Men’s 200m Freestyle – Long Course World Record & Splits
Updated Aug 2026
Current Records
| Record | Athlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
| World Record | Paul Biedermann | 1:42.00 |
| Olympic Record | Michael Phelps | 1:42.96 |
| World Junior Record | David Popovici | 1:42.97 |
| Commonwealth Record | Ian Thorpe | 1:44.06 |
Top 20 All-Time Performers
| # | Athlete | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Biedermann | 24.23 | 25.89 | 26.18 | 25.70 | 1:42.00 |
| 2 | Michael Phelps | 24.31 | 25.98 | 26.55 | 26.12 | 1:42.96 |
| 3 | David Popovici | 24.10 | 26.25 | 26.61 | 26.01 | 1:42.97 |
| 4 | Yannick Agnel | 24.55 | 26.09 | 26.52 | 25.98 | 1:43.14 |
| 5 | Luke Hobson | 24.05 | 26.00 | 26.29 | 26.39 | 1:43.73 |
| 6 | Leon Marchand | 23.97 | 26.11 | 26.88 | 26.80 | 1:43.76 |
| 7 | Danila Izotov | 24.78 | 26.46 | 26.34 | 26.32 | 1:43.90 |
| 8 | Hwang Sun-woo | 23.96 | 26.31 | 26.81 | 26.84 | 1:43.92 |
| 9 | Gabriel Jett | 24.66 | 26.19 | 26.69 | 26.42 | 1:44.06 |
| 10 | Ian Thorpe | 24.81 | 26.64 | 26.81 | 25.79 | 1:44.06 |
| 11 | Lukas Märtens | 24.27 | 26.44 | 26.86 | 26.57 | 1:44.14 |
| 12 | Tom Dean | 24.21 | 26.25 | 26.92 | 26.84 | 1:44.22 |
| 13 | Duncan Scott | 24.81 | 26.57 | 26.42 | 26.46 | 1:44.26 |
| 14 | Matt Richards | 24.23 | 26.60 | 26.94 | 26.53 | 1:44.30 |
| 15 | Danas Rapšys | 24.55 | 26.35 | 27.19 | 26.29 | 1:44.38 |
| 16 | Sun Yang | 24.87 | 26.63 | 26.35 | 26.94 | 1:44.39 |
| 17 | Ryan Lochte | 24.53 | 26.67 | 26.29 | 26.95 | 1:44.44 |
| 18 | Zhanshuo Zhang | 24.18 | 26.34 | 27.10 | 26.97 | 1:44.59 |
| 19= | Katsuhiro Matsumoto | 24.17 | 26.25 | 27.35 | 26.88 | 1:44.65 |
| 19= | Pan Zhanle | 24.56 | 26.73 | 27.30 | 26.06 | 1:44.65 |
| 20 | Fernando Scheffer | 24.24 | 26.01 | 27.03 | 27.38 | 1:44.66 |
Split columns are 50m splits (not cumulative). Tied times listed on separate rows.
Split Analysis & Comparison
The table below compares elite 200m freestyle long-course performances.
Use it to review 50m splits, stroke counts, and race patterns. Data is collected
from official results and race footage where available.
