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Where has the LCM Men’s 100 Free Gone 100 Years After the First Sub-1:00 Swim?

100 years ago, today  Johnny Weissmuller of the United States broke the 1:00 mark in the long course meters (LCM) men’s 100 freestyle for the first time. In this post, we will look at where the men’s 100 freestyle has gone since.

On July 9th, 1922, Weissmuller swam a time of 58.6 to become the first man under the 1:00 mark in the 100 freestyle. Weissmuller broke the previous world record of 1:00.4 held by fellow countryman Duke Kahanamoku.

Weissmuller would go on to break his own world record in the event swimming a 57.4 in February 1924. Later that year, Weissmuller won gold in the event at the Paris Summer Olympics. Notably, Weissmuller beat Kahanamoku for gold.

Since Weissmuller’s first swim of 58.6, the World Record in the event has now dropped an additional 11.69 seconds as it now stands at a 46.91. That time was set by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo at the 2009 World Championships.

Another barrier that was crossed during the time of this World Record progression was the 50-second mark. That barrier was broken by Jim Montgomery of the United States at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Montgomery had set the world record twice, once swimming a 50.59 and then a 50.39, before breaking the 50-second barrier swimming a 49.99.

Notably, it took about 54 years for the minute to the 50-second barrier to be broken. From 1976 to 2009 (a span of 33 years) the record has now only dropped by 3.08 seconds.

Since Cielo’s record was set in 2009, the closest person to breaking it has been Caeleb Dressel of the United States. Dressel swam a time of 46.96 at the 2019 World Championships. Only three people have ever broken the 47 second mark: Cielo, Bernard, and Dressel.

See the full World Record Progression in the LCM Men’s 100 Freestyle below:

# Time Name Nationality Date Meet Location
1 01:05.8 Zoltán Halmay  Hungary 12/3/05 Vienna, Austria
2 01:05.6 Charles Daniels  United States 7/20/08 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom
3 01:02.8 Charles Daniels  United States 4/15/10 Special record attempt by the New York AC New York City, United States
4 01:02.4 Kurt Bretting  Germany 4/6/12 Brussels, Belgium
5 01:01.6 Duke Kahanamoku  United States 7/20/12 German Championships Hamburg, Germany
6 01:01.4 Duke Kahanamoku  United States 8/9/18 International exhibition New York City, United States
7 01:00.4 Duke Kahanamoku  United States 8/24/20 Olympic Games Antwerp, Belgium
8 58.6 Johnny Weissmuller  United States 7/9/22 Alameda, California, United States
9 57.4 Johnny Weissmuller  United States 2/17/24 Miami, United States
10 56.8 Peter Fick  United States 3/2/34 Yale University Swimming Carnival New Haven, United States
11 56.6 Peter Fick  United States 3/5/35 Yale University Swimming Carnival New Haven, United States
12 56.4 Peter Fick  United States 2/11/36 Yale Benefit Event for the United States Olympic team New Haven, United States
13 55.9 Alan Ford  United States 4/13/44 Special record attempt New Haven, United States
14 55.8 Alex Jany  France 9/15/47 Menton, France
15 55.4 Alan Ford  United States 6/29/48 New Haven Swim Club team time trial New Haven, United States
16 54.8 Dick Cleveland  United States 4/1/54 AAU Championships New Haven, United States
17 55.4 Jon Henricks  Australia 11/30/56 Olympic Games Melbourne, Australia
18 55.2 John Devitt  Australia 1/19/57 New South Wales State Championships Sydney, Australia
19 54.6 John Devitt  Australia 1/28/57 Queensland State Championships Brisbane, Australia
20 54.4 Steve Clark  United States 8/18/61 Men’s NAAA Championships Los Angeles, United States
21 53.6 Manuel dos Santos  Brazil 9/20/61 Special record attempt by the CR Guanabara Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
22 52.9 Alain Gottvallès  France 9/13/64 Budapest, Hungary
22= 52.9 Steve Clark  United States 10/14/64 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan
23 52.6 Ken Walsh  United States 7/27/67 Pan American Games Winnipeg, Canada
23= 52.6 Zac Zorn  United States 9/2/68 USA Olympic Trials (elec. 52.58) Los Angeles, United States
24 52.2 Michael Wenden  Australia 10/19/68 Olympic Games Mexico City, Mexico
25 51.94 Mark Spitz  United States 8/23/70 AAU Championships Los Angeles, United States
26 51.47 Mark Spitz  United States 8/5/72 USA Olympic Trials Chicago, United States
27 51.22 Mark Spitz  United States 9/3/72 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany
28 51.12 Jim Montgomery  United States 6/21/75 AAU World Championship Trials Long Beach, United States
29 51.11 Andy Coan  United States 8/3/75 An Amateur Athletic Union Region Four meet Fort Lauderdale, United States
30 50.59 Jim Montgomery  United States 8/23/75 AAU Championships Kansas City, United States
31 50.39 Jim Montgomery  United States 7/24/76 Olympic Games Montreal, Canada
32 49.99 Jim Montgomery  United States 7/25/76 Olympic Games Montreal, Canada
33 49.44 Jonty Skinner  South Africa 8/14/76 AAU Championships Philadelphia, United States
34 49.36 Rowdy Gaines  United States 4/3/81 Longhorn Invitational Austin, United States
35 49.24 Matt Biondi  United States 8/6/85 USA Summer Nationals Mission Viejo, United States
36 48.95 Matt Biondi  United States 8/6/85 USA Summer Nationals Mission Viejo, United States
37 48.74 Matt Biondi  United States 6/24/86 USA World Championships Trials Orlando, United States
38 48.42 Matt Biondi  United States 8/10/88 USA Olympic Trials Austin, United States
39 48.21 Alexander Popov  Russia 6/18/94 International Swimming Meeting of Monte Carlo Monte-Carlo, Monaco
40 48.18 Michael Klim  Australia 9/16/00 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia
41 47.84 Pieter van den Hoogenband  Netherlands 9/19/00 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia
42 47.6 Alain Bernard  France 3/21/08 European Championships Eindhoven, Netherlands
43 47.5 Alain Bernard  France 3/22/08 European Championships Eindhoven, Netherlands
44 47.24 Eamon Sullivan  Australia 8/11/08 Olympic Games Beijing, China
45 47.2 Alain Bernard  France 8/13/08 Olympic Games Beijing, China
46 47.05 Eamon Sullivan  Australia 8/13/08 Olympic Games Beijing, China
47 46.94# Alain Bernard  France 4/23/09 French National Championships Montpellier, France
48 46.91 César Cielo  Brazil 7/30/09 World Championships Rome, Italy

