World record progression 800 metres freestyle

Main article: List of world records in swimming

The first world record in the women's 800 metres freestyle in long course (50 metres) swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) 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.^[1] Because of this situation, the world records for the 880 yard freestyle for women from 1919 to 1930 are included below.

World record progression for the 800m freestyle

Men

Long course

.

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	11:25.4	(yd)	Henry Taylor	Great Britain	Jul 21, 1906	-	Runcorn, United Kingdom
2	11:24.2	(yd)	Norman Ross	United States	Jan 10, 1920	-	Sydney, Australia
3	11:05.2	(yd)	Boy Charlton	Australia	Jan 13, 1923	-	Sydney, Australia
4	10:51.8	(yd)	Boy Charlton	Australia	Jan 19, 1924	-	Sydney, Australia
5	10:43.6		Arne Borg	Sweden	Apr 11, 1924	-	Honolulu, Hawaii
6	10:37.4		Arne Borg	Sweden	Aug 25, 1925	-	Harnäs, Sweden
7	10:32.0	(yd)	Boy Charlton	Australia	Jan 8, 1927	-	Sydney, Australia
8	10:22.2	(yd)	Johnny Weissmuller	United States	Jul 27, 1927	-	Honolulu, Hawaii
9	10:19.6		Jean Taris	France	May 30, 1930	-	Paris, France
10	10:17.2		Jean Taris	France	Jun 9, 1931	-	Cannes, France
11	10:16.6		Shozo Makino	Japan	Aug 30, 1931	-	Osaka, Japan
12	10:15.6		Jean Taris	France	Jun 21, 1932	-	Cannes, France
13	10:08.6		Shozo Makino	Japan	Jun 25, 1933	-	Tokyo, Japan
14	10:01.2		Shozo Makino	Japan	Sep 16, 1933	-	Tokyo, Japan
15	9:55.8		Shozo Makino	Japan	Sep 15, 1934	-	Tokyo, Japan
16	9:50.9		Bill Smith	United States	Jul 24, 1941	-	Honolulu, Hawaii
17	9:45.6		Hironoshin Furuhashi	Japan	Jun 26, 1949	-	Tokyo, Japan
18	9:45.0		Shiro Hashizume	Japan	Aug 16, 1949	-	Los Angeles, United States
19	9:40.7		Hironoshin Furuhashi	Japan	Aug 16, 1949	-	Los Angeles, United States
20	9:35.5		Hironoshin Furuhashi	Japan	Aug 16, 1949	-	Los Angeles, United States
21	9:30.7		Ford Konno	United States	Jul 7, 1951	-	Honolulu, Hawaii
22	9:15.7		George Breen	United States	Oct 27, 1956	-	New Haven, Connecticut, United States
23	9:17.7	(yd)	John Konrads	Australia	Jan 11, 1958	-	Sydney, Australia
24	9:14.5	(yd)	John Konrads	Australia	Feb 22, 1958	-	Melbourne, Australia
25	8:59.6	(yd)	John Konrads	Australia	Jan 10, 1959	-	Sydney, Australia
26	8:51.5		Murray Rose	Australia	Aug 26, 1962	-	Los Altos, California, United States
27	8:47.4		Semyon Belits-Geiman	Soviet Union	Aug 3, 1966	-	Kharkiv, Soviet Union
28	8:47.3		John Bennett	Australia	Jan 16, 1967	-	Sydney, Australia
29	8:46.8		Alain Mosconi	France	Jul 5, 1967	-	Monaco, Monaco
30	8:42.0		Francis Luyce	France	Jul 21, 1967	-	Dinard, France
31	8:34.3	†	Mike Burton	United States	Sep 3, 1968	USA Olympic Trials	Long Beach, California, United States
32	8:28.8	†	Mike Burton	United States	Aug 17, 1969	AAU Nationals	Louisville, Kentucky, United States
33	8:28.6		Graham Windeatt	Australia	Apr 3, 1971	NSW Combined High Schools Championships	Sydney, Australia
34	8:23.8		Brad Cooper	Australia	Jan 12, 1972	NSW State Championships	Sydney, Australia
