The 2017 World Championships featured eight days of exciting races, and there was no shortage of records.
Compared to the 2015 Championships, the number of records broken was relatively even. Kazan had 12 worlds records, Budapest had 11. 21 Championship records in 2017 surpassed the 19 there was in 2015.
However, there was a big difference in the number of American and ‘Americas’ records (combining North & South America) broken. After just five in Kazan (Americas), including three from Katie Ledecky, they broke 20 in Budapest. There was also a total of 13 individual American records broken, a massive haul.
In terms of those who broke the records, there was a select few who were doing most of the damage. Seven individual world records went down from just four swimmers. Adam Peaty, Sarah Sjostrom and Lilly King each set two, while Kylie Masse broke one of the vaunted super-suited marks in the women’s 100 back. Both of Peaty’s records came in the 50 breast (prelims and semis), so in total only one men’s event left with a new world record compared to six for women (five individual). The American women broke the medley relay record, and three more came from the U.S. in the mixed events which have only been on the scene for a few years.
Those five led the charge in Championship records as well, with Ledecky, Chase Kalisz, Anton Chupkov and Katinka Hosszu putting their names on the board as well. Russian Kliment Kolesnikov and Hungarian Kristof Milak did a ton of damage combining for a total of five junior world records, and continentally Farida Osman‘s name sticks out after she had five African record breaking swims (albeit over two events).
And of course we can’t look past the incredible week of Caeleb Dressel, who set four individual American records and was on a pair of the world record breaking mixed relays.
Below, take a look at the full list of world, championship, junior world, and continental records broken (plus American records).
WORLD RECORDS
Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.10 (Prelim)- Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 25.95 (Semi-Final)
- Women’s 50 Freestyle: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 23.67 (Semi-Final)
- Women’s 100 Freestyle: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 51.71 (Relay)
- Women’s 100 Backstroke: Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.10 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA), 29.40 (Final)
- Women’s 100 Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA), 1:04.13 (Final)
- Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:51.55 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Free Relay: United States, 3:19.60 (Final)
Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:40.28 (Prelim)- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:38.56 (Final)
CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS
Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.10 (Prelim)- Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 25.95 (Semi-Final)
Men’s 100 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.75 (Semi-Final)- Men’s 100 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 57.47 (Final)
Men’s 200 Breaststroke: Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:07.14 (Semi-Final)- Men’s 200 Breaststroke: Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.96 (Final)
- Men’s 400 Individual Medley: Chase Kalisz (USA), 4:05.90 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Freestyle: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 23.67 (Semi-Final)
- Women’s 100 Freestyle: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 51.71 (Relay)
Women’s 400 Freestyle: Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:59.06 (Prelim)- Women’s 400 Freestyle: Katie Ledecky (USA), 3:58.34 (Final)
- Women’s 100 Back: Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.10 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA), 29.40 (Final)
- Women’s 100 Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA), 1:04.13 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Butterfly: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.60 (Final)
- Women’s 100 Butterfly: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 55.53 (Final)
- Women’s 400 Individual Medley: Katinka Hosszu (HUN), 4:29.33 (Final)
- Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:51.55 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay: United States, 3:19.60 (Final)
Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:40.28 (Prelim)- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:38.56 (Final)
JUNIOR WORLD RECORDS
