World record progression 200 metres backstroke

Graphs of the progression of the World Records in all four strokes (50 m, 100 m and 200 m distances).

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 (50-meter) and short course (25-meter) 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

No	Time	Name	Nationality	Date	Location
1	3'04"4	Oscar Schiele	Germany	27 June 1909	Berlin, Germany[1]
2	2'59"8	George Arnold	Germany	3 January 1910	Magdeburg, Germany
3	2'56"4	Maurice Wechesser	Belgium	18 October 1910	Schaerbeek, Belgium
4	2'50"6	Hermann Pentz	Germany	11 March 1911	Magdeburg, Germany
5	2'48"4	Otto Fahr	Germany	3 April 1912	Magdeburg, Germany
6	2'47"1	Walter Laufer	United States	24 June 1926	Bremen, Germany[2]
7	2'44"9	Walter Laufer	United States	11 July 1926	Nuremberg, Germany
8	2'38"8	Walter Laufer	United States	13 July 1926	Magdeburg, Germany[3][4]
9	2'37"8	Toshio Irie	Japan	14 October 1928	Tamagawa, Japan[5]
10	2'32"2	George Kojac	United States	16 June 1930	New Haven, United States
11	2'27"8	Al Vande Weghe	United States	30 August 1934	Honolulu, Hawaii
12	2'24"0	Adolph Kiefer	United States	11 April 1935	Chicago, United States
13	2'23"0	Adolph Kiefer	United States	23 May 1941	Honolulu, Hawaii
14	2'22"9	Harry Holiday	United States	18 May 1943	Detroit, United States
15	2'19"3	Adolph Kiefer	United States	4 March 1944	Annapolis, United States
16	2'18"5	Allen Stack	United States	4 May 1949	New Haven, United States
17	2'18"3	Gilbert Bozon	France	26 June 1953	Algiers, Algeria

New regulations

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
	2:18.5	=	Stack, AllenAllen Stack	United States	4 May 1949	-	New Haven, United States	[6][7]
	2:18.3		Bozon, GilbertGilbert Bozon	France	26 June 1953	-	Algiers, Algeria	[6]
	2:18.8		Monckton, JohnJohn Monckton	Australia	15 January 1958	-	Sydney, Australia	[6]
	2:18.4		Monckton, JohnJohn Monckton	Australia	18 February 1958	-	Melbourne, Australia	[6]
	2:17.9		McKinney, FrankFrank McKinney	United States	12 July 1959	-	Los Altos ! Los Altos, United States	[6][8]
	2:17.8		McKinney, FrankFrank McKinney	United States	25 July 1959	-	Osaka, Japan	[6][9]
	2:17.6		Bittick, ChuckChuck Bittick	United States	26 June 1960	-	Los Angeles, United States	[6]
	2:16.0		Stock, TomTom Stock	United States	24 July 1960	-	Toledo ! Toledo, United States	[6]
	2:13.2		Stock, TomTom Stock	United States	2 July 1961	-	Chicago, United States	[6]
	2:11.5		Stock, TomTom Stock	United States	20 August 1961	-	Los Angeles, United States	[6]
	2:10.9		Stock, TomTom Stock	United States	10 August 1962	-	Cuyahoga Falls, United States	[6]
	2:10.3		Graef, JedJed Graef	United States	13 October 1964	1964 Summer Olympics	Tokyo, Japan	[6]
	2:09.4		Hickcox, CharlesCharles Hickcox	United States	29 August 1967	1967 Summer Universiade	Tokyo, Japan	[6]
	2:07.9		Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	8 November 1967	-	Leipzig, East Germany	[6]
	2:07.5		Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	14 August 1968	-	Leipzig, East Germany	[6]
	2:07.4		Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	12 July 1969	-	Santa Clara ! Santa Clara, United States	[6][10]
	2:06.6		Hall, GaryGary Hall	United States	14 August 1969	-	Louisville, United States	[6]
	2:06.6	=	Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	29 August 1969	-	Berlin, West Germany	[6]
	2:06.3		Stamm, MikeMike Stamm	United States	20 August 1970	-	Los Angeles, United States	[6]
	2:06.1		Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	11 September 1970	-	Barcelona, Spain	[6]
	2:05.6		Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	3 September 1971	-	Leipzig, East Germany	[6]
	2:02.8		Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	10 July 1972	-	Leipzig, East Germany	[6]
	2:02.8	=	Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	2 September 1972	1972 Summer Olympics	Munich, West Germany	[6]
	2:01.87		Matthes, RolandRoland Matthes	East Germany	6 September 1973	-	Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia	[6]
	2:00.64		Naber, JohnJohn Naber	United States	19 June 1976	-	Long Beach, United States	[6]
	1:59.19		Naber, JohnJohn Naber	United States	27 July 1976	1976 Summer Olympics	Montreal, Canada	[6]
	1:58.93		Carey, RickRick Carey	United States	3 August 1983	1983 U.S. Summer Nationals	Clovis, United States	[6][11]
	1:58.86		Carey, RickRick Carey	United States	27 June 1984	1984 U.S. Olympic Trials	Indianapolis, United States	[6]
	1:58.41		Zabolotnov, SergeiSergei Zabolotnov	Soviet Union	21 August 1984	-	Moscow, Soviet Union	[6]
	1:58.14		Polyansky, IgorIgor Polyansky	Soviet Union	3 March 1985	-	Erfurt, East Germany	[6]
	1:57.30		Zubero, MartinMartin Zubero	Spain	13 August 1991	1991 U.S. Summer Nationals	Fort Lauderdale, United States	[6][12]
	1:56.57		Zubero, MartinMartin Zubero	Spain	23 November 1991	Alabama LC Invitational	Tuscaloosa, United States	[6][13]
	1:55.87		Krayzelburg, LennyLenny Krayzelburg	United States	27 August 1999	1999 Pan Pacific Championships	Sydney, Australia	[6]
	1:55.15		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	20 March 2002	U.S. Spring Nationals	Minneapolis, United States	[6]
	1:54.74		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	12 July 2004	USA Olympic Trials	Long Beach, United States	[6]
	1:54.66		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	29 July 2005	2005 World Championships	Montreal, Canada	[6]
	1:54.44		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	19 August 2006	2006 Pan Pacific Championships	Victoria, Canada
	1:54.32		Lochte, RyanRyan Lochte	United States	30 March 2007	2007 World Championships	Melbourne, Australia
	1:54.32	=	Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	4 July 2008	2008 U.S. Olympic Trials	Omaha, United States
	1:53.94		Lochte, RyanRyan Lochte	United States	15 August 2008	2008 Summer Olympics	Beijing, China
	1:53.08		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	11 July 2009	2009 U.S. Summer Nationals	Indianapolis, United States
	1:51.92		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	31 July 2009	2009 World Championships	Rome, Italy