35	8:17.60	†	Stephen Holland	Australia	Aug 5, 1973	Pre World Championship meet	Brisbane, Australia
36	8:16.27	†	Stephen Holland	Australia	Sep 8, 1973	World Championships	Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
37	8:15.88	†	Stephen Holland	Australia	Jan 1, 1974	Commonwealth Games	Christchurch, New Zealand
38	8:15.2		Stephen Holland	Australia	Jan 17, 1975	QLD State Championships	Brisbane, Australia
39	8:15.02	†	Stephen Holland	Australia	Jan 25, 1975	New Zealand Games	Christchurch, New Zealand
40	8:13.68	†	Tim Shaw	United States	Jun 21, 1975	USA World Championship Trials	Long Beach, California, United States
41	8:09.60		Tim Shaw	United States	Jul 13, 1975	Pre World Championship meet	Mission Viejo, California, United States
42	8:06.27	†	Stephen Holland	Australia	Feb 27, 1976	AUS Olympic Trials	Sydney, Australia
43	8:02.91		Stephen Holland	Australia	Feb 29, 1976	AUS Olympic Trials	Sydney, Australia
44	8:01.54	†	Bobby Hackett	United States	Jun 21, 1976	USA Olympic Trials	Long Beach, California, United States
45	7:56.49	†	Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union	Mar 23, 1979	URSvGDR Duel	Minsk, Soviet Union
46	7:52.83		Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union	Feb 14, 1982	URS Winter Nationals	Moscow, Soviet Union
47	7:52.23		Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union	Jul 14, 1983	Los Angeles International	Los Angeles, United States	[2]
48	7:50.64		Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union	Jul 4, 1986	Goodwill Games	Moscow, Soviet Union	[2]
49	7:47.85	†	Kieren Perkins	Australia	Aug 25, 1991	Pan Pacific Championships	Edmonton, Canada	[3]
50	7:46.60		Kieren Perkins	Australia	Feb 16, 1992	NSW Age Group Championships	Sydney, Australia	[4]
51	7:46.00	†	Kieren Perkins	Australia	Aug 24, 1994	Commonwealth Games	Victoria, BC, Canada	[5]
52	7:41.59		Ian Thorpe	Australia	Mar 26, 2001	AUS Nationals & World Championship Trials	Hobart, Australia	[6] link link
53	7:39.16		Ian Thorpe	Australia	Jul 24, 2001	World Championships	Fukuoka, Japan	[7]
54	7:38.65		Grant Hackett	Australia	Jul 27, 2005	World Championships	Montreal, Canada	[8]
55	7:32.12		Zhang Lin	China	July 29, 2009	World Championships	Rome, Italy	[9]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; yd – set in a pool measured in yards;
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	7:38.90		Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union	Feb 13, 1983	Festival Arena	Bonn, Germany
1	7:38.75		Michael Gross	Germany	Feb 3, 1985	Festival Arena	Bonn, Germany
2	7:34.90		Kieren Perkins	Australia	Jul 25, 1993	Grand Prix	Sydney, Australia
3	7:25.28		Grant Hackett	Australia	Aug 3, 2001	Australian Championships	Perth, Australia
4	7:23.42		Grant Hackett	Australia	Jul 20, 2008	Victorian Championships	Melbourne, Australia	[10]
5	7:20.46		Daniel Wiffen	Ireland	Dec 10, 2023	European Championships	Otopeni, Romania	[11][12]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; yd – set in a pool measured in yards;
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

