Below is a list of current championship (or "meet") records for the two World Championships in swimming:
Both events are organized by the international governing body for aquatics, World Aquatics (formerly known as FINA). These are the fastest times ever swum at any edition of the meet.
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | 21.04 | Caeleb Dressel | 27 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | [1] | ||
| 100 m freestyle | 46.51 | ER | David Popovici | 31 July 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [2] | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:42.00 | WR | Paul Biedermann | 28 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | [3] | |
| 400 m freestyle | 3:40.07 | Paul Biedermann | 26 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | [3] | ||
| 800 m freestyle | 7:32.12 | WR | Zhang Lin | 29 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | [3] | |
| 1500 m freestyle | 14:31.54 | AF | Ahmed Hafnaoui | 30 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [4] | |
| 50 m backstroke | 23.68 | Kliment Kolesnikov | | 3 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [5] | |
| 100 m backstroke | 51.60 | WR | Thomas Ceccon | 20 June 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [6] | |
| 200 m backstroke | 1:51.92 | WR | Aaron Peirsol | 31 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | [3] | |
| 50 m breaststroke | 25.95 | sf, WR | Adam Peaty | 25 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [7] | |
| 100 m breaststroke | 56.88 | sf, WR | Adam Peaty | 21 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | [8] | |
| 200 m breaststroke | 2:05.48 | WR | Qin Haiyang | 28 July 2023 | 2019 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [9] | |
| 50 m butterfly | 22.35 | AM | Caeleb Dressel | 22 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | [10] | |
| 100 m butterfly | 49.50 | sf | Caeleb Dressel | 26 July 2019 | 2019 World Championships | Gwangju, South Korea | [11] | |
| 200 m butterfly | 1:50.34 | WR | Kristóf Milák | 21 June 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [12] | |
| 200 m individual medley | 1:52.69 | sf, WR | Léon Marchand | 30 July 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [13] | |
| 400 m individual medley | 4:02.50 | WR | Léon Marchand | 23 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [14] | |
| 4 × 100 m freestyle relay | 3:08.97 | OC |
| 27 July 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [15] | |
| 4 × 200 m freestyle relay | 6:58.55 | WR |
| 31 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | [3] | |
| 4 × 100 m medley relay | 3:26.93 | ER |
| | 3 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [16] |
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | 23.61 | sf, WR | Sarah Sjöström | 29 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [17] | |
| 100 m freestyle | 51.71 | r, WR | Sarah Sjöström | 23 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [18] | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:52.85 | Mollie O'Callaghan | 26 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [19] | ||
| 400 m freestyle | 3:55.38 | Ariarne Titmus | 23 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [20] | ||
| 800 m freestyle | 8:05.62 | Katie Ledecky | 2 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [21] | ||
| 1500 m freestyle | 15:25.48 | Katie Ledecky | 4 August 2015 | 2015 World Championships | Kazan, Russia | [22] | ||
| 50 m backstroke | 27.06 | Zhao Jing | 30 July 2009 | 2009 World Championships | Rome, Italy | [3] | ||
| 100 m backstroke | 57.16 | OC | Kaylee McKeown | 29 July 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [23] | |
| 200 m backstroke | 2:03.33 | Kaylee McKeown | 2 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [24] | ||
| 50 m breaststroke | 29.16 | WR | Rūta Meilutytė | 30 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [25] | |
| 100 m breaststroke | 1:04.13 | WR | Lilly King | 25 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [26] | |
| 200 m breaststroke | 2:18.50 | AM | Kate Douglass | 1 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [27] | |
| 50 m butterfly | 24.60 | Sarah Sjöström | 29 July 2017 | 2017 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [28] | ||
| 100 m butterfly | 54.73 | Gretchen Walsh | 28 July 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [29] | ||
| 200 m butterfly | 2:01.99 | AM | Summer McIntosh | 31 July 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [30] | |
| 200 m individual medley | 2:06.12 | Katinka Hosszú | 3 August 2015 | 2015 World Championships | Kazan, Russia | [31] | ||
| 400 m individual medley | 4:25.78 | Summer McIntosh | 3 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [32] | ||
| 4 × 100 m freestyle relay | 3:27.96 | WR |
| 23 July 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [33] | |
| 4 × 200 m freestyle relay | 7:37.50 | WR |
| 27 July 2023 | 2022 World Championships | Fukuoka, Japan | [34] | |
| 4 × 100 m medley relay | 3:49.34 | WR |
| 3 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [35] |
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 100 m freestyle relay | 3:18.48 | WR |
| 2 August 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [36] | |
| 4 × 100 m medley relay | 3:37.97 |
| | 30 July 2025 | 2025 World Championships | Singapore, Singapore | [37] |
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | 19.90 | sf, WR | Jordan Crooks | 14 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [38] | |
| 100 m freestyle | 44.95 | h | Jordan Crooks | 11 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [39] | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:38.61 | WR | Luke Hobson | 15 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [40] | |