Men’s 100 Backstroke: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 53.38 (Swim-Off)*Men’s 200 Backstroke: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 1:55.15 (Semi-Final)- Men’s 200 Backstroke: Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 1:55.14 (Final)
Men’s 100 Butterfly: Kristof Milak (HUN), 50.77 (Semi-Final)- Men’s 100 Butterfly: Kristof Milak (HUN), 50.62 (Final)
- Men’s 200 Individual Medley: Qin Haiyang (CHN), 1:57.06 (Final)
Women’s 200 Backstroke: Regan Smith (USA), 2:07.19 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 200 Backstroke: Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2:06.76 (Final)
* Kolesnikov re-broke the 100 back record at the Energy for Swim meet in Rome (53.35)
AMERICAN RECORDS
Men’s 50 Freestyle: Caeleb Dressel, 21.29 (Semi-Final)- Men’s 50 Freestyle: Caeleb Dressel, 21.15 (Final)
Men’s 100 Freestyle: Caeleb Dressel, 47.26 (Relay)- Men’s 100 Freestyle: Caeleb Dressel, 47.17 (Final)
- Men’s 100 Breaststroke: Kevin Cordes, 58.64 (Semi-Final)
- Men’s 50 Butterfly: Caeleb Dressel, 22.76 (Semi-Final)
- Women’s 50 Freestyle: Simone Manuel, 23.97 (Final)
Women’s 100 Freestyle: Mallory Comerford, 52.59 (Relay)- Women’s 100 Freestyle: Simone Manuel, 52.27 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Backstroke: Kathleen Baker, 27.48 (Semi-Final)
Women’s 50 Breaststroke: Lilly King, 29.60 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 50 Breaststroke: Lilly King, 29.40 (Final)
- Women’s 100 Breaststroke: Lilly King, 1:04.13 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Butterfly: Kelsi Worrell, 25.48 (Final)
- Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay: 3:31.72 (Final)
- Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay: 3:51.55 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay: 3:19.60 (Final)
Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: 3:40.28 (Prelim)- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: 3:38.56 (Final)
AMERICAS RECORDS (NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA)
Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Joao Gomes Junior (BRA), 26.67 (Prelim)- Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Joao Gomes Junior (BRA), 26.52 (Final)
- Men’s 100 Breaststroke: Kevin Cordes (USA), 58.64 (Semi-Final)
- Women’s 50 Freestyle: Simone Manuel (USA), 23.97 (Final)
Women’s 100 Freestyle: Mallory Comerford (USA), 52.59 (Relay)- Women’s 100 Freestyle: Simone Manuel (USA), 52.27 (Final)
Women’s 50 Backstroke: Etiene Medeiros (BRA), 27.18 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 50 Backstroke: Etiene Medeiros (BRA), 27.14 (Final)
Women’s 100 Backstroke: Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.18 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 100 Backstroke: Kylie Masse (CAN), 58.10 (Final)
Women’s 50 Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA), 29.60 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 50 Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA), 29.40 (Final)
- Women’s 100 Breaststroke: Lilly King (USA), 1:04.13 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Butterfly: Kelsi Worrell (USA), 25.48 (Final)
- Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay: United States, 3:31.72 (Final)
- Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:51.55 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay: United States, 3:19.60 (Final)
Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:40.28 (Prelim)- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: United States, 3:38.56 (Final)
AFRICAN RECORDS
- Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 26.54 (Prelim)
Women’s 50 Freestyle: Farida Osman (EGY), 24.78 (Prelim)- Women’s 50 Freestyle: Farida Osman (EGY), 24.62 (Semi-Final)
Women’s 50 Butterfly: Farida Osman (EGY), 25.74 (Prelim)Women’s 50 Butterfly: Farida Osman (EGY), 25.73 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 50 Butterfly: Farida Osman (EGY), 25.39 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay: South Africa, 3:31.38 (Prelim)
- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: South Africa, 3:57.02 (Prelim)
ASIAN RECORDS
- Men’s 200 Freestyle: Sun Yang (CHN), 1:44.39 (Final)
Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Yasuhiro Koseki (JPN), 27.21 (Prelim)- Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Yasuhiro Koseki (JPN), 27.17 (Semi-Final)
Men’s 50 Butterfly: Joseph Schooling (SGP), 23.05 (Prelim)- Men’s 50 Butterfly: Joseph Schooling (SGP), 22.93 (Semi-Final)
- Men’s 4×100 Medley Relay: Japan, 3:30.19 (Final)
- Women’s 800 Freestyle: Li Bingjie (CHN), 8:15.46 (Final)
Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay: Japan, 3:26.91 (Prelim)- Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay: Japan, 3:24.78 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: China, 3:41.25 (Final)
EUROPEAN RECORDS
- Men’s 800 Freestyle: Gabriele Detti (ITA), 7:40.77 (Final)