#	Time		Name	Nationality	Date	Meet	Location	Ref
1	13:19.0	(yd)	Gertrude Ederle	United States	Aug 17, 1919	-	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
2	12:58.2	(yd)	Ethel McGary	United States	Aug 6, 1925	-	Detroit, Michigan, United States
3	12:56.0	(yd)	Ethel McGary	United States	Aug 15, 1925	-	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
4	12:47.2	(yd)	Martha Norelius	United States	Aug 7, 1926	-	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
5	12:17.8	(yd)	Martha Norelius	United States	Jul 31, 1927	-	Massapequa, New York, United States
6	12:03.8	(yd)	Josephine McKim	United States	Aug 10, 1929	-	Honolulu, Hawaii
7	11:41.2	(yd)	Helene Madison	United States	Jul 6, 1930	-	Long Beach, California, United States
8	12:18.8		Yvonne Godard	France	Jul 23, 1931	-	Paris, France
9	11:44.0	(yd)	Lenore Kight	United States	Jul 23, 1933	-	Jones Beach, New York, United States
10	11:34.4	(yd)	Lenore Kight	United States	Jul 21, 1935	-	Manhattan Beach, California, United States
11	11:11.7		Ragnhild Hveger	Denmark	Jul 3, 1936	-	Copenhagen, Denmark
12	10:52.5		Ragnhild Hveger	Denmark	Aug 13, 1941	-	Copenhagen, Denmark
13	10:42.4		Valéria Gyenge	Hungary	Jun 28, 1953	-	Budapest, Hungary
14	10:30.9		Lorraine Crapp	Australia	Jan 14, 1956	-	Sydney, Australia
15	10:27.3		Mary Kok	Netherlands	Feb 16, 1957	-	Durban, South Africa
16	10:17.7	(yd)	Ilsa Konrads	Australia	Jan 9, 1958	-	Sydney, Australia
17	10:16.2	(yd)	Ilsa Konrads	Australia	Feb 20, 1958	-	Melbourne, Australia
18	10:11.8	(yd)	Ilsa Konrads	Australia	Jun 13, 1958	-	Townsville, Australia
19	10:11.4	(yd)	Ilsa Konrads	Australia	Feb 19, 1959	-	Hobart, Australia
20	9:55.6		Jane Cederqvist	Sweden	Aug 17, 1960	-	Uppsala, Sweden
21	9:51.6		Carolyn House	United States	Aug 26, 1962	-	Los Altos, California, United States
22	9:47.3		Patty Caretto	United States	Jul 30, 1964	-	Los Altos, California, United States
23	9:36.9		Sharon Finneran	United States	Sep 28, 1964	-	Los Angeles, California, United States
24	9:35.8	†	Debbie Meyer	United States	Jul 9, 1967	Santa Clara Invitational	Santa Clara, California, United States
25	9:22.9		Debbie Meyer	United States	Jul 29, 1967	Pan-American Games	Winnipeg, Canada
26	9:19.0	†	Debbie Meyer	United States	Jul 21, 1968	-	Los Angeles, California, United States
27	9:17.8		Debbie Meyer	United States	Aug 4, 1968	AAU Nationals	Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
28	9:10.4		Debbie Meyer	United States	Aug 28, 1968	USA Olympic Trials (elec. 9:10.36)	Los Angeles, California, United States
29	9:09.1		Karen Moras	Australia	Mar 1, 1970	AUS Nationals	Sydney, Australia
30	9:02.45		Karen Moras	Australia	Jul 18, 1970	Commonwealth Games	Edinburgh, United Kingdom
31	8:59.4		Ann Simmons	United States	Sep 10, 1971	USAvURSvGBR meet (elec. 8:59.37)	Minsk, Soviet Union
32	8:58.1		Shane Gould	Australia	Dec 3, 1971	-	Sydney, Australia
33	8:53.83		Jo Harshbarger	United States	Aug 6, 1972	USA Olympic Trials	Chicago, Illinois, United States
34	8:53.68		Keena Rothhammer	United States	Sep 3, 1972	Olympic Games	Munich, West Germany
35	8:52.97		Novella Calligaris	Italy	Sep 9, 1973	World Championships	Belgrade, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
36	8:50.1		Jennifer Turrall	Australia	Jan 5, 1974	NSW State Championships	Sydney, Australia
