List of individual gold medalists in swimming at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships (women)

This is an overview of the women's swimming champions in individual events at the Olympics and the World Aquatics Championships. These tournaments are the only global long course (50 meter pool) swimming championships organized by world swimming federation FINA. This list gives an overview of the dominant swimmers throughout the history of swimming.

Currently, the Olympic program includes 13 individual events, and the World Championships program 17. These numbers were lower in the past, as shown in the table.

Asterisks (*) link to the event article. Use the sort function in the left-hand column to separate Olympics and World Championships.

Year	Freestyle						Backstroke			Breaststroke			Butterfly			Individual medley
	50 m	100 m	200 m	400 m	800 m	1500 m	50 m	100 m	200 m	50 m	100 m	200 m	50 m	100 m	200 m	200 m	400 m
OG 1912	–	Durack*	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1920	–	Bleibtrey*	–	Bleibtrey* (300 m)	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1924	–	Lackie*	–	Norelius*	–	–	–	Bauer*	–	–	–	Morton*	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1928	–	Osipowich*	–	Norelius*	–	–	–	Braun*	–	–	–	Schrader*	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1932	–	Madison*	–	Madison*	–	–	–	Holm*	–	–	–	Dennis*	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1936	–	Mastenbroek*	–	Mastenbroek*	–	–	–	Senff*	–	–	–	Maehata*	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1948	–	Andersen*	–	Curtis*	–	–	–	Harup*	–	–	–	van Vliet*	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1952	–	Szőke*	–	Gyenge*	–	–	–	Harrison*	–	–	–	Székely*	–	–	–	–	–
OG 1956	–	Fraser*	–	Crapp*	–	–	–	Grinham*	–	–	–	Happe*	–	Mann*	–	–	–
OG 1960	–	Fraser*	–	von Saltza*	–	–	–	Burke*	–	–	–	Lonsbrough*	–	Schuler*	–	–	–
OG 1964	–	Fraser*	–	Duenkel*	–	–	–	Ferguson*	–	–	–	Prozumensh-chikova*	–	Stouder*	–	–	de Varona*
OG 1968	–	Henne*	Meyer*	Meyer*	Meyer*	–	–	Hall*	Watson*	–	Bjedov*	Wichman*	–	McClements*	Kok*	Kolb*	Kolb*
OG 1972	–	Neilson*	Gould*	Gould*	Rothhammer*	–	–	Belote*	Belote*	–	Carr*	Whitfield*	–	Aoki*	Moe*	Gould*	Neall*
WC 1973	–	Ender*	Rothhammer*	Greenwood*	Calligaris*	–	–	Richter*	Belote*	–	Vogel*	Vogel*	–	Ender*	Kother*	Hübner*	Wegner*
WC 1975	–	Ender*	Babashoff*	Babashoff*	Turrall*	–	–	Richter*	Treiber*	–	Anke*	Anke*	–	Ender*	Kother*	Heddy*	Tauber*
OG 1976	–	Ender*	Ender*	Thümer*	Thümer*	–	–	Richter*	Richter*	–	Anke*	Kosheveya*	–	Ender*	Pollack*	–	Tauber*
WC 1978	–	Krause*	Woodhead*	Wickham*	Wickham*	–	–	Jezek*	Jezek*	–	Bogdanova*	Kačiušytė*	–	Pennington*	Caulkins*	Caulkins*	Caulkins*
OG 1980	–	Krause*	Krause*	Diers*	Ford*	–	–	Reinisch*	Reinisch*	–	Geweniger*	Kačiušytė*	–	Metschuck*	Geissler*	–	Schneider*
WC 1982	–	Meineke*	Verstappen*	Schmidt*	Linehan*	–	–	Otto*	Sirch*	–	Geweniger*	Varganova*	–	Meagher*	Geissler*	Schneider*	Schneider*
