List of individual gold medalists in swimming at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships (men)

Last updated

This is an overview of the men's swimming champions in individual events at the Olympics and the World Aquatics Championships. These tournaments are the only global long course (50 meter pool) swimming championships organized by world swimming federation FINA. This list gives an overview of the dominant swimmers throughout the history of swimming.

Contents

Currently, the Olympic program includes 14 individual events, and the World Championships program 17. These numbers were lower in the past, as shown in the table.

Asterisks (*) link to the event article. Use the sort function in the left-hand column to separate Olympics and World Championships.

Year Freestyle Backstroke Breaststroke Butterfly Individual medley
50 m100 m200 m400 m800 m1500 m50 m100 m200 m50 m100 m200 m50 m100 m200 m200 m400 m
OG 1896 Hajós * Neumann * (500 m) Hajós * (1200 m)
OG 1900 Lane * Jarvis * (1000 m) Hoppenberg *
OG 1904 Halmay * (50 yd) Halmay * (100 yd) Daniels * (220 yd) Daniels * (440 yd) Rausch * (880 yd) Rausch * (1 mile) Brack * (100 yd)
OG 1908 Daniels * Taylor * Taylor * Bieberstein * Holman *
OG 1912 Kahanamoku * Hodgson * Hodgson * Hebner * Bathe *
OG 1920 Kahanamoku * Ross * Ross * Kealoha * Malmrot *
OG 1924 Weissmuller * Weissmuller * Charlton * Kealoha * Skelton *
OG 1928 Weissmuller * Zorrilla * Borg * Kojac * Tsuruta *
OG 1932 Miyazaki * Crabbe * Kitamura * Kiyokawa * Tsuruta *
OG 1936 Csik * Medica * Terada * Kiefer * Hamuro *
OG 1948 Ris * Smith * McLane * Stack * Verdeur *
OG 1952 Scholes * Boiteux * Konno * Oyakawa * Davies *
OG 1956 Henricks * Rose * Rose * Theile * Furukawa * Yorzyk *
OG 1960 Devitt * Rose * Konrads * Theile * Mulliken * Troy *
OG 1964 Schollander * Schollander * Windle * Graef * O'Brien * Berry * Roth *
OG 1968 Wenden * Wenden * Burton * Burton * Matthes * Matthes * McKenzie * Muñoz * Russell * Robie * Hickcox * Hickcox *
OG 1972 Spitz * Spitz * Cooper * Burton * Matthes * Matthes * Taguchi * Hencken * Spitz * Spitz * Larsson * Larsson *
WC 1973 Montgomery * Montgomery * DeMont * Holland * Matthes * Matthes * Hencken * Wilkie * Robertson * Backhaus * Larsson * Hargitay *
WC 1975 Coan * Shaw * Shaw * Shaw * Matthes * Verrasztó * Wilkie * Wilkie * Jagenburg * Forrester * Hargitay * Hargitay *
OG 1976 Montgomery * Furniss * Goodell * Goodell * Naber * Naber * Hencken * Wilkie * Vogel * Bruner * Strachan *
WC 1978 McCagg * Forrester * Salnikov * Salnikov * Jackson * Vassallo * Kusch * Nevid * Bottom * Bruner * Smith * Vassallo *
OG 1980 Woithe * Koplyakov * Salnikov * Salnikov * Baron * Wladár * Goodhew * Žulpa * Arvidsson * Fesenko * Sydorenko *
WC 1982 Woithe * Gross * Salnikov * Salnikov * Richter * Carey * Lundquist * Davis * Gribble * Gross * Sydorenko * Prado *
OG 1984 Gaines * Gross * DiCarlo * O'Brien * Carey * Carey * Lundquist * Davis * Gross * Sieben * Baumann * Baumann *
WC 1986 Jager * Biondi * Gross * Henkel * Henkel * Polyansky * Polyansky * Davis * Szabó * Morales * Gross * Darnyi * Darnyi *
OG 1988 Biondi * Biondi * Armstrong * Dassler * Salnikov * Suzuki * Polyansky * Moorhouse * Szabó * Nesty * Gross * Darnyi * Darnyi *
WC 1991 Jager * Biondi * Lamberti * Hoffmann * Hoffmann * Rouse * López-Zubero * Rózsa * Barrowman * Nesty * Stewart * Darnyi * Darnyi *
OG 1992 Popov * Popov * Sadovyi * Sadovyi * Perkins * Tewksbury * López-Zubero * Diebel * Barrowman * Morales * Stewart * Darnyi * Darnyi *
