World record progression 800 metres freestyle
The first world record in the women's 800 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1931. The women's 880 yard freestyle had been a FINA-recognized world record event since 1919. However, in 1931 FINA decreed that only performances from 1931 onward would be eligible for world record consideration in the 800 metres freestyle. Thus Helene Madison's 1930 world record of 11:41.2 in the 880 yard freestyle was not considered a world record in the 800 metres freestyle even though it was over a longer distance and substantially faster than Yvonne Godard's 1931 world record of 12:18.8 in the 800 metres freestyle. In 1933, Lenore Kight swam the 880 yard freestyle in 11:44.0, which FINA recognised as a world record in the 800 metres freestyle but not in the 880 yard freestyle. This irregularity was finally resolved in 1935, when Kight's 11:34.4 in the 880 yard freestyle broke the records for both the 880 yard freestyle and the 800 metres freestyle. Because of this situation, the world records for the 880 yard freestyle for women from 1919 to 1930 are included below.
All-time top 25
Men long course
- Correct as of July 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 7:32.12 | Zhang Lin | 29 July 2009 | Rome | ||
| 2 | 2 | 7:35.27 | Oussama Mellouli | 29 July 2009 | Rome | ||
| 3 | 3 | 7:36.88 | Ahmed Jaouadi | 30 July 2025 | Singapore | ||
| 4 | 4 | 7:37.00 | Ahmed Hafnaoui | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | ||
| 5 | 5 | 7:37.76 | Samuel Short | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | ||
| 6 | 6 | 7:38.12 | Sven Schwarz | 2 May 2025 | Berlin | ||
| 7 | 7 | 7:38.19 | Daniel Wiffen | 30 July 2024 | Paris | ||
| 8 | 8 | 7:38.57 | Sun Yang | 27 July 2011 | Shanghai | ||
| 9 | 9 | 7:38.65 | Grant Hackett | 27 July 2005 | Montreal | ||
| 10 | 10 | 7:38.67 | Bobby Finke | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | ||
| 11 | 7:38.75 | Finke #2 | 30 July 2024 | Paris | |||
| 12 | 7:38.98 | Schwarz #2 | 28 June 2025 | Šamorín | |||
| 11 | 13 | 7:39.10 | Lukas Märtens | 15 April 2025 | Stockholm | ||
| 12 | 14 | 7:39.16 | Ian Thorpe | 24 July 2001 | Fukuoka | ||
| 15 | 7:39.19 | Wiffen #2 | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 13 | 16 | 7:39.27 | Gregorio Paltrinieri | 24 July 2019 | Gwangju | ||
| 17 | 7:39.36 | Finke #3 | 21 June 2022 | Budapest | |||
| 18 | 7:39.38 | Paltrinieri #2 | 30 July 2024 | Paris | |||
| 19 | 7:39.48 | Märtens #2 | 26 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 14 | 20 | 7:39.63 | Florian Wellbrock | 21 June 2022 | Budapest | ||
| 21 | 7:39.96 | Sun #2 | 5 August 2015 | Kazan | |||
| 21 | 7:39.96 | Schwarz #3 | 30 July 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 15 | 23 | 7:40.08 | Mykhailo Romanchuk | 21 June 2022 | Budapest | ||
| 24 | 7:40.19 | Märtens #3 | 30 July 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 25 | 7:40.22 | Paltrinieri #3 | 12 August 2020 | Rome | |||
| 16 | 7:40.77 | Gabriele Detti | 26 July 2017 | Budapest | |||
| 17 | 7:41.28 | Henrik Christiansen | 24 July 2019 | Gwangju | |||