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Short course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
WBT	?		?, ?? ?	?	1 March 1991
01	1:52.51		Lopez-Zubero, MartinMartin Lopez-Zubero	Spain	10 April 1991	?		[14]
02	1:52.47		Krayzelburg, LennyLenny Krayzelburg	United States	18 November 1999	World Cup meet	College Park, United States	[15]
03	1:52.43		Krayzelburg, LennyLenny Krayzelburg	United States	6 February 2000	World Cup meet	Berlin, Germany	[16]
04	1:51.62		Welsh, MattMatt Welsh	Australia	13 October 2000	?	Melbourne, Australia
05	1:51.62	=	Kožulj, GordanGordan Kožulj	Croatia	21 January 2001	?	Berlin, Germany
06	1:51.17		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	7 April 2002	Short Course Worlds	Moscow, Russia
07	1:50.52		Peirsol, AaronAaron Peirsol	United States	11 October 2004	Short Course Worlds	Indianapolis, United States
08	1:50.43		Rogan, MarkusMarkus Rogan	Austria	8 December 2005	Short Course Europeans	Trieste, Italy
09	1:49.05		Lochte, RyanRyan Lochte	United States	9 April 2006	Short Course Worlds	Shanghai, China
10	1:47.84		Rogan, MarkusMarkus Rogan	Austria	13 April 2008	Short Course Worlds	Manchester, United Kingdom
11	1:47.08		Du Rand, GeorgeGeorge Du Rand	South Africa	7 November 2009	World Cup meet	Moscow, Russia
12	1:46.11		Vyatchanin, ArkadyArkady Vyatchanin	Russia	15 November 2009	World Cup meet	Berlin, Germany
13	1:45.63		Larkin, MitchMitch Larkin	Australia	27 November 2015	Australian Championships	Sydney, Australia	[17]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Women

Long course

Old Regulations

No	Time	Name	Nationality	Date	Location
1	3'06"8	Sybil Bauer	United States	4 July 1922	Brighton Beach, United States
2	3'03"8	Sybil Bauer	United States	9 February 1924	Miami, United States
3	2'59"2	Marie Braun	Netherlands	24 November 1928	Brussels, Belgium
4	2'58"8	Eleanor Holm	United States	1 February 1930	Buffalo, United States
5	2'58"2	Eleanor Holm	United States	1 March 1930	New York City, United States
6	2'50"4	Phyllis Harding	United Kingdom	19 September 1932	Wallasey, United Kingdom
7	2'49"6	Rie Mastenbroek	Netherlands	20 January 1935	Amsterdam, Netherlands
8	2'48"7	Eleanor Holm	United States	3 March 1936	Toledo, United States
9	2'44"6	Nida Senff	Netherlands	2 February 1937	Amsterdam, Netherlands
10	2'41"3	Ragnhild Hveger	Denmark	14 February 1937	Århus, Denmark
11	2'41"0	Cor Kint	Netherlands	17 April 1938	Århus, Denmark
12	2'40"6	Iet van Feggelen	Netherlands	26 October 1938	Düsseldorf, Germany
13	2'39"0	Iet van Feggelen	Netherlands	18 December 1938	Amsterdam, Netherlands
14	2'38"8	Cor Kint	Netherlands	29 November 1939	Rotterdam, Netherlands
15	2'35"3	Geertje Wielema	Netherlands	2 April 1950	Hilversum, Netherlands

