'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 100m freestyle is one of the hardest and fastest races in the whole of swimming and the records are broken very frequently in the event. In 1908, the fastest time recorded in the women's 100m freestyle event was by Germany's Martha Gerstung, which was 1:35.0s. That time has now been broken by several swimmers across the globe.
From over one and a half minutes, the time has been lowered to less than a minute with the current world record at 51.71s. Let's look at the top 10 fastest swimmers over the long course event as we head into the Paris Olympics 2024, where the world record could likely be lowered again.
10 fastest female swimmers of all time in 100m freestyle-long course
#10 Shayna Jack
Trending
Shayna Jack is an Australian swimmer who will compete in her first Olympic Games at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She is the 10th fastest swimmer in the 100m freestyle long course with a time of 52.28s, which she clocked at the 2023 World Championships in Japan.
#9 Bronte Campbell
Bronte Campbell is an Australian swimmer and a two-time Olympic champion in the 4x100m freestyle. Although she hasn't won any individual Olympic medals in the 100m freestyle at the Olympic Games, she is the ninth fastest of all time in the event with a time of 52.27s from the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She will compete at the Paris Olympics 2024 in her fourth consecutive Olympic Games.
#8 Marrit Steenbergen
Marrit Steenbergen is a Dutch swimmer who specializes in the 100m and 200m freestyle events. Although she hasn't won an Olympic medal, Steenbergen is the eighth fastest woman over the 100m freestyle event with a time of 52.26s from the 2024 World Championships. The 24-year-old has four World gold medals to her name.
#7 Mollie O'Callaghan
A 20-year-old swimming sensation from Australia, Mollie O'Callaghan is the seventh fastest swimmer of the 100m freestyle with a time of 52.08 from the 2023 World championships. She has won 23 medals in the Olympic and World Championships and will represent Australia at the Paris Olympics 2024.
#6 Britta Stefen
Brita Stefen rose to international fame at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning two gold medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle events. She is the sixth fastest woman over the 100m freestyle with a time of 52.07s. The retired German swimmer held the world records over both 50m and 100m freestyle but both of them fell in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
#5 Simone Manuel
Simone Manuel is an American swimmer who won the 100m Olympic gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics with a national record time of 52.70s. She lowered that mark to 52.04s in 2019. The 27-year-old showed impressive form at the U.S. Olympic Trials and is one of the contenders for the 100m freestyle podium at the Paris Olympics 2024.
#4 Cate Campbell
Cate Campbell is the current world record holder in the 100m freestyle short course. However, she is the fourth fastest over the long course event with a time of 52.03s from the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. The Australian swimmer has won 109 medals in the Olympic and World Championships, and 55 of those are gold medals.
#3 Siobhan Haughey
Siobhan Haughey became the first swimmer from Hong Kong to win an Olympic medal when she won silver medals in 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She is the third fastest in the long course 100m freestyle with a time of 52.02s. The 26-year-old will compete at the Paris Olympics 2024 and will be eying the world record in the distance.
#2 Emma McKeon
Emma McKeon is only the second swimmer in history to go sub 52 seconds in the women’s 100m freestyle long course event. She is the reigning Olympic champion in the distance with a time of 51.96s from the Tokyo Olympics, which makes her the second fastest swimmer of all time in the discipline. The 30-year-old has racked up an impressive 35 gold medals from Olympic and World Championships.
#1 Sarah Sjostrom
Sarah Sjostrom is one of the greatest 100m freestylers of all time. She is the world record holder in the event with a blistering time of 51.71s from the 2017 World Championships. The Swedish swimmer also holds the world record in the 50m freestyle long course event with a time of 23.61s. She has amassed a tally of 183 medals from Olympic and World Championships, including 104 golds.