37	8:47.66	†	Jo Harshbarger	United States	Aug 25, 1974	AAU Nationals	Concord, California, United States
38	8:47.59		Jo Harshbarger	United States	Aug 31, 1974	USAvGDR Duel	Concord, California, United States
39	8:43.48		Jennifer Turrall	Australia	Mar 31, 1975	Coca-Cola International	London, United Kingdom
40	8:40.68		Petra Thümer	East Germany	Jun 4, 1976	GDR Olympic Trials	East Berlin, East Germany
41	8:39.63		Shirley Babashoff	United States	Jun 21, 1976	USA Olympic Trials	Long Beach, California, United States
42	8:37.14		Petra Thümer	East Germany	Jul 25, 1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada
43	8:35.04		Petra Thümer	East Germany	Jul 9, 1977	GDR Nationals & European Championship Trials	Leipzig, East Germany
44	8:34.86		Michelle Ford	Australia	Jan 6, 1978	KBI meet	Brisbane, Australia
45	8:31.30		Michelle Ford	Australia	Jan 21, 1978	NSW State Championships	Sydney, Australia
46	8:30.53		Tracey Wickham	Australia	Feb 21, 1978	AUS Nationals	Brisbane, Australia
47	8:24.62		Tracey Wickham	Australia	Aug 5, 1978	Commonwealth Games	Edmonton, Canada
48	8:22.44		Janet Evans	United States	Jul 27, 1987	USA Nationals & Pan Pacific Trials	Clovis, California, United States
49	8:19.53		Anke Möhring	East Germany	Aug 19, 1987	European Championships	Strasbourg, France
50	8:17.12		Janet Evans	United States	Mar 22, 1988	USA Spring Nationals	Orlando, Florida, United States
51	8:16.22		Janet Evans	United States	Aug 20, 1989	Pan Pacific Championships	Tokyo, Japan	[13]
52	8:14.10		Rebecca Adlington	Great Britain	Aug 16, 2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	[14]
53	8:13.86		Katie Ledecky	United States	Aug 3, 2013	World Championships	Barcelona, Spain	[15]
54	8:11.00		Katie Ledecky	United States	22 June 2014	Woodlands Senior Invitational Meet	Shenandoah, United States	[16]
55	8:07.39		Katie Ledecky	United States	8 August 2015	World Championships	Kazan, Russia	[17]
56	8:06.68		Katie Ledecky	United States	17 January 2016	Arena Pro Swim Series	Austin, United States	[18]
57	8:04.79		Katie Ledecky	United States	12 August 2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	[19]
58	8:04.12		Katie Ledecky	United States	3 May 2025	TYR Pro Swim Series	Fort Lauderdale, United States	[20]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; yd – set in a pool measured in yards;
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	8:15.34		Astrid Strauss	East Germany	Feb 7, 1987	Bonn Arena Festival	Bonn, Germany	[21] [22][23]
1	8:15.15		Chen Hua	China	Dec 2, 2001	World Cup	Shanghai, China	[22] [24]
2	8:14.35		Sachiko Yamada	Japan	Feb 4, 2002	Japan 25m Nationals	Tokyo, Japan	[24]
3	8:11.25		Laure Manaudou	France	Dec 9, 2005	European SC Championships	Trieste, Italy
4	8:09.68		Kate Ziegler	United States	Oct 12, 2007	Alex Athletics Jubiläums Challenge	Essen, Germany
5	8:08.00		Kate Ziegler	United States	Oct 14, 2007	Alex Athletics Jubiläums Challenge	Essen, Germany	[25]
6	8:04.53		Alessia Filippi	Italy	Dec 12, 2008	2008 European Short Course Championships	Rijeka, Croatia	[26]
7	8:01.06		Camille Muffat	France	Nov 16, 2012	French Nationals	Angers, France	[27]
8	7:59.34		Mireia Belmonte	Spain	Aug 10, 2013	World Cup	Berlin, Germany	[28]
9	7:57.42		Katie Ledecky	United States	Nov 5, 2022	World Cup	Indianapolis, United States	[29]

Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by FINA; yd – set in a pool measured in yards;
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

All-time top 25

Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 800 m freestyle times and the top 25 athletes:

- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 800 m freestyle times

- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 800 m freestyle times, by repeat athletes

- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 800 m freestyle times

Men long course

• Correct as of April 2025^[30]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	7:32.12	Zhang Lin	China	29 July 2009	Rome	[9]
2	2	7:35.27	Oussama Mellouli	Tunisia	29 July 2009	Rome	[9]
3	3	7:37.00	Ahmed Hafnaoui	Tunisia	26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[31]
4	4	7:37.76	Samuel Short	Australia	26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[31]
5	5	7:38.12	Sven Schwarz	Germany	2 May 2025	Berlin	[32]
6	6	7:38.19	Daniel Wiffen	Ireland	30 July 2024	Paris	[33]
7	7	7:38.57	Sun Yang	China	27 July 2011	Shanghai	[34]
8	8	7:38.65	Grant Hackett	Australia	27 July 2005	Montreal	[8]
9	9	7:38.67	Bobby Finke	United States	26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[31]
	10	7:38.75	Finke #2		30 July 2024	Paris	[33]
10	11	7:39.10	Lukas Märtens	Germany	15 April 2025	Stockholm	[35]
11	12	7:39.16	Ian Thorpe	Australia	24 July 2001	Fukuoka	[7]
	13	7:39.19	Wiffen #2		26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[31]
12	14	7:39.27	Gregorio Paltrinieri	Italy	24 July 2019	Gwangju	[36]
	15	7:39.36	Finke #3		21 June 2022	Budapest	[37]
	16	7:39.38	Paltrinieri #2		30 July 2024	Paris	[33]
	17	7:39.48	Märtens #2		26 July 2023	Fukuoka	[31]
13	18	7:39.63	Florian Wellbrock	Germany	21 June 2022	Budapest	[37]
	19	7:39.96	Sun #2		5 August 2015	Kazan	[38]
14	20	7:40.08	Mykhailo Romanchuk	Ukraine	21 June 2022	Budapest	[37]
	21	7:40.22	Paltrinieri #3		12 August 2020	Rome
	22	7:40.34	Hackett #2		24 July 2001	Fukuoka	[7]
			Finke #4		1 July 2023	Indianapolis	[39]
	24	7:40.39	Short #2		15 June 2023	Melbourne	[40]
15	25	7:40.77	Gabriele Detti	Italy	26 July 2017	Budapest	[41]
16		7:41.28	Henrik Christiansen	Norway	24 July 2019	Gwangju	[36]
17		7:41.73	Wojciech Wojdak	Poland	26 July 2017	Budapest	[41]
18		7:41.86	Ryan Cochrane	Canada	27 July 2011	Shanghai	[34]
19		7:42.07	Ahmed Jaouadi	Tunisia	29 July 2024	Paris	[42]
20		7:42.08	David Aubry	France	24 July 2019	Gwangju	[36]
21		7:42.47	Aleksandr Stepanov	Russia	18 April 2023	Kazan	[43]
22	7:42.51	Jack McLoughlin	Australia	14 June 2021	Adelaide	[44]
23	7:42.86	Elijah Winnington	Australia	29 July 2024	Paris	[42]
24	7:43.37	Lorenzo Galossi	Italy	13 August 2022	Rome	[45]
25	7:43.60	Michael McBroom	United States	31 July 2013	Barcelona	[46]

Men short course

• Correct as of February 2025^[47]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	7:20.46	Daniel Wiffen	Ireland	10 December 2023	Otopeni	[11]
2	2	7:23.42	Grant Hackett	Australia	20 July 2008	Melbourne	[10]
	3	7:25.28	Hackett #2		3 August 2001	Perth
3	4	7:25.73	Mykhailo Romanchuk	Ukraine	21 November 2020	Budapest
4	5	7:25.78	Henrik Christiansen	Norway	21 November 2020	Budapest
	6	7:25.96	Wiffen #2		15 December 2022	Dublin
5	7	7:27.94	Gregorio Paltrinieri	Italy	7 November 2021	Kazan	[48]
6	8	7:27.99	Florian Wellbrock	Germany	7 November 2021	Kazan	[48]
7	9	7:29.17	Yannick Agnel	France	16 November 2012	Angers
	10	7:29.39	Christiansen #2		20 December 2019	Tilburg
	11	7:29.99	Paltrinieri #2		17 December 2022	Melbourne	[49]
	12	7:30.31	Paltrinieri #3		16 December 2018	Hangzhou
8	13	7:30.32	David Aubry	France	10 December 2023	Otopeni	[11]
9	14	7:30.41	David Johnston	United States	24 August 2022	Sydney	[50]
10	15	7:30.56	Zalan Sarkany	Hungary	14 December 2024	Budapest	[51]
	16	7:30.79	Christiansen #3		21 December 2019	Tilburg
11	17	7:31.18	Federico Colbertaldo	Italy	19 December 2009	Manchester	[52]
	18	7:31.20	Romanchuk #2		10 December 2023	Otopeni	[11]
	19	7:31.33	Paltrinieri #4		4 December 2015	Netanya
	20	7:31.48	Christiansen #4		17 December 2022	Melbourne	[49]
	21	7:31.60	Aubry #2		13 December 2019	Angers
	22	7:31.82	Wiffen #3		7 December 2023	Otopeni
12	23	7:31.89	Felix Auböck	Austria	21 November 2020	Budapest
	24	7:31.90	Wellbrock #2		14 December 2024	Budapest	[51]
	25	7:31.92	Romanchuk #3		16 December 2018	Hangzhou
13		7:31.93	Ahmed Jaouadi	Tunisia	14 December 2024	Budapest	[51]
14		7:32.77	Alexander Nørgaard	Denmark	18 December 2020	Helsingør
15		7:33.01	Victor Johansson	Sweden	5 November 2023	Espoo	[53]
16		7:33.12	Logan Fontaine	France	17 December 2022	Melbourne	[49]
17		7:33.23	Jan Micka	Czech Republic	16 November 2018	Plzeň
18		7:33.24	Sven Schwarz	Germany	14 December 2024	Budapest	[51]
19		7:33.44	Florian Vogel	Germany	21 November 2015	Wuppertal
20	7:33.60	Wojciech Wojdak	Poland	19 December 2015	Lublin
21	7:33.69	Ahmed Hafnaoui	Tunisia	21 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[54]
22	7:33.78	Shogo Takeda	Japan	17 December 2022	Melbourne	[49]
23	7:33.94	Chad La Tourette	United States	19 December 2009	Manchester
24	7:33.97	Savely Luzin	Russia	24 November 2024	Saint Petersburg	[55]
25	7:33.99	Michael McBroom	United States	20 December 2013	Glasgow

