World’s Fastest 50m Butterfly – Women’s Long Course

1. Sarah Sjostroem 24.43
2. Yufei Zhang 25.05
3. Therese Alshammar 25.07
4. Rikako Ikee 25.11 / Gretchen Walsh 25.11
5. Melanie Henique 25.17 / Yufei Zhang 25.17
6. Fran Halsall 25.20
7. Jeanette Ottesen 25.24

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The chart below compares the World’s fastest 50m Butterfly swimmers. Swimmers and coaches can looks at the individual Splits, Stroke Counts and the first 50m split compared to swimmers 50m PB. All swim data has been collected from our team reviewing race footage where possible. Here is Sarah Sjostrom’s World record to view.

Here is the list of the Women’s 100m Butterfly Long Course.

Women's 50m Butterfly - Long Course
	Sarah Sjoestroem	Yufei Zhang	Therese Alshammar	Rikako Ikee	Gretchen Walsh	Melanie Henique	Yufei Zhang	Fran Halsall	Jeanette Ottesen
Height:	6 ft 0 in 182cm	5 ft 9 in 176cm	5 ft 10 in 179cm	5 ft 7 in 170cm	5 ft 7 in 170cm	5 ft 7 in 171cm	5 ft 9 in 176cm	5 ft 7 in 171cm	5 ft 10 in 178cm
Weight:	168 Ib 76kg	126 Ib 57kg	139 Ib 63kg	121 Ib 55kg	121 Ib 55kg	132 Ib 60kg	126 Ib 57kg	130 Ib 59kg	154Ib 70kg
Country:	SWE	CHN	SWE	FRA	FRA	FRA	CHN	GBR	DEN
DOB:	1993-08-17	1998-04-19	1977-08-26	2000-07-04	2003-01-29	1992-12-22	1998-04-19	1990-04-12	1987-12-30
Meet:	Swedish National Championships 2014 (50m)	World Aquatics Championships - Fukuoka 2023	13th FINA World Championships 2009	Mare Nostrum - Meeting International de Canet-en-Roussillon 2018	USA Nationals 2023	National French Championships 2021 (50m)	World Aquatics Championships - Fukuoka 2023	20th Commonwealth Games 2014	15th FINA World Championships 2013
Strokes	21	22			20				20
Total Time:	24.43	25.05	25.07	25.11	25.11	25.17	25.17	25.2	25.24

The women’s long course 50m butterfly is an event of speed and precision. Analyzing the fastest times provides insights into the skill, strength, and technical abilities of these top swimmers.

The leading time of 24.43 seconds belongs to Sarah Sjostroem of Sweden. She is renowned for her strong and effective stroke, which enables her to cover more distance with each motion, reducing her total number of strokes. A lower stroke count can lead to less energy expended over the course of the swim, which is essential in sprint events.

Therese Alshammar, also from Sweden, recorded a time of 25.07 seconds. Her time indicates an exceptional performance, as it is only 0.64 seconds behind the world record. Given the brevity of the event, this minor difference represents a substantial gap in performance. This difference could be attributed to variations in technical skills, such as reaction time off the blocks, underwater dolphin kicks, and stroke efficiency.

The forth-best performance is shared by Japan’s Rikako Ikee and America’s Gretchen Walsh, both with a time of 25.11 seconds. Interestingly, despite having the same time, their styles and techniques may vary significantly. For instance, one might have a faster start off the blocks, while the other could have a stronger finish.

Melanie Henique of France and Britain’s Fran Halsall have similar times of 25.17 and 25.20 seconds, respectively. These marginal differences could be influenced by numerous factors such as training methodologies, competitive experience, physiological differences, and even psychological preparation.

Jeanette Ottesen from Denmark, with a time of 25.24 seconds, is another formidable swimmer. It’s worth noting that maintaining high performance levels in such a short and intense event requires not just physical prowess, but also mental resilience and focus.

In conclusion, while raw speed is a key factor in the 50m butterfly, the analysis suggests that other elements such as starting technique, stroke efficiency, turn speed, and even psychological factors play crucial roles in elite performance. This diverse mix of athletes showcases how different approaches can lead to high-level performances in swimming.

Note: World’s Fastest 50m Butterfly – Women’s Updated July 2023