WC 1994 Popov * Popov * Kasvio * Perkins * Perkins * López-Zubero * Selkov * Rózsa * Rózsa * Szukała * Pankratov * Sievinen * Dolan *
OG 1996 Popov * Popov * Loader * Loader * Perkins * Rouse * Bridgewater * Deburgh-graeve * Rózsa * Pankratov * Pankratov * Czene * Dolan *
WC 1998 Pilczuk * Popov * Klim * Thorpe * Hackett * Krayzelburg * Krayzelburg * Deburgh-graeve * Grote * Klim * Sylantyev * Wouda * Dolan *
OG 2000 Ervin & Hall, Jr. * Van den Hoogenband * Van den Hoogenband * Thorpe * Hackett * Krayzelburg * Krayzelburg * Fioravanti * Fioravanti * Frölander * Malchow * Rosolino * Dolan *
WC 2001 Ervin * Ervin * Thorpe * Thorpe * Thorpe * Hackett * Bal * Welsh * Peirsol * Lisohor * Sludnov * Hansen * Huegill * Frölander * Phelps * Rosolino * Boggiatto *
WC 2003 Popov * Popov * Thorpe * Thorpe * Hackett * Hackett * Rupprath * Peirsol * Peirsol * Gibson * Kitajima * Kitajima * Welsh * Crocker * Phelps * Phelps * Phelps *
OG 2004 Hall, Jr. * Van den Hoogenband * Thorpe * Thorpe * Hackett * Peirsol * Peirsol * Kitajima * Kitajima * Phelps * Phelps * Phelps * Phelps *
WC 2005 Schoeman * Magnini * Phelps * Hackett * Hackett * Hackett * Grigoriadis * Peirsol * Peirsol * Warnecke * Hansen * Hansen * Schoeman * Crocker * Korze-niowski * Phelps * Cseh *
WC 2007 Wildman-Tobriner * Hayden & Magnini * Phelps * Park * Stańczyk * Sawry-mowicz * Zandberg * Peirsol * Lochte * Lisohor * Hansen * Kitajima * Schoeman * Phelps * Phelps * Phelps * Phelps *
OG 2008 Cielo * Bernard * Phelps * Park * Mellouli * Peirsol * Lochte * Kitajima * Kitajima * Phelps * Phelps * Phelps * Phelps *
WC 2009 Cielo * Cielo * Biedermann * Biedermann * Zhang * Mellouli * Tancock * Koga * Peirsol * Van der Burgh * Rickard * Gyurta * Čavić * Phelps * Phelps * Lochte * Lochte *
WC 2011 Cielo * Magnussen * Lochte * Park * Sun * Sun * Tancock * Lacourt & Stravius * Lochte * França Silva * Dale Oen * Gyurta * Cielo * Phelps * Phelps * Lochte * Lochte *
OG 2012 Manaudou * Adrian * Agnel * Sun * Sun * Grevers * Clary * Van der Burgh * Gyurta * Phelps * Le Clos * Phelps * Lochte *
WC 2013 Cielo * Magnussen * Agnel * Sun * Sun * Sun * Lacourt * Grevers * Lochte * Van der Burgh * Sprenger * Gyurta * Cielo * Le Clos * Le Clos * Lochte * Seto *
WC 2015 Manaudou * Ning * Guy * Sun * Sun * Paltrinieri * Lacourt * Larkin * Larkin * Peaty * Peaty * Koch * Manaudou * Le Clos * Cseh * Lochte * Seto *
OG 2016 Ervin * Chalmers * Sun * Horton * Paltrinieri * Murphy * Murphy * Peaty * Balandin * Schooling * Phelps * Phelps * Hagino *
WC 2017 Dressel * Dressel * Sun * Sun * Detti * Paltrinieri * Lacourt * Xu * Rylov * Peaty * Peaty * Chupkov * Proud * Dressel * Le Clos * Kalisz * Kalisz *
WC 2019 Dressel * Dressel * Sun * Sun * Paltrinieri * Wellbrock * Waddell * Xu * Rylov * Peaty * Peaty * Chupkov * Dressel * Dressel * Milák * Seto * Seto *
OG 2020 Dressel * Dressel * Dean * Hafnaoui * Finke * Finke * Rylov * Rylov * Peaty * Stubblety-Cook * Dressel * Milák * Wang * Kalisz *
WC 2022 Proud * Popovici * Popovici * Winnington * Finke * Paltrinieri * Ress * Ceccon * Murphy * Fink * Martinenghi * Stubblety-Cook * Dressel * Milák * Milák * Marchand * Marchand *
WC 2023 McEvoy * Chalmers * Richards * Short * Hafnaoui * Hafnaoui * Armstrong * Murphy * Kós * Qin * Qin * Qin * Ceccon * Grousset * Marchand * Marchand * Marchand *
WC 2024 Bukhov * Pan * Hwang * Kim * Wiffen * Wiffen * Cooper * Armstrong * González * Williamson * Fink * Dong * Ribeiro * Ribeiro * Honda * Knox * Clareburt *
OG 2024 McEvoy * Pan * Popovici * Märtens * Wiffen * * Ceccon * Kós * Martinenghi * Marchand * Milák * Marchand * Marchand * Marchand *