Related events:
Men’s 400m Freestyle Long Course
| Men’s 200m Freestyle – Long Course | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Biedermann | Michael Phelps | David Popovici | Yannick Agnel | Luke Hobson | Danila Izotov | Ian Thrope | Lukas Martens | Tom Dean | Duncan Scott | Matthew Richards | Danas Rapsys | Sun Yang | Sun-Woo Hwang | Ryan Lochte | Katsuhiro Matsumoto | Pan Zhanle | Fernando Scheffer | Martin Malyutin | Park Taehwan | Pieter Van Den Hoogenband | |
| Height: | 6ft 4in 193cm | 6ft 4in 193cm | 6 ft 3 in 191cm | 6 ft 8 in 202cm | 6 ft 4 in 192cm | 6 ft 5 in 196cm | 6 ft 4 in 192cm | 6 ft 4 in 194cm | 6 ft 3 in 190cm | 6 ft 1 in 186cm | 6 ft 7 in 200cm | 6 ft 1 in 186cm | 6 ft 2 in 188cm | 6 ft 1 in 186cm | 6 ft 2 in 188cm | 6 ft 0 in 183cm | 6 ft 4 in 193cm | ||||
| Weight: | 205lb 93kg | 194lb 88kg | 198Ib 90kg | 198Ib 90kg | 229Ib 104kg | 165lb 75kg | 194lb 88kg | 190lb 81kg | 176Ib 80kg | 196Ib 89kg | 159lb 72kg | 195Ib 88kg | 187lb 85kg | 174lb 79kg | 168Ib 76kg | 176Ib 80kg | |||||
| Country: | Germany | USA | ROU | FRA | USA | RUS | AUS | GER | GBR | GBR | GBR | LTU | CHN | South Korea | USA | JPN | CHN | BRA | RUS | KOR | NED |
| DOB: | 1986-08-07 | 1985-06-30 | 2004-09-15 | 1992-06-09 | 2003-06-25 | 1991-10-02 | 1982-10-13 | 2001-12-27 | 2000-05-02 | 1997-05-06 | 2002-12-17 | 1995-05-21 | 1991-12-01 | 2003-05-21 | 1984-08-03 | 1997-02-28 | 2004-08-04 | 1998-04-06 | 1999-07-05 | 1989-09-27 | 1978-03-14 |
| Meet: | 13th FINA World Championships 2009 | Olympic Games Beijing 2008 | European Aquatic Championships 2022 | Olympic Games London 2012 | 2025 US National Championships | 13th FINA World Championships 2009 | 9th FINA World Championships 2001 | German Swimming Championships 2024 | Tokyo Olympics 2020 (2021) | Tokyo Olympics 2020 (2021) | World Aquatics Championships – Fukuoka 2023 | FINA Swimming World Cup 2019 | 17th FINA World Championships 2017 | World Aquatics Championships – Fukuoka 2023 | 14th FINA World Championships 2011 | 2021 Japan Swim (Olympic Trials) | 2023 Chinese Nationals | Tokyo Olympics 2020 (2021) | 2021 European Championships | 16th Asian Games 2010 | European Championships 2002 |
| 1st 50m Split | 24.23 | 24.31 | 24.10 | 24.55 | 24.05 | 24.78 | 24.81 | 24.27 | 24.21 | 24.81 | 24.23 | 24.55 | 24.87 | 24.23 | 24.53 | 24.17 | 24.56 | 24.24 | 24.87 | 24.78 | 24.48 |
| Strokes | 30 | 25 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 26 | 30 | |||||||
| 50m PB: | 22.98 | 22.93 | 22.22 | 22.78 | 23.03 | 22.66 | 23.57 | 24.14 | 23.18 | 22.21 | 21.98 | 23.69 | 24.68 | 22.39 | 23.35 | 22.61 | 22.55 | 24.72 | 22.57 | 22.03 | |
| Time off 50m PB: | 1.25 | 1.38 | 1.88 | 1.77 | 1.02 | 2.12 | 1.24 | 0.13 | 1.03 | 2.60 | 2.25 | 0.86 | 0.19 | 1.84 | 1.18 | 1.56 | 2.01 | 0.15 | 2.21 | 2.45 | |
