | 21.41 | Michael Andrew | 24 June 2022 | Budapest | |||
| 22 | 21.42 | Krisztián Takács | 31 July 2009 | Rome | |||
| 23 | 21.43 | Egor Kornev | 16 April 2025 | Kazan | |||
| 24 | 21.44 | Kristian Gkolomeev | 9 August 2018 | Glasgow | |||
| 24 | 21.44 | Andrej Barna | 1 August 2025 | Singapore | |||
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Men short course
- Correct as of December 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 19.90 | Jordan Crooks | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | ||
| 2 | 20.08 | Crooks #2 | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 2 | 3 | 20.16 | Caeleb Dressel | 21 November 2020 | Budapest | ||
| 3 | 4 | 20.18 | Ben Proud | 7 December 2023 | Otopeni | ||
| 5 | 20.19 | Crooks #3 | 15 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 6 | 20.24 | Dressel #2 | 20 December 2019 | Las Vegas | |||
| 4 | 7 | 20.26 | Florent Manaudou | 5 December 2014 | Doha | ||
| 8 | 20.28 | Dressel #3 | 15 November 2020 | Budapest | |||
| 5 | 9 | 20.30 | Roland Schoeman | 8 August 2009 | Pietermaritzburg | ||
| 6 | 10 | 20.31 | Vladimir Morozov | 15 December 2017 | Copenhagen | ||
| 10 | 20.31 | Crooks #4 | 16 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 6 | 10 | 20.31 | Joshua Liendo | 23 October 2025 | Toronto | ||
| 13 | 20.33 | Morozov #2 | 14 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 14 | 20.36 | Crooks #5 | 16 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 15 | 20.39 | Morozov #3 | 14 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 8 | 15 | 20.39 | Egor Kornev | 20 December 2025 | Saint Petersburg | ||
| 17 | 20.40 | Morozov #4 | 6 December 2019 | Glasgow | |||
| 17 | 20.40 | Proud #2 | 3 December 2021 | Eindhoven | |||
| 19 | 20.43 | Dressel #4 | 14 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 20 | 20.45 | Morozov #5 | 15 December 2017 | Copenhagen | |||
| 20 | 20.45 | Proud #3 | 19 December 2021 | Abu Dhabi | |||
| 22 | 20.46 | Crooks #6 | 17 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 9 | 23 | 20.48 | Amaury Leveaux | 11 December 2008 | Rijeka | ||
| 23 | 20.48 | Morozov #6 | 15 November 2018 | Singapore | |||
| 25 | 20.49 | Morozov #7 | 9 November 2018 | Tokyo | |||
| 25 | 20.49 | Proud #4 | 17 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 10 | 20.51 | César Cielo | 17 December 2010 | Dubai | |||
| 10 | 20.51 | Jack Alexy | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 12 | 20.53 | Frédérick Bousquet | 10 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 13 | 20.57 | Guilherme Caribé | 15 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 14 | 20.63 | Nyls Korstanje | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 15 | 20.64 | Alain Bernard | 14 December 2008 | Rijeka | |||
| 16 | 20.68 | Maxim Lobanovszkij | 14 December 2019 | Kaposvár | |||
| 16 | 20.68 | Kyle Chalmers | 28 October 2021 | Kazan | |||
| 18 | 20.69 | Marco Orsi | 5 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 19 | 20.70 | Stefan Nystrand | 15 November 2009 | Berlin | |||
| 19 | 20.70 | Duje Draganja | 10 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 19 | 20.70 | Evgeny Sedov | 6 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 19 | 20.70 | Ryan Held | 19 December 2021 | Abu Dhabi | |||