Women long course

• Correct as of February 2025^[56]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	8:04.12	Katie Ledecky	United States	3 May 2025	Fort Lauderdale	[20]
	2	8:04.79	Ledecky #2		13 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	[19]
	3	8:06.68	Ledecky #3		17 January 2016	Austin	[18]
	4	8:07.07	Ledecky #4		27 June 2023	Indianapolis	[57]
	5	8:07.27	Ledecky #5		19 May 2018	Indianapolis	[58]
	6	8:07.39	Ledecky #6		8 August 2015	Kazan	[17]
	7	8:08.04	Ledecky #7		24 June 2022	Budapest	[59]
	8	8:08.87	Ledecky #8		29 July 2023	Fukuoka	[60]
	9	8:09.13	Ledecky #9		9 August 2018	Tokyo	[61]
	10	8:09.27	Ledecky #10		26 April 2022	Greensboro	[62]
2	11	8:09.86	Summer McIntosh	Canada	13 February 2025	Plantation	[63]
	12	8:10.32	Ledecky #11		2 July 2016	Omaha	[64]
	13	8:10.70	Ledecky #12		19 May 2019	Indianapolis
	14	8:10.91	Ledecky #13		1 July 2016	Omaha	[65]
	15	8:11.00	Ledecky #14		22 June 2014	Shenandoah	[16]
	16	8:11.04	Ledecky #15		3 August 2024	Paris	[66]
	17	8:11.08	Ledecky #16		9 June 2018	Santa Clara
	18	8:11.21	Ledecky #17		17 January 2015	Santa Clara
	19	8:11.35	Ledecky #18		21 August 2014	Gold Coast	[67]
	20	8:11.39	McIntosh #2		8 February 2024	Orlando	[68]
	21	8:11.50	Ledecky #19		27 June 2017	Indianapolis	[69]
	22	8:11.70	Ledecky #20		16 May 2018	Indianapolis	[70]
	23	8:11.83	Ledecky #21		10 February 2022	Orlando
	24	8:11.98	Ledecky #22		25 July 2018	Irvine	[71]
	25	8:12.03	Ledecky #23		26 July 2022	Irvine	[72]
3		8:12.29	Ariarne Titmus	Australia	3 August 2024	Paris	[66]
4		8:13.00	Paige Madden	United States	3 August 2024	Paris	[66]
5		8:13.31	Li Bingjie	China	29 July 2023	Fukuoka	[60]
6		8:14.10	Rebecca Adlington	Great Britain	16 August 2008	Beijing	[14]
7		8:14.55	Simona Quadarella	Italy	3 August 2024	Paris	[66]
8		8:14.64	Wang Jianjiahe	China	30 March 2019	Qingdao	[73]
9		8:15.11	Lani Pallister	Australia	22 October 2023	Budapest	[74]
10		8:15.54	Jazmin Carlin	Great Britain	21 August 2014	Berlin	[75]
11		8:15.92	Lotte Friis	Denmark	1 August 2009	Rome	[76]
12		8:16.22	Janet Evans	United States	20 August 1989	Tokyo	[13]
13		8:16.33	Leah Smith	United States	10 April 2019	Richmond	[77]
14		8:16.37	Boglárka Kapás	Hungary	12 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro	[19]
15	8:16.43	Sarah Köhler	Germany	27 July 2019	Gwangju	[78]
16	8:16.66	Joanne Jackson	Great Britain	1 August 2009	Rome	[76]
17	8:16.70	Camelia Potec	Romania	22 April 2009	Montpellier	[79]
18	8:16.79	Kiah Melverton	Australia	2 August 2022	Birmingham	[80]
19	8:17.05	Katie Grimes	United States	29 July 2021	Tokyo	[81]
20	8:17.21	Alessia Filippi	Italy	1 August 2009	Rome	[76]
21	8:17.53	Isabel Gose	Germany	17 February 2024	Doha	[82]
22	8:17.65	Lauren Boyle	New Zealand	8 August 2015	Kazan	[17]
23	8:18.00	Erika Fairweather	New Zealand	5 April 2023	Auckland	[83]
24	8:18.14	Jessica Ashwood	Australia	5 June 2016	Santa Clara	[84]
25	8:18.52	Kate Ziegler	United States	31 March 2007	Melbourne	[85]