| 18 | 7:41.73 | Wojciech Wojdak | 26 July 2017 | Budapest | |||
| 19 | 7:41.86 | Ryan Cochrane | 27 July 2011 | Shanghai | |||
| 20 | 7:42.08 | David Aubry | 24 July 2019 | Gwangju | |||
| 21 | 7:42.47 | Aleksandr Stepanov | 18 April 2023 | Kazan | |||
| 22 | 7:42.51 | Jack McLoughlin | 14 June 2021 | Adelaide | |||
| 23 | 7:42.86 | Elijah Winnington | 29 July 2024 | Paris | |||
| 24 | 7:43.37 | Lorenzo Galossi | 13 August 2022 | Rome | |||
| 25 | 7:43.60 | Michael McBroom | 31 July 2013 | Barcelona | |||
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| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Men short course
- Correct as of December 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 7:20.46 | Daniel Wiffen | 10 December 2023 | Otopeni | ||
| 2 | 2 | 7:23.42 | Grant Hackett | 20 July 2008 | Melbourne | ||
| 3 | 7:25.28 | Hackett #2 | 3 August 2001 | Perth | |||
| 3 | 4 | 7:25.73 | Mykhailo Romanchuk | 21 November 2020 | Budapest | ||
| 4 | 5 | 7:25.78 | Henrik Christiansen | 21 November 2020 | Budapest | ||
| 6 | 7:25.96 | Wiffen #2 | 15 December 2022 | Dublin | |||
| 5 | 7 | 7:26.84 | Zalán Sárkány | 6 December 2025 | Lublin | ||
| 8 | 7:27.81 | Hackett #3 | 29 August 2007 | Melbourne | |||
| 6 | 9 | 7:27.94 | Gregorio Paltrinieri | 7 November 2021 | Kazan | ||
| 7 | 10 | 7:27.99 | Florian Wellbrock | 7 November 2021 | Kazan | ||
| 8 | 11 | 7:28.03 | Lucas Henveaux | 6 December 2025 | Lublin | ||
| 9 | 12 | 7:29.17 | Yannick Agnel | 16 November 2012 | Angers | ||
| 13 | 7:29.39 | Christiansen #2 | 20 December 2019 | Tilburg | |||
| 14 | 7:29.50 | Sarkany #2 | 18 October 2025 | Westmont | |||
| 15 | 7:29.99 | Paltrinieri #2 | 17 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 16 | 7:30.14 | Wiffen #3 | 6 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 17 | 7:30.31 | Paltrinieri #3 | 16 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 10 | 18 | 7:30.32 | David Aubry | 10 December 2023 | Otopeni | ||
| 11 | 19 | 7:30.41 | David Johnston | 24 August 2022 | Sydney | ||
| 12 | 20 | 7:30.47 | Johannes Liebmann | 6 December 2025 | Lublin | ||
| 21 | 7:30.56 | Sarkany #3 | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 22 | 7:30.79 | Christiansen #3 | 21 December 2019 | Tilburg | |||
| 23 | 7:30.94 | Liebmann #2 | 5 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 13 | 24 | 7:31.18 | Federico Colbertaldo | 19 December 2009 | Manchester | ||
| 25 | 7:31.20 | Romanchuk #2 | 10 December 2023 | Otopeni | |||
| 14 | 7:31.38 | Victor Johansson | 6 December 2025 | Lublin | |||
| 15 | 7:31.79 | Samuel Short | 3 October 2025 | Melbourne | |||
| 16 | 7:31.89 | Felix Auböck | 21 November 2020 | Budapest | |||
| 17 | 7:31.93 | Ahmed Jaouadi | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 18 | 7:32.36 | Savely Luzin | 11 November 2025 | Kazan | |||
| 19 | 7:32.77 | Alexander Nørgaard | 18 December 2020 | Helsingør | |||
| 20 | 7:33.12 | Logan Fontaine | 17 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 21 | 7:33.23 | Jan Micka | 16 November 2018 | Plzeň | |||
| 22 | 7:33.24 | Sven Schwarz | 14 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 23 | 7:33.44 | Florian Vogel | 21 November 2015 | Wuppertal | |||