| 19 | 20.70 | Dylan Carter | 16 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 19 | 20.70 | Jere Hribar | 2 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 19 | 20.70 | Jere Hribar | 7 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 25 | 20.72 | Szebasztián Szabó | 4 November 2021 | Kazan | |||
| 25 | 20.72 | Chris Guiliano | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 25 | 20.72 | Ilya Kharun | 17 October 2025 | Westmont | |||
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Women long course
- Correct as of June 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 23.61 | Sarah Sjöström | 29 July 2023 | Fukuoka | ||
| 2 | 23.62 | Sjöström #2 | 30 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 3 | 23.66 | Sjöström #3 | 3 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 4 | 23.67 | Sjöström #4 | 29 July 2017 | Budapest | |||
| 5 | 23.69 | Sjöström #5 | 30 July 2017 | Budapest | |||
| 5 | 23.69 | Sjöström #6 | 18 February 2024 | Doha | |||
| 7 | 23.71 | Sjöström #7 | 4 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 2 | 8 | 23.73 | Britta Steffen | 2 August 2009 | Rome | ||
| 9 | 23.74 | Sjöström #8 | 4 August 2018 | Glasgow | |||
| 3 | 10 | 23.75 | Pernille Blume | 4 August 2018 | Glasgow | ||
| 10 | 23.75 | Sjöström #9 | 23 June 2024 | Rome | |||
| 4 | 12 | 23.78 | Cate Campbell | 7 April 2018 | Gold Coast | ||
| 12 | 23.78 | Sjöström #10 | 30 June 2019 | Malmö | |||
| 14 | 23.79 | C. Campbell #2 | 3 March 2018 | Gold Coast | |||
| 15 | 23.81 | C. Campbell #3 | 12 August 2018 | Tokyo | |||
| 5 | 15 | 23.81 | Emma McKeon | 1 August 2021 | Tokyo | ||
| 17 | 23.82 | Sjöström #11 | 21 May 2023 | Monaco | |||
| 18 | 23.83 | Sjöström #12 | 10 April 2017 | Stockholm | |||
| 18 | 23.83 | Sjöström #13 | 7 September 2018 | Kazan | |||
| 20 | 23.84 | C. Campbell #4 | 13 April 2016 | Adelaide | |||
| 21 | 23.85 | Sjöström #14 | 17 June 2017 | Canet-en-Roussillon | |||
| 21 | 23.85 | Sjöström #15 | 2 July 2017 | Borås | |||
| 6 | 21 | 23.85 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo | 30 July 2017 | Budapest | ||
| 21 | 23.85 | Blume #2 | 3 August 2018 | Glasgow | |||
| 21 | 23.85 | Sjöström #16 | 3 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 7 | 23.88 | Therese Alshammar | 2 August 2009 | Rome | |||
| 8 | 23.91 | Kate Douglass | 18 February 2024 | Doha | |||
| 8 | 23.91 | Gretchen Walsh | 7 June 2025 | Indianapolis | |||
| 10 | 23.95 | Katarzyna Wasick | 18 February 2024 | Doha | |||
| 11 | 23.96 | Marleen Veldhuis | 16 April 2009 | Amsterdam | |||
| 11 | 23.96 | Fran Halsall | 24 July 2014 | Glasgow | |||
| 13 | 23.97 | Libby Trickett | 22 March 2008 | Sydney | |||
| 13 | 23.97 | Simone Manuel | 30 July 2017 | Budapest | |||
| 13 | 23.97 | Liu Xiang | 26 September 2021 | Xi'an | |||
| 13 | 23.97 | Meg Harris | 4 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 17 | 23.98 | Torri Huske | 7 June 2025 | Indianapolis | |||
| 18 | 23.99 | Shayna Jack | 15 June 2024 | Brisbane | |||
| 19 | 24.00 | Abbey Weitzeil | 1 July 2023 | Indianapolis | |||
| 20 | 24.07 | Dara Torres | 17 August 2008 | Beijing | |||
| 21 | 24.11 | Aliaksandra Herasimenia | 13 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
| 22 | 24.12 | Bronte Campbell | 9 August 2015 | Kazan | |||
| 23 | 24.13 | Inge de Bruijn | 22 September 2000 | Sydney | |||