Note: Only events that are presently contested have their own column in the above table. In some of the early Olympics, events were held that have been discontinued later on. Where possible, the champions in these events have been placed in a column corresponding to the nearest distance. In those cases the actual distance is added below the champion's name. Champions not included in the table are:

Title leaders

Asterisks (*) and bold denote active swimmers

RankNameYear of
birth
Total
titles
Olympic
Games
World
Championships
Time span
1. Flag of the United States.svg Michael Phelps 19852813152001–2016 (16)
2. Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Sun Yang*1991143112011–2019 (9)
3. Flag of the United States.svg Ryan Lochte*1984122102007–2015 (9)
4. Flag of the United States.svg Caeleb Dressel*199611382017–2022 (6)
5. Flag of the United States.svg Aaron Peirsol 198310372001–2009 (9)
6. Flag of Russia.svg Alexander Popov 19719451992–2003 (12)
Flag of France.svg Léon Marchand*20029452022–2024 (3)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ian Thorpe 19829361998–2004 (7)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Grant Hackett 19809271998–2005 (8)
10. Flag of Hungary.svg Tamás Darnyi 19678441986–1992 (7)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Adam Peaty*19948262015–2021 (7)
12. Flag of East Germany.svg Roland Matthes 19507431968–1975 (8)
Flag of Japan.svg Kosuke Kitajima 19827432003–2008 (6)
Flag of Germany.svg Michael Gross 19647341982–1988 (7)
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Vladimir Salnikov 19607341978–1988 (11)
Flag of Brazil.svg César Cielo*19877162008–2013 (6)
17. Flag of Hungary.svg Kristóf Milák*20005232019–2024 (6)
Flag of South Africa.svg Chad le Clos*19925142012–2017 (6)
Flag of Italy.svg Gregorio Paltrinieri*19945142015–2022 (8)
20. Flag of the United States.svg Mark Spitz 19504401972 (1)
Flag of the United States.svg Matt Biondi 19654221986–1991 (6)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kieren Perkins 19734221992–1996 (5)
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Dolan 19754221994–2000 (7)
Flag of the United States.svg Lenny Krayzelburg 19754221998–2000 (3)
Flag of the United States.svg Anthony Ervin*19814222000–2016 (17)
Flag of Russia.svg Evgeny Rylov*19964222017–2021 (5)
Flag of the United States.svg Ryan Murphy*19954222016–2023 (8)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg David Wilkie 19544131973–1976 (4)
Flag of Hungary.svg Norbert Rózsa 19724131991–1996 (6)
Flag of Hungary.svg Dániel Gyurta 19894132009–2013 (5)
Flag of the United States.svg Brendan Hansen 19814042001–2007 (7)
Flag of France.svg Camille Lacourt 19854042011–2017 (7)
Flag of Japan.svg Daiya Seto*19944042013–2019 (7)
34. Flag of the United States.svg Charles Daniels 18853301904–1908 (5)
Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Weissmuller 19043301924–1928 (5)
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Murray Rose 19393301956–1960 (5)
Flag of the United States.svg Mike Burton 19473301968–1972 (5)
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Pieter van den Hoogenband 19783302000–2004 (5)
Flag of Sweden.svg Gunnar Larsson 19513211972–1973 (2)
Flag of the United States.svg John Hencken 19543211972–1976 (5)
Flag of the United States.svg Rick Carey 19633211982–1984 (3)
Flag of Russia.svg Denis Pankratov 19743211994–1996 (3)
Flag of the United States.svg Robert Finke*19993212021–2022 (2)
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Montgomery 19553121973–1976 (4)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Victor Davis 19643121982–1986 (5)
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Igor Polyansky 19673121986–1988 (3)
Flag of Spain.svg Martín López-Zubero 19693121991–1994 (4)
Flag of South Korea.svg Park Tae-hwan*19893122007–2011 (5)
Flag of South Africa.svg Cameron van der Burgh 19883122009–2013 (5)
Flag of France.svg Florent Manaudou*19903122012–2015 (4)
Flag of the United States.svg Chase Kalisz*19943122017–2021 (5)
Flag of Tunisia.svg Ahmed Hafnaoui*20023122021–2023 (3)
Flag of Italy.svg Thomas Ceccon*20013122022–2024 (3)
Flag of Romania.svg David Popovici*20043122022–2024 (3)
Flag of Ireland.svg Daniel Wiffen*20013122024 (1)
Flag of Hungary.svg András Hargitay 19563031973–1975 (3)
Flag of the United States.svg Tim Shaw 19573031975 (1)
Flag of South Africa.svg Roland Schoeman*19803032005–2007 (3)
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Qin Haiyang*19993032023 (1)

See also

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References