| 24 | 7:33.56 | Tyler Melbourne-Smith | 14 December 2025 | Sheffield | |||
| 25 | 7:33.60 | Wojciech Wojdak | 19 December 2015 | Lublin |
Women long course
- Correct as of January 2026
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 8:04.12 | Katie Ledecky | 3 May 2025 | Fort Lauderdale | ||
| 2 | 8:04.79 | Ledecky #2 | 13 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
| 2 | 3 | 8:05.07 | Summer McIntosh | 8 June 2025 | Victoria | ||
| 4 | 8:05.62 | Ledecky #3 | 2 August 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 5 | 8:05.76 | Ledecky #4 | 3 June 2025 | Indianapolis | |||
| 3 | 6 | 8:05.98 | Lani Pallister | 2 August 2025 | Singapore | ||
| 7 | 8:06.68 | Ledecky #5 | 17 January 2016 | Austin | |||
| 8 | 8:07.07 | Ledecky #6 | 27 June 2023 | Indianapolis | |||
| 9 | 8:07.27 | Ledecky #7 | 19 May 2018 | Indianapolis | |||
| 10 | 8:07.29 | McIntosh #2 | 2 August 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 11 | 8:07.39 | Ledecky #8 | 8 August 2015 | Kazan | |||
| 12 | 8:08.04 | Ledecky #9 | 24 June 2022 | Budapest | |||
| 13 | 8:08.87 | Ledecky #10 | 29 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 14 | 8:09.13 | Ledecky #11 | 9 August 2018 | Tokyo | |||
| 15 | 8:09.27 | Ledecky #12 | 26 April 2022 | Greensboro | |||
| 16 | 8:09.85 | Ledecky #13 | 29 July 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 17 | 8:09.86 | McIntosh #3 | 13 February 2025 | Plantation | |||
| 18 | 8:10.16 | Ledecky #14 | 17 January 2026 | Austin | |||
| 19 | 8:10.32 | Ledecky #15 | 2 July 2016 | Omaha | |||
| 20 | 8:10.70 | Ledecky #16 | 19 May 2019 | Bloomington | |||
| 21 | 8:10.84 | Pallister #2 | 12 June 2025 | Adelaide | |||
| 22 | 8:10.91 | Ledecky #17 | 1 July 2016 | Omaha | |||
| 23 | 8:11.00 | Ledecky #18 | 22 June 2014 | Shenandoah | |||
| 24 | 8:11.04 | Ledecky #19 | 3 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 25 | 8:11.08 | Ledecky #20 | 9 June 2018 | Santa Clara | |||
| 4 | 8:12.29 | Ariarne Titmus | 3 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 5 | 8:12.81 | Simona Quadarella | 2 August 2025 | Singapore | |||
| 6 | 8:13.00 | Paige Madden | 3 August 2024 | Paris | |||
| 7 | 8:13.31 | Li Bingjie | 29 July 2023 | Fukuoka | |||
| 8 | 8:14.10 | Rebecca Adlington | 16 August 2008 | Beijing | |||
| 9 | 8:14.64 | Wang Jianjiahe | 30 March 2019 | Qingdao | |||
| 10 | 8:15.54 | Jazmin Carlin | 21 August 2014 | Berlin | |||
| 11 | 8:15.92 | Lotte Friis | 1 August 2009 | Rome | |||
| 12 | 8:16.22 | Janet Evans | 20 August 1989 | Tokyo | |||
| 13 | 8:16.33 | Leah Smith | 10 April 2019 | Richmond | |||
| 14 | 8:16.37 | Boglárka Kapás | 12 August 2016 | Rio de Janeiro | |||
| 15 | 8:16.43 | Sarah Köhler | 27 July 2019 | Gwangju | |||
| 16 | 8:16.66 | Joanne Jackson | 1 August 2009 | Rome | |||
| 17 | 8:16.70 | Camelia Potec | 22 April 2009 | Montpellier | |||
| 18 | 8:16.79 | Kiah Melverton | 2 August 2022 | Birmingham | |||
| 19 | 8:17.05 | Katie Grimes | 29 July 2021 | Tokyo | |||
| 20 | 8:17.21 | Alessia Filippi | 1 August 2009 | Rome | |||