New Regulations

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
01	2:39.9		Gould, PhilippaPhilippa Gould	New Zealand	16 Jan 1957	?	Auckland, New Zealand	[18]
02	2:38.5		de Nijs, LenieLenie de Nijs	Netherlands	17 May 1957	?	Blackpool, United Kingdom
03	2:37.4		von Saltza, ChrisChris von Saltza	USA	1 Aug 1958	?	Topeka, United States
04	2:37.1		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	12 Jul 1959	?	Tokyo, Japan
05	2:34.8		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	2 Apr 1960	?	Tokyo, Japan
06	2:33.5		Burke, LynnLynn Burke	USA	15 Jul 1960	?	Indianapolis, United States
07	2:33.3		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	23 Jul 1960	?	Tokyo, Japan
08	2:33.2		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	30 Jul 1961	?	Tokyo, Japan
09	2:32.1		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	3 Jun 1962	?	Beppu, Japan
10	2:31.6		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	29 Jul 1962	?	Osaka, Japan
11	2:29.6		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	10 Feb 1963	?	Sydney, Australia
12	2:28.9		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	18 Feb 1963	?	Perth, Australia
13	2:28.5		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	21 Feb 1963	?	Perth, Australia
14	2:28.2		Tanaka, SatokoSatoko Tanaka	Japan	4 Aug 1963	?	Tokyo, Japan
15	2:27.4		Ferguson, CathyCathy Ferguson	USA	28 Sep 1964	?	Los Angeles, United States
16	2:27.1		Muir, KarenKaren Muir	South Africa	25 Jul 1966	?	Béziers, France
17	2:26.4		Muir, KarenKaren Muir	South Africa	18 Aug 1966	?	Lincoln, United States
18	2:24.4		Tanner, ElaineElaine Tanner	Canada	26 Jul 1967	?	Winnipeg, Canada
19	2:24.1		Muir, KarenKaren Muir	South Africa	6 Jan 1968	?	Kimberley, South Africa
20	2:23.8		Muir, KarenKaren Muir	South Africa	21 Jul 1968	?	Los Angeles, United States
21	2:21.5		Atwood, SusieSusie Atwood	USA	14 Aug 1968	?	Louisville, United States
22	2:20.64		Belote, MelissaMelissa Belote	USA	5 Aug 1972	?	Chicago, United States
23	2:20.58		Belote, MelissaMelissa Belote	USA	4 Sep 1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany
24	2:19.19		Belote, MelissaMelissa Belote	USA	4 Sep 1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany
25	2:18.41		Richter, UlrikeUlrike Richter	East Germany	7 Jul 1974	?	Rostock, East Germany
26	2:17.35		Richter, UlrikeUlrike Richter	East Germany	25 Aug 1974	?	Vienna, Austria
27	2:16.33		Garapick, NancyNancy Garapick	Canada	27 Apr 1975	?	Brantford, Canada
28	2:16.10		Treiber, BirgitBirgit Treiber	East Germany	6 Jun 1975	?	Wittenberg, East Germany
29	2:15.46		Treiber, BirgitBirgit Treiber	East Germany	27 Jul 1975	World Championships	Cali, Colombia
30	2:14.41		Stille, AntjeAntje Stille	East Germany	29 Feb 1976	?	East Berlin, East Germany
31	2:13.50		Stille, AntjeAntje Stille	East Germany	13 Mar 1976	?	Tallinn, Soviet Union
32	2:12.47		Treiber, BirgitBirgit Treiber	East Germany	4 Jun 1976	?	East Berlin, East Germany
33	2:11.93		Jezek, LindaLinda Jezek	USA	28 Aug 1978	World Championships	West Berlin, West Germany
34	2:11.77		Reinisch, RicaRica Reinisch	East Germany	27 Jul 1980	Olympic Games	Moscow, Soviet Union
35	2:09.91		Sirch, CorneliaCornelia Sirch	East Germany	8 Aug 1982	World Championships	Guayaquil, Ecuador
36	2:08.60		Mitchell, BetsyBetsy Mitchell	USA	27 Jun 1986	U.S. Swimming World Championship Trials	Orlando, United States
37	2:06.62		Egerszegi, KrisztinaKrisztina Egerszegi	Hungary	25 Aug 1991	European Championships	Athens, Greece
38	2:06.39		Coventry, KirstyKirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	16 Feb 2008	USA Grand Prix meet	Columbia, United States
39	2:06.09		Hoelzer, MargaretMargaret Hoelzer	USA	5 Jul 2008	USA Olympic Trials	Omaha, United States
40	2:05.24		Coventry, KirstyKirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	16 Aug 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[19]
41	2:04.81		Coventry, KirstyKirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	1 Aug 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy
42	2:04.06		Franklin, MissyMissy Franklin	USA	3 Aug 2012	2012 Summer Olympics	London, United Kingdom

