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Swimming at the World Aquatics Championships

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

The aquatics discipline of swimming is considered the flagship event at every edition of the World Aquatics Championships since its introduction in 1973. While open water swimming events were added to the program in 1991, it is considered a separate discipline to swimming.

Championships

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Member federations referred to as winners, second, and third, in the table below, are the top three nation's listed on the medal tally based on the standard method of ranking (being total gold medals, followed by total silver medals, and then total bronze medals).

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 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Belgrade, Yugoslavia 15 / 14 / 0 0 / 0 / 0  East Germany  United States  Australia
1975 19–27 July 2 Colombia Cali, Colombia 15 / 14 / 0 0 / 0 / 0  United States  East Germany  Hungary
1978 20–28 August 3 West Germany West Berlin, West Germany 15 / 14 / 0 0 / 0 / 0  United States  Soviet Union  Australia
1982 29 July – 8 August 4 Ecuador Guayaquil, Ecuador 15 / 14 / 0 0 / 0 / 0  East Germany  United States  Soviet Union
1986 13–23 August 5 Spain Madrid, Spain 16 / 16 / 0 0 / 0 / 0  East Germany (3)  United States  West Germany
1991 3–13 January 6 Australia Perth, Australia 16 / 16 / 0 1 / 1 / 0  United States  Hungary  Germany
1994 1–11 September 7 Italy Rome, Italy 16 / 16 / 0 1 / 1 / 0  China  Australia  United States
1998 8–17 January 8 Australia Perth, Australia 16 / 16 / 0 2 / 2 / 2  United States  Australia  China
2001 16–29 July 9 Japan Fukuoka, Japan 20 / 20 / 0 3 / 3 / 0  Australia  United States  Italy
2003 12–27 July 10 Spain Barcelona, Spain 20 / 20 / 0 3 / 3 / 0  United States  Australia  Russia
2005 16–31 July 11 Canada Montreal, Canada 20 / 20 / 0 3 / 3 / 0  United States  Australia  Germany (2)
2007 18 March – 1 April 12 Australia Melbourne, Australia 20 / 20 / 0 3 / 3 / 0  United States  Australia  Russia (2)
2009 17 July – 2 August 13 Italy Rome, Italy 20 / 20 / 0 3 / 3 / 0  United States  Germany  Australia
2011 16–31 July 14 China Shanghai, China 20 / 20 / 0 3 / 3 / 1  United States  China  Brazil
2013 19 July – 4 August 15 Spain Barcelona, Spain 20 / 20 / 0 3 / 3 / 1  United States  China  France
2015 24 July – 9 August 16 Russia Kazan, Russia 20 / 20 / 2 3 / 3 / 1  United States  Australia  China
2017 14–30 July 17 Hungary Budapest, Hungary 20 / 20 / 2 3 / 3 / 1  United States  France  Great Britain
2019 12–28 July 18 South Korea Gwangju, South Korea 20 / 20 / 2 3 / 3 / 1  United States  Australia (7)  Hungary (2)
2022 18 June – 3 July 19 Hungary Budapest, Hungary 20 / 20 / 2 3 / 3 / 1  United States  Italy  Australia (4)
2023 14–30 July 20 Japan Fukuoka, Japan 20 / 20 / 2 2 / 2 / 1  Australia (2)  United States (5)  China (3)
2024 2–18 February 21 Qatar Doha, Qatar 20 / 20 / 2 2 / 2 / 1  United States (15)  China (3)  Australia (5)
2025 TBA 22 Singapore Kallang, Singapore TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA
2027 TBA 23 Hungary Budapest, Hungary TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Events

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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

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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[1] 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[2] from Bahrain in 2015. She participated at the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle events.

Men's events

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Edition 1973 1975 1978 1982 1986 1991 1994 1998 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 2023 2024
Freestyle 50 m X X X 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 X X X
200 m X X X 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 X X X
800 m 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 X X X X X X X X X X X
Backstroke 50 m 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 X X X
200 m X X X 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 X X X
100 m X X X 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 X X X
Butterfly 50 m 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 X X X
200 m X X X 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 X X X
400 m X X X 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 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 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 X X X
Number of events 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Women's events

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Edition 1973 1975 1978 1982 1986 1991 1994 1998 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022 2023 2024
Freestyle 50 m X X X 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 X X X
200 m X X X 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 X X X
800 m X X X 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 X X X
Backstroke 50 m 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 X X X
200 m X X X 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 X X X
100 m X X X 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 X X X
Butterfly 50 m 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 X X X
200 m X X X 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 X X X
400 m X X X 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 X X X
4×200 m freestyle 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 X X X
Number of events 14 14 14 14 16 16 16 16 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Mixed events

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Edition 2015 2017 2019 2022 2023 2024
Relays 4×100 m freestyle X X X X X X
4×100 m medley X X X X X X
Number of events 2 2 2 2 2 2

Medalists

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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 (1973–2024)

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Updated after the 2024 World Aquatics Championships.