| 21 | 8:17.53 | Isabel Gose | 17 February 2024 | Doha | |||
| 22 | 8:17.65 | Lauren Boyle | 8 August 2015 | Kazan | |||
| 23 | 8:18.00 | Erika Fairweather | 5 April 2023 | Auckland | |||
| 24 | 8:18.14 | Jessica Ashwood | 5 June 2016 | Santa Clara | |||
| 25 | 8:18.52 | Kate Ziegler | 31 March 2007 | Melbourne | |||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Women short course
- Correct as of December 2025
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | |||
| 1 | 1 | 7:54.00 | Lani Pallister | 25 October 2025 | Toronto | ||
| 2 | 2 | 7:57.42 | Katie Ledecky | 5 November 2022 | Indianapolis | ||
| 3 | 3 | 7:59.34 | Mireia Belmonte | 10 August 2013 | Berlin | ||
| 4 | 4 | 7:59.44 | Wang Jianjiahe | 6 October 2018 | Budapest | ||
| 5 | 8:00.58 | Ledecky #2 | 29 October 2022 | Toronto | |||
| 5 | 6 | 8:01.06 | Camille Muffat | 16 November 2012 | Angers | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8:01.22 | Lauren Boyle | 7 August 2013 | Eindhoven | ||
| 8 | 8:01.43 | Belmonte #2 | 7 August 2013 | Eindhoven | |||
| 7 | 9 | 8:01.90 | Isabel Gose | 5 December 2025 | Lublin | ||
| 10 | 8:01.95 | Pallister #2 | 11 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 11 | 8:02.02 | Pallister #3 | 12 October 2025 | Carmel | |||
| 8 | 12 | 8:02.09 | Li Bingjie | 29 October 2022 | Beijing | ||
| 13 | 8:02.53 | Boyle #2 | 10 August 2013 | Berlin | |||
| 14 | 8:02.90 | Li #2 | 18 December 2021 | Abu Dhabi | |||
| 9 | 15 | 8:03.00 | Simona Quadarella | 5 December 2025 | Lublin | ||
| 16 | 8:03.17 | Pallister #4 | 19 October 2025 | Westmont | |||
| 17 | 8:03.41 | Belmonte #3 | 4 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 18 | 8:03.86 | Wang #2 | 30 September 2018 | Eindhoven | |||
| 19 | 8:04.07 | Pallister #5 | 14 December 2022 | Melbourne | |||
| 20 | 8:04.35 | Wang #3 | 13 December 2018 | Hangzhou | |||
| 10 | 21 | 8:04.53 | Alessia Filippi | 12 December 2008 | Rijeka | ||
| 11 | 22 | 8:04.61 | Lotte Friis | 14 November 2009 | Berlin | ||
| 12 | 23 | 8:04.65 | Anastasiya Kirpichnikova | 3 November 2021 | Kazan | ||
| 24 | 8:04.77 | Friis #2 | 16 December 2011 | Atlanta | |||
| 25 | 8:04.88 | Belmonte #4 | 31 August 2014 | Dubai | |||
| 13 | 8:05.32 | Coralie Balmy | 12 December 2008 | Rijeka | |||
| 14 | 8:05.90 | Katie Grimes | 11 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 15 | 8:07.12 | Summer McIntosh | 5 November 2022 | Indianapolis | |||
| 16 | 8:07.22 | Paige Madden | 11 December 2024 | Budapest | |||
| 17 | 8:07.67 | Leah Smith | 7 December 2016 | Windsor | |||
| 18 | 8:08.00 | Kate Ziegler | 14 October 2007 | Essen | |||
| 19 | 8:08.02 | Kristel Köbrich | 14 November 2009 | Berlin | |||
| 19 | 8:08.02 | Sarah Köhler | 14 November 2019 | Berlin | |||
| 21 | 8:08.16 | Jazmin Carlin | 4 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 22 | 8:08.17 | Sharon van Rouwendaal | 4 December 2014 | Doha | |||
| 23 | 8:08.25 | Rebecca Adlington | 10 April 2008 | Manchester | |||
| 24 | 8:08.41 | Katinka Hosszú | 24 October 2014 | Beijing | |||
| 25 | 8:09.69 | Erika Fairweather | 25 October 2025 | Toronto | |||
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