OG 1984	–	Steinseifer & Hogshead*	Wayte*	Cohen*	Cohen*	–	–	Andrews*	de Rover*	–	van Staveren*	Ottenbrite*	–	Meagher*	Meagher*	Caulkins*	Caulkins*
WC 1986	Costache*	Otto*	Friedrich*	Friedrich*	Strauss*	–	–	Mitchell*	Sirch*	–	Gerasch*	Hörner*	–	Gressler*	Meagher*	Otto*	Nord*
OG 1988	Otto*	Otto*	Friedrich*	Evans*	Evans*	–	–	Otto*	Egerszegi*	–	Danga-lakova*	Hörner*	–	Otto*	Nord*	Hunger*	Evans*
WC 1991	Zhuang*	Haislett*	Lewis*	Evans*	Evans*	–	–	Egerszegi*	Egerszegi*	–	Frame*	Volkova*	–	Qian*	Sanders*	Lin*	Lin*
OG 1992	Yang*	Zhuang*	Haislett*	Hase*	Evans*	–	–	Egerszegi*	Egerszegi*	–	Rudkov-skaya*	Iwasaki*	–	Hong*	Sanders*	Lin*	Egerszegi*
WC 1994	Le*	Le*	van Almsick*	Yang*	Evans*	–	–	He*	He*	–	Riley*	Riley*	–	Liu*	Liu*	Lü*	Dai*
OG 1996	Van Dyken*	Le*	Poll*	Smith*	Bennett*	–	–	Botsford*	Egerszegi*	–	Heyns*	Heyns*	–	Van Dyken*	O'Neill*	Smith*	Smith*
WC 1998	Van Dyken*	Thompson*	Poll*	Chen*	Bennett*	–	–	Loveless-Maurer*	Maracineanu*	–	Kowal*	Kovács*	–	Thompson*	O'Neill*	Wu*	Chen*
OG 2000	de Bruijn*	de Bruijn*	O'Neill*	Bennett*	Bennett*	–	–	Mocanu*	Mocanu*	–	Quann*	Kovács*	–	de Bruijn*	Hyman*	Klochkova*	Klochkova*
WC 2001	de Bruijn*	de Bruijn*	Rooney*	Klochkova*	Stockbauer*	Stockbauer*	Cope*	Coughlin*	Mocanu*	Luo*	Luo*	Kovács*	de Bruijn*	Thomas*	Thomas*	Bowen*	Klochkova*
WC 2003	de Bruijn*	Seppälä*	Popchanka*	Stockbauer*	Stockbauer*	Stockbauer*	Zhivan-evskaya*	Busch-schulte*	Sexton*	Luo*	Luo*	Beard*	de Bruijn*	Thompson*	Jędrzejczak*	Klochkova*	Klochkova*
OG 2004	de Bruijn*	Henry*	Potec*	Manaudou*	Shibata*	–	–	Coughlin*	Coventry*	–	Luo*	Beard*	–	Thomas*	Jędrzejczak*	Klochkova*	Klochkova*
WC 2005	Lenton*	Henry*	Figuès*	Manaudou*	Ziegler*	Ziegler*	Rooney*	Coventry*	Coventry*	Edmistone*	Jones*	Jones*	Miatke*	Schipper*	Jędrzejczak*	Hoff*	Hoff*
WC 2007	Lenton*	Lenton*	Manaudou*	Manaudou*	Ziegler*	Ziegler*	Vaziri*	Coughlin*	Hoelzer*	Hardy*	Jones*	Jones*	Alshammar*	Lenton*	Schipper*	Hoff*	Hoff*
OG 2008	Steffen*	Steffen*	Pellegrini*	Adlington*	Adlington*	–	–	Coughlin*	Coventry*	–	Jones*	Soni*	–	Trickett*	Liu*	Rice*	Rice*
WC 2009	Steffen*	Steffen*	Pellegrini*	Pellegrini*	Friis*	Filippi*	Zhao*	Spofforth*	Coventry*	Yefimova*	Soni*	Higl*	Guehrer*	Sjöström*	Schipper*	Kukors*	Hosszú*
WC 2011	Alshammar*	Ottesen & Gerasimenya*	Pellegrini*	Pellegrini*	Adlington*	Friis*	Zuyeva*	Zhao*	Franklin*	Hardy*	Soni*	Soni*	Dekker*	Vollmer*	Jiao*	Ye*	Beisel*
OG 2012	Kromo-widjojo*	Kromo-widjojo*	Schmitt*	Muffat*	Ledecky*	–	–	Franklin*	Franklin*	–	Meilutytė*	Soni*	–	Vollmer*	Jiao*	Ye*	Ye*
WC 2013	Kromo-widjojo*	C.Campbell*	Franklin*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Zhao*	Franklin*	Franklin*	Yefimova*	Meilutytė*	Yefimova*	Ottesen*	Sjöström*	Liu*	Hosszú*	Hosszú*
WC 2015	B.Campbell*	B.Campbell*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Fu*	Seebohm*	Seebohm*	Johansson*	Yefimova*	Watanabe*	Sjöström*	Sjöström*	Hoshi*	Hosszú*	Hosszú*
OG 2016	