- Men’s 200 Backstroke: Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:53.61 (Final)
Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 26.10 (Prelim)- Men’s 50 Breaststroke: Adam Peaty (GBR), 25.95 (Semi-Final)
Men’s 200 Breaststroke: Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:07.14 (Semi-Final)- Men’s 200 Breaststroke: Anton Chupkov (RUS), 2:06.96 (Final)
- Women’s 50 Freestyle: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 23.67 (Semi-Final)
- Women’s 100 Freestyle: Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 51.71 (Relay)
- Women’s 50 Backstroke: Aliaksandra Herasimenia (BLR), 27.23 (Final)
- Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay: Russia, 3:53.38 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Freestyle Relay: Netherlands, 3:21.81 (Final)
- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: Great Britain, 3:41.56 (Final)
OCEANIC RECORDS
- Women’s 50 Backstroke: Emily Seebohm (AUS), 27.37 (Final)
Women’s 200 Backstroke: Emily Seebohm (AUS), 2:05.81 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 200 Backstroke: Emily Seebohm (AUS), 2:05.68 (Final)
Women’s 100 Butterfly: Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.23 (Semi-Final)- Women’s 100 Butterfly: Emma McKeon (AUS), 56.18 (Final)
Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: Australia, 3:44.13 (Prelim)- Mixed 4×100 Medley Relay: Australia, 3:41.21 (Final)
Dressel set textile bests in two events. Ideally we should keep track of textile bests as well as records. I’m not sure how easy that would be for lesser level records, but it is not too hard for world textile bests.
What an amazing World Championship swim meet! It unexpectedly cured my Olympic hangover! Thanks so much to Hungary for building such a wonderful facility and putting on such a memorable event without any significant problems. And of course, thanks to all the tremendous athletes who kept pushing themselves in practice to be better despite the let-down of this being a non-Olympic year.
I must be an idiot! I never realized until this article that the “Americas” records were for BOTH North and South America. I thought it was the continental record for North America and that South America, since it is a separate continent, had it’s own records (which I believe DO exist, since I’ve seen that list referred… Read more »
Wow- that’s quite a list!
Singapore’s IOC code was changed from SIN to SGP, not from SIN to SNG.
Any Antarctic records at Worlds?
@James Sutherland: you called KYLIE MASSE a “culprit” for breaking the world record in the women’s 100 back.
My dictionary defines “culprit” as a person who is responsible for a crime or other misdeed. Synonyms include: guilty party, offender, wrongdoer, perpetrator, miscreant. I don’t think any of these words applies to Kylie or her noble accomplishment of breaking an 8-year-old (suited) world record. Are you, perhaps, confusing “culprit” with another word?
He used ‘damage” and “culprit’ to describe the record-breaking. Maybe there’s a better metaphor that’s doesn’t sound like criminal activity
I think it’s supposed to be a pun
Yeah. The joke is because there’s no actual crime in Canada. Except for thee occasional guy trying to ride a moose.
Lets not forget the great maple syrup heist
They sell milk in bags there Braden. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. If that’s not a crime…
Sarah Sjostrom set a WR in the 100 fly in 2009 (the notorious year of supersuit records). She then went on to swim faster and set a WR in the textile suit.
Was there anyone else that did that?
Lochte 200 IM comes to mind.
Lochte broke Phelps 200IM WR in 09 and then rebroke in in 2011
Yeah, Lochte did break his own 2009 record. He broke it by .10 seconds in 2011, maybe the best year of his career.
A lot of those 2009 records that still stand were one-off performances.
2011 Lochte in Shanghai was one of the greatest individual performances of all-time. Of course behind Phelps in 2007 & 2008 though.
His 200 back and 200 free especially were gnarly. I watched the 2 free the other day.
I still think that 4 free relay in London messed his whole game up. He was ready for the double gold in 200 back and IM and that silver in the 200 free behind Agnel.
Lol no.
Shanghai had the perfect schedule for him. No doubles, and his races were perfectly spread out over the 8 days. In London, he had 200IM/Back prelims, semis and final back to back. He’d have won 200 IM had he skipped 200 back.
Lochte 200 im in 2009 then again in 2011
James, what about Qin Haiyang 200 breaststroke JWR 2.09.39 breaking Chupkov time? I Know QIN have a 2:08 to his name but that time was never ratified
Despite it not being ratified by FINA, we’re just gonna recognize the 2:08 as the record.