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Short course

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
WBT	?		?, ?? ?	?	1 Mar 1991	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
01	2:06.09		He, CihongCihong He	China	5 Dec 1993	World Championships	Palma de Mallorca, Spain	[20]
02	2:05.83		Stoney, ClementineClementine Stoney	Australia	4 Aug 2001	Australia Championships	Perth, Australia	[20]
03	2:04.44		Price, SaraSara Price	Great Britain	5 Aug 2001	Australia Championships	Perth, Australia	[20]
04	2:03.62		Coughlin, NatalieNatalie Coughlin	USA	27 Nov 2001	World Cup	East Meadow, United States
05	2:03.24		Nakamura, ReikoReiko Nakamura	Japan	23 Feb 2008	Japan Open 2008	Tokyo, Japan
06	2:00.91		Coventry, KirstyKirsty Coventry	Zimbabwe	11 Apr 2008	World Championships	Manchester, United Kingdom
07	2:00.18		Sakai, ShihoShiho Sakai	Japan	14 Nov 2009	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
08	2:00.03		Franklin, MissyMissy Franklin	USA	22 Oct 2011	World Cup	Berlin, Germany
09	1:59.23	WR	Hosszú, KatinkaKatinka Hosszú	Hungary	5 December 2014	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	[21]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

References

1. Schwimmen im Kochsee; Berliner Volkszeitung; 29 June 1909; via the European Library
2. "New World Record". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. 25 June 1926. p. 6. Retrieved June 19, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Uued ilmarekordid; Waba Maa; 16 July 1926; via the European Library
4. "LAUFER BREAKS FOURTH SWIM MARK IN GERMANY". The Indianapolis News. 14 July 1926. p. 20. Retrieved June 19, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Toshio Irie at sports-reference.com
6. International Swimming Hall of Fame, Current Exhibits, World Records: Men - 200m Backstroke. Archived July 16, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
7. Associated Press, "Sets Swim Record," The Ottawa Journal (May 5, 1949). Retrieved March 12, 2015.
8. United Press International, "Paddler Sets Record in Back Event," The Salt Lake Tribune, p. 26 (July 13, 1959). Retrieved March 12, 2015.
9. Associated Press, "U.S. Swimmers Take Early Lead in Jap Swimming Meet," The Ogden Standard-Examiner, p. 2B (July 26, 1959). Retrieved March 12, 2015.
10. "Roland Matthes Being Embraced by Opponent in Pool". Corbis Images. July 12, 1969. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
11. "Rick Carey replaces John Naber as 200-meter back record holder," The Tuscaloosa News (August 3, 1983).
12. Associated Press, "Swimming National Meet: Barrowman, Zubero get world marks," Los Angeles Times (August 14, 1991). Retrieved April 14, 2012.
13. "200-meter Backstroke record falls to former UF swimmer," Orlando Sentinel (November 25, 1991). Retrieved April 14, 2012.
14. (scm-m) This Day in Sports History April 10; retrieved 2012-04-14.
15. (scm-m) Three World Records set at World Cup. Published by Swimming World Magazine on 1999-11-20; retrieved 2012-04-14.
16. (scm-m) Krayzelburg sets another swim record, Associated Press. Published by the Los Angeles Times on 2000-02-07; retrieved 2012-04-14.
17. Lord, Craig (November 27, 2015). "Dolphin Mitch Larkin Leaps To 1:45.6 WR 200 Back Not Far Off Free Pace Of The Albatross". Swimvortex. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
18. International Swimming Hall of Fame, Current Exhibits, World Records: Women - 200m Backstroke. Archived July 16, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
19. (lcm-w) "Women's 200m Backstroke: Coventry finally wins gold". Beijing 2008. 2008-08-16. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
20. (scm-w) Swimming: Price breaks short-course world record, by Astrid Andersson, The Telegraph. Published 2011-08-05; retrieved 2012-04-14.
21. "Women's 200m Backstroke Results". Omega Timing. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.