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James
2 years ago

Would be interesting to see someone like a Nathan Adrian do a “era for era” comparison. No goggles, swim suit from the era, I’m guessing there are a few older pools still around that might adequately represent something from the 1920s. I’m sure he’d still crack a quick time, but my guess would be that record from 1922 looks even more impressive

Peter Williams
2 years ago

Please give us a table comparing men’s 100 free record progression with women’s 100 free record progression.

Walter Sobchak
2 years ago

FUN HISTORICAL FACT: Until January 1, 1965, freestyle swimmers had to HAND-TOUCH the wall even on flip turns. Thus, all swims up through the 1964 Olympics had this extra burden placed on them.

What do you think that hand-touch cost a swimmer in the 100 free? Three-tenths?

sven
2 years ago

Extremely cool to see this data.. I’d like two things: first, a graph showing the progression (with important dates marked: flip turn adopted, swimmers start training with circle swim, goggles allowed, etc).

I also request extrapolation showing when someone will break 45.

Awsi Dooger
2 years ago

I’m impressed that those are two legendary names. Just for the heck of it I looked up the 100 meter dash record holder as of 1922. It was Charley Paddock, who was the first man to run 10.4, in April 1921. Paddock held the record solo for 8 years. It was tied by Eddie Tolan on two occasions in 1929. Percy Williams of Canada was first to 10.3, in August 1930.

Those times would hardly be embarrassing today.

Mako
Reply to  Mako
2 years ago

forgot to mention: the link above is his 1925 world record swim.

Last edited 2 years ago by Mako
Supafly23
Reply to  Mako
2 years ago

Except the video is of backstroke…?

Notanyswimmer
2 years ago

Other interesting facts: Matt Biondi was the first person to go 47.XX off a flying split – he went 47.66 (!) off a flying split in 1985. First person to go 46.XX off a flying split was PVDH in 2003, going 46.70 at World Champs. PVDH was also the only person to go under 48 flat start before the suits era, and the only swimmers to have gone under 48 flat start both during and after the suits era were Cesar Cielo and Brent Hayden.

dddddddd
Reply to  Notanyswimmer
2 years ago

phelps for some reason got really close to. he went like 48 flat in 2011 world champs free relay

JimSwim22
2 years ago

Maybe I’m thinking of his SC time of 48.5 at age 36 that wasn’t accepted.

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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