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States254205150609
2 Australia10110769277
3 China623155148
4 East Germany504025115
5 Hungary35192882
6 Great Britain27234797
7 Italy26303389
8 Germany223939100
9 France22232772
10 Russia20362884
11 Sweden20201757
12 Netherlands14302872
13 Canada14254483
14 South Africa1271635
15 Japan11274078
16 Soviet Union11202152
17 Brazil9121031
18 West Germany871126
19 Ukraine86721
20 Poland6111229
21 Spain57618
22 Lithuania53311
23 Denmark49821
24 South Korea4228
25 Romania41712
26 Zimbabwe3508
27 Tunisia3339
28 Finland3216
29 New Zealand26816
30 Belarus2114
31 Portugal2103
 Serbia2103
33 Ireland2002
34 Hong Kong1214
 Norway1214
36 Costa Rica1124
37 Greece1113
38 Belgium1023
39 Suriname1001
40 Switzerland0628
41 Austria0448
42 Slovakia0325
43 Croatia0202
44 Bulgaria0112
 Iceland0112
 Jamaica0112
 Yugoslavia0112
48 Czech Republic0101
 Israel0101
50 Egypt0033
51 Singapore0022
52 Argentina0011
 Bosnia and Herzegovina0011
   Neutral Independent Athletes [a]0011
 Puerto Rico0011
 Trinidad and Tobago0011
 Venezuela0011
Totals (57 entries)7797867762,341

Multiple medalists

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See also: List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men) § Multiple medalists, List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women) § Multiple medalists, and List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in open water swimming

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

All events

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Rank Swimmer Country Gender From To Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Michael Phelps  United States M 2001 2011 26 ** 6 1 33 **
2 Katie Ledecky  United States F 2013 2023 21 5 – 26
3 Ryan Lochte  United States M 2005 2015 18 * 5 4 * 27 **
4 Caeleb Dressel  United States M 2017 2022 15 2 – 17
5 Sarah Sjöström  Sweden F 2009 2024 14 8 3 25
6 Simone Manuel  United States F 2013 2019 11 * 3 2 16 *
7 Missy Franklin  United States F 2011 2015 11 2 3 16
Sun Yang  China M 2009 2019 11 2 3 16
9 Lilly King  United States F 2017 2023 11 * 2 – 13 *
10 Ian Thorpe  Australia M 1998 2003 11 1 1 13

* 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

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Rank Swimmer Country Gender From To Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Katie Ledecky  United States F 2013 2023 16 3 – 19
2 Michael Phelps  United States M 2001 2011 15 5 – 20
3 Sarah Sjöström  Sweden F 2009 2024 14 6 3 23
4 Sun Yang  China M 2009 2019 11 2 1 14
5 Ryan Lochte  United States M 2005 2015 10 3 3 16
6 Katinka Hosszú  Hungary F 2009 2019 9 1 5 15
7 Caeleb Dressel  United States M 2017 2022 8 – – 8
8 Grant Hackett  Australia M 1998 2007 7 6 1 14
9 Ana Marcela Cunha  Brazil F 2011 2024 7 1 7 15
10 Aaron Peirsol  United States M 2001 2009 7 1 – 8

World records

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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
2022 2 – 1 3
2023 2 7 1 10
2024 1 – – 1

Championship Records

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See also

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Note

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  1. ^ At the 2024 World Championships, in accordance with sanctions imposed following by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, athletes from Belarus were not permitted to use the name, flag, or anthem of Belarus. They instead participated as "Neutral Independent Athletes (NIA)" and under the World Aquatics flag.

References

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  1. ^ Matt Roebuck (4 August 2015). "Myanmar centre-stage at World Championships". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  2. ^ "10-Year-Old Alzain Tareq Enjoying World Championship Experience". Swimming World Magazine. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
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