| 400 m freestyle | 3:34.01 | Danas Rapšys | 11 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | [41] | ||
| 800 m freestyle | 7:29.99 | Gregorio Paltrinieri | 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [42] | ||
| 1500 m freestyle | 14:06.88 | WR | Florian Wellbrock | 21 December 2021 | 2021 World Championships | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | [43] | |
| 50 m backstroke | 22.22 | Florent Manaudou | 6 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | [44] | ||
| 100 m backstroke | 48.50 | Ryan Murphy | 14 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [45] | ||
| 200 m backstroke | 1:45.65 | ER | Hubert Kós | 15 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [46] | |
| 50 m breaststroke | 25.38 | AM | Nic Fink | 18 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [47] | |
| 100 m breaststroke | 55.47 | AS | Qin Haiyang | 12 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [48] | |
| 200 m breaststroke | 2:00.16 | WR | Kirill Prigoda | 13 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | [49] | |
| 50 m butterfly | 21.32 | WR | Noè Ponti | 11 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [50] | |
| 100 m butterfly | 47.71 | WR | Noè Ponti | 14 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [51] | |
| 200 m butterfly | 1:48.24 | = | Daiya Seto | 11 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | [52] | |
| 200 m butterfly | 1:48.24 | =, AM | Ilya Kharun | 12 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [53] | |
| 100 m individual medley | 50.33 | Noè Ponti | 13 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [54] | ||
| 200 m individual medley | 1:49.51 | AM | Shaine Casas | 10 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [55] | |
| 400 m individual medley | 3:55.50 | AM | Ryan Lochte | 16 December 2010 | 2010 World Championships | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | [56] | |
| 4 × 50 m freestyle relay | 1:21.80 | WR |
| 14 December 2018 | 2018 World Championships | Hangzhou, China | [57] | |
| 4 × 100 m freestyle relay | 3:01.66 | WR |
| 10 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [58] | |
| 4 × 200 m freestyle relay | 6:40.51 | WR |
| 13 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [59] | |
| 4 × 50 m medley relay | 1:29.72 | WR |
| 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [60] | |
| 4 × 100 m medley relay | 3:18.68 | WR |
| | 15 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [61] |
| Event | Time | Name | Nationality | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | 22.83 | WR | Gretchen Walsh | 15 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [62] | |
| 100 m freestyle | 50.31 | AM | Gretchen Walsh | 12 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [63] | |
| 200 m freestyle | 1:50.31 | WR | Siobhán Haughey | 16 December 2021 | 2021 World Championships | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | [64] | |
| 400 m freestyle | 3:50.25 | WR | Summer McIntosh | 10 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [65] | |
| 800 m freestyle | 8:01.95 | Lani Pallister | 11 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [66] | ||
| 1500 m freestyle | 15:21.43 | OC | Lani Pallister | 16 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [67] | |
| 50 m backstroke | 25.23 | WR | Regan Smith | 13 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [68] | |
| 100 m backstroke | 54.02 | r, WR | Regan Smith | 15 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [69] | |
| 200 m backstroke | 1:58.04 | WR | Regan Smith | 15 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [70] | |
| 50 m breaststroke | 28.37 | sf, WR | Rūta Meilutytė | 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [71] | |
| 100 m breaststroke | 1:02.36 | =WR | Alia Atkinson | 6 December 2014 | 2014 World Championships | Doha, Qatar | [72] | |
| 200 m breaststroke | 2:12.50 | WR | Kate Douglass | 13 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [73] | |
| 50 m butterfly | 23.94 | sf, WR | Gretchen Walsh | 10 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [74] | |
| 100 m butterfly | 52.71 | WR | Gretchen Walsh | 14 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [75] | |
| 200 m butterfly | 1:59.32 | WR | Summer McIntosh | 12 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [76] | |
| 100 m individual medley | 55.11 | WR | Gretchen Walsh | 13 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [77] | |
| 200 m individual medley | 2:01.63 | WR | Kate Douglass | 10 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [78] | |
| 400 m individual medley | 4:15.48 | WR | Summer McIntosh | 14 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [79] | |
| 4 × 50 m freestyle relay | 1:33.89 | AM |
| 15 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [80] | |
| 4 × 100 m freestyle relay | 3:25.01 | WR |
| 10 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [81] | |
| 4 × 200 m freestyle relay | 7:30.13 | WR |
| 12 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [82] | |
| 4 × 50 m medley relay | 1:42.35 | WR |
| 17 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [83] | |
| 4 × 100 m medley relay | 3:40.41 | WR |
| 15 December 2024 | 2024 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [84] |
| Event | Time | Name | Club | Date | Meet | Location | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 50 m freestyle relay | 1:27.33 | WR |
| 16 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [85] | |
| 4 × 50 m medley relay | 1:35.15 | WR |
| 14 December 2022 | 2022 World Championships | Melbourne, Australia | [86] |