| 24 | 24.15 | Zhang Yufei | 30 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 25 | 24.17 | Claire Curzan | 14 May 2021 | Cary |
Women short course
- Correct as of December 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 22.83 | Gretchen Walsh | 15 December 2024 | Budapest | ||
| 2 | 22.87 | Walsh #2 | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 2 | 3 | 22.93 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo | 7 August 2017 | Berlin | ||
| 3 | 4 | 23.00 | Sarah Sjöström | 7 August 2017 | Berlin | ||
| 5 | 23.02 | Walsh #3 | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 4 | 6 | 23.04 | Emma McKeon | 17 December 2022 | Melbourne | ||
| 7 | 23.05 | Kromowidjojo #2 | 12 December 2020 | Eindhoven | |||
| 5 | 7 | 23.05 | Kate Douglass | 15 December 2024 | Budapest | ||
| 9 | 23.08 | Sjöström #2 | 18 November 2021 | Eindhoven | |||
| 9 | 23.08 | Sjöström #3 | 21 December 2021 | Abu Dhabi | |||
| 11 | 23.10 | Sjöström #4 | 2 August 2017 | Moscow | |||
| 6 | 11 | 23.10 | Katarzyna Wasick | 3 November 2022 | Indianapolis | ||
| 11 | 23.10 | Walsh #4 | 18 October 2024 | Charlottesville | |||
| 14 | 23.12 | Sjöström #5 | 2 September 2021 | Naples | |||
| 14 | 23.12 | Sjöström #6 | 3 November 2021 | Kazan | |||
| 16 | 23.17 | Sjöström #7 | 25 November 2021 | Eindhoven | |||
| 7 | 17 | 23.19 | Cate Campbell | 27 October 2017 | Adelaide | ||
| 17 | 23.19 | Kromowidjojo #3 | 16 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 19 | 23.20 | Douglass #2 | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 19 | 23.20 | Wasick #2 | 7 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 21 | 23.21 | Sjöström #8 | 15 November 2018 | Singapore | |||
| 21 | 23.21 | Wasick #3 | 23 October 2025 | Toronto | |||
| 23 | 23.22 | Sjöström #9 | 7 August 2017 | Berlin | |||
| 24 | 23.23 | Kromowidjojo #4 | 4 October 2018 | Budapest | |||
| 24 | 23.23 | Wasick #4 | 31 October 2024 | Singapore | |||
| 8 | 23.25 | Marleen Veldhuis | 13 April 2008 | Manchester | |||
| 9 | 23.27 | Therese Alshammar | 21 November 2009 | Singapore | |||
| 10 | 23.32 | Hinkelien Schreuder | 13 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 11 | 23.34 | Maria Kameneva | 16 December 2022 | Saint Petersburg | |||
| 12 | 23.39 | Silvia Di Pietro | 2 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 13 | 23.41 | Sara Curtis | 7 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 13 | 23.41 | Béryl Gastaldello | 7 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 15 | 23.44 | Fran Halsall | 19 December 2009 | Manchester | |||
| 15 | 23.44 | Abbey Weitzeil | 18 September 2021 | Naples | |||
| 17 | 23.45 | Alexandria Perkins | 17 October 2025 | Westmont | |||
| 18 | 23.49 | Jeanette Ottesen | 12 December 2015 | Indianapolis | |||
| 18 | 23.49 | Pernille Blume | 17 December 2017 | Copenhagen | |||
| 18 | 23.49 | Taylor Ruck | 23 October 2025 | Toronto | |||
| 21 | 23.52 | Michelle Coleman | 6 December 2023 | Otopeni | |||
| 22 | 23.53 | Inge Dekker | 11 December 2009 | Istanbul | |||
| 23 | 23.61 | Mélanie Henique | 10 November 2020 | Budapest | |||
| 24 | 23.62 | Bronte Campbell | 7 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 25 | 23.64 | Aliaksandra Herasimenia | 16 December 2012 | Istanbul | |||
| 25 | 23.64 | Rozaliya Nasretdinova | 17 December 2017 | Kazan | |||
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