Fastest swim long course 100 metres freestyle (female)

The fastest 100 metres long course freestyle swim by a female athlete is 51.71 seconds and was achieved by Sarah Sjöström (Sweden) at the FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on 23 July 2017. She set the mark during the first leg of the women’s 4 x 100 m freestyle relay, in which Sweden finished fifth. It was the first sub-52 second swim recorded in the event. Sjöström also broke the record for the women’s 50 m freestyle at the same championships.

The 100 m Freestyle and Its Significance

Much like the 100 m in athletics. the 100 m freestyle is often considered swimming’s blue-ribbon event. Competitors swim two lengths of an 50-m pool using the fastest stroke in swimming. The race is over in less than a minute and the action is fast and furious – swimmers need a combination of both power and technique in order to hit elite times.

The Evolution of the Women’s 100 m Freestyle Record

The first world record in the women’s 100 freestyle was set in 1908 by German swimmer Martha Gerstung, who registered a time of 1 min 35 sec. Dawn Fraser (AUS) became the first woman to break 1 min in the event, touching home in 59.9 sec at the Australian trials for the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Fraser held the 100 m freestyle world record for 15 years, winning Olympic gold medals at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Games. In the 1970s, East German swimmer Kornelia Ender set 10 fastest times, lowering the record to 55.65 sec.

The year 2009 saw the emergence of the so-called “super suit” era, when competitors were allowed to compete in hi-tech non-textile swimsuits that drastically reduced their times. Britta Steffen (DEU) broke the women’s 100 m freestyle record four times in one year – although she herself criticised the impact of the new suits, describing using them as “like swimming on a mattress of air”. The suits were banned by FINA (now World Aquatics) the following year. Steffen’s mark of 52.07 sec would finally be lowered by 0.01 sec in 2016, by Cate Campbell (AUS). But Campbell’s mark would itself only stand for a year.

The Current World Record Holder: A Closer Look

At the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sarah Sjöström (SWE) set a new 100 m freestyle world record of 51.71 sec. This was the first sub-52 sec swim in the event. She was swimming the lead-off leg in the women’s 4 x 100 m freestyle relay – however, despite Sarah’s explosive start, Sweden could only finish fifth.

One of the most decorated competitors in the history of swimming, Sarah made her senior swimming debut aged 14, winning gold at the 2008 European Aquatics Championships in the 100 m butterfly. A three-time Olympic champion, she has also won an incredible 25 medals at the World Aquatics Championships. Sarah is also the current record holder for the 50 m freestyle, clocking 23.61 sec on 29 Jul 2023 at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Factors Leading to Sarah Sjöström's Success

Sarah took up swimming at the age of 10, and didn’t initially enjoy the sport. But only four years later, she was competing internationally. Naturally tall (standing 6 ft 1 in) and powerful, Sarah works on her arm strength by mixing up her swimming regime with indoor climbing. She is a versatile swimmer who has also set various world records in the butterfly. Her mental strength is formidable – despite breaking her elbow just months before the Olympics in 2021, Sarah battled back into contention and won a silver medal in the 50 m freestyle.

Top 5 Fastest Female Swimmers in the long course 100 m Freestyle

1. Sarah Sjöström (SWE): 51.71 sec - World Championships, 23 Jul 2017
2. Emma McKeon (AUS): 51.96 sec - Olympic Games, 30 Jul 2021
3. Siobhán Haughey (HKG): 52.02 sec - Swimming World Cup, 8 Oct 2023
4. Cate Campbell (AUS): 52.03 sec - Pan Pacific Championships, 10 Aug 2018
5. Simone Manuel (USA): 52.04 sec- World Championships, 26 Jul 2019

At the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Emma McKeon became only the second woman to break the 52-sec barrier, setting a new Olympic record of 51.96 sec. Cate Campbell holds the fastest women’s short course 100 m freestyle record – 50.25 sec – which she set on 26 Oct 2017 at the Australian Swimming Championships. Short course events take place in a 25-m-long swimming pool, as opposed to a 50-m pool.

The Future of Women’s 100 m Freestyle

At the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris, Sarah Sjöström proved that she was still the woman to beat, winning gold in 52.16 sec. Now in her 30s, her focus is increasingly on the shorter 50 m sprints. Given the history of the event, it seems a question of “when” rather “if” her 100 m freestyle world record will fall – but it looks like it will remain the time to beat for several years to come.