| Percentage of 50m PB: | 105.440% | 106.018% | 108.461% | 107.770% | 104.429% | 109.356% | 105.261% | 100.539% | 104.443% | 111.706% | 110.237% | 103.630% | 100.770% | 108.218% | 105.054% | 106.900% | 108.914% | 100.607% | 109.792% | 111.121% | |
| 2nd 50m Split | 25.89 | 25.98 | 26.25 | 26.09 | 26.00 | 26.46 | 26.64 | 26.44 | 26.25 | 26.57 | 26.60 | 26.35 | 26.63 | 26.54 | 26.67 | 26.25 | 26.73 | 26.01 | 26.41 | 26.51 | 26.42 |
| Strokes | 32 | 26 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 34 | 31 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 31 | |||||
| Split Time: | 50.12 | 50.29 | 50.35 | 50.64 | 50.05 | 51.24 | 51.45 | 50.71 | 50.46 | 51.38 | 50.83 | 50.90 | 51.10 | 50.77 | 51.20 | 50.42 | 51.29 | 50.25 | 51.28 | 51.29 | 50.90 |
| 100m PB: | 48.31 | 47.51 | 46.86 | 47.84 | 48.92 | 48.18 | 48.56 | 50.62 | 48.30 | 47.87 | 47.72 | 49.04 | 49.27 | 48.04 | 48.58 | 48.52 | 47.22 | 49.60 | 51.47 | 48.42 | 47.68 |
| Time off 100m PB: | 1.81 | 2.78 | 3.49 | 2.80 | 1.13 | 3.06 | 2.89 | 0.09 | 2.16 | 3.51 | 3.11 | 1.86 | 1.83 | 2.73 | 2.62 | 1.90 | 4.07 | 0.65 | -0.19 | 2.87 | 3.22 |
| Percentage of 100m PB: | 103.747% | 105.851% | 107.448% | 105.853% | 102.310% | 106.351% | 105.951% | 100.178% | 104.472% | 107.332% | 106.517% | 103.793% | 103.714% | 105.683% | 105.393% | 103.916% | 108.619% | 101.311% | 99.631% | 105.923% | 106.753% |
| 3rd 50m Split | 26.18 | 26.55 | 26.61 | 26.52 | 26.29 | 26.34 | 26.81 | 26.86 | 26.92 | 26.42 | 26.94 | 27.19 | 26.35 | 26.80 | 26.29 | 27.35 | 27.30 | 27.03 | 27.24 | 26.74 | 26.79 |
| Strokes | 34 | 28 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 30 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 29 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 34 | |||||
| Split Time | 1:16.30 | 1:16.84 | 1:16.96 | 1:17.16 | 1:16.34 | 1:17.58 | 1:18.26 | 1:17.57 | 1:17.38 | 1:17.80 | 1:17.77 | 1:18.09 | 1:17.45 | 1:17.57 | 1:17.49 | 1:17.77 | 1:18.59 | 1:17.28 | 1:18.52 | 1:18.03 | 1:17.69 |
| 4th 50m Split | 25.70 | 26.12 | 26.01 | 25.98 | 27.39 | 26.32 | 25.79 | 26.57 | 26.84 | 26.46 | 26.53 | 26.29 | 26.94 | 26.85 | 26.95 | 26.88 | 26.06 | 27.03 | 26.27 | 26.77 | 27.20 |
| Strokes | 36 | 29 | 35 | 37 | 36 | 34 | 37 | 35 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 36 | |||||
| Total time: | 1:42.00 | 1:42.96 | 1:42.97 | 1:43.14 | 1:43.73 | 1:43.90 | 1:44.06 | 1:44.14 | 1:44.22 | 1:44.26 | 1:44.30 | 1:44.38 | 1:44.39 | 1:44.42 | 1:44.44 | 1:44.65 | 1:44.65 | 1:44.66 | 1:44.79 | 1:44.80 | 1:44.89 |
Race Videos
Swim Calculators
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|---|---|
| Swim Pace Calculator | Pace, time, and distance (min/100m or min/100yds). |
| Goal Time / Split Calculator | Target splits for metres racing. |
| Yards Goal Calculator | Target splits for yards racing. |
| Race Review Calculator | Find strengths and weaknesses in a completed race. |
| Medley Relay Calculator | Build the fastest relay order from up to 6 swimmers’ PBs. |