Women short course

• Correct as of February 2025^[86]

Ath.#	Perf.#	Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	7:57.42	Katie Ledecky	United States	5 November 2022	Indianapolis	[29]
2	2	7:59.34	Mireia Belmonte	Spain	10 August 2013	Berlin	[28]
3	3	7:59.44	Wang Jianjiahe	China	6 October 2018	Budapest
	4	8:00.58	Ledecky #2		29 October 2022	Toronto
4	5	8:01.06	Camille Muffat	France	16 November 2012	Angers	[27]
5	6	8:01.22	Lauren Boyle	New Zealand	7 August 2013	Eindhoven
	7	8:01.43	Belmonte #2		7 August 2013	Eindhoven
6	8	8:01.95	Lani Pallister	Australia	11 December 2024	Budapest	[87]
7	9	8:02.09	Li Bingjie	China	29 October 2022	Beijing	[88]
	10	8:02.53	Boyle #2		10 August 2013	Berlin
	11	8:02.90	Li #2		18 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[89]
	12	8:03.41	Belmonte #3		4 December 2014	Doha
	13	8:03.86	Wang #2		30 September 2018	Eindhoven
	14	8:04.07	Pallister #2		14 December 2022	Melbourne	[90]
	15	8:04.35	Wang #3		13 December 2018	Hangzhou
8	16	8:04.53	Alessia Filippi	Italy	12 December 2008	Rijeka	[26]
9	17	8:04.61	Lotte Friis	Denmark	14 November 2009	Berlin
10	18	8:04.65	Anastasiya Kirpichnikova	Russia	3 November 2021	Kazan	[91]
	19	8:04.77	Friis #2		16 December 2011	Atlanta
	20	8:04.88	Belmonte #4		31 August 2018	Dubai
	21	8:05.18	Belmonte #5		13 December 2013	Herning
11	22	8:05.32	Coralie Balmy	France	12 December 2008	Rijeka
12	23	8:05.42	Isabel Gose	Germany	11 December 2024	Budapest	[87]
13	24	8:05.90	Katie Grimes	United States	11 December 2024	Budapest	[87]
	25	8:06.15	Boyle #3		9 November 2013	Tokyo
14		8:07.12	Summer McIntosh	Canada	5 November 2022	Indianapolis	[29]
15		8:07.22	Paige Madden	United States	11 December 2024	Budapest	[87]
16		8:07.22	Leah Smith	United States	7 December 2016	Windsor
17		8:07.99	Simona Quadarella	Italy	18 December 2021	Abu Dhabi	[89]
18		8:08.00	Kate Ziegler	United States	14 October 2007	Essen	[25]
19		8:08.02	Kristel Köbrich	Chile	10 August 2008	Berlin
Sarah Köhler		Germany	14 November 2019	Berlin
21	8:08.16	Jazmin Carlin	Great Britain	4 December 2014	Doha
22	8:08.17	Sharon van Rouwendaal	Netherlands	4 December 2014	Doha
23	8:08.25	Rebecca Adlington	Great Britain	10 April 2008	Manchester
24	8:08.41	Katinka Hosszú	Hungary	24 October 2014	Beijing
25	8:10.41	Erika Fairweather	New Zealand	14 December 2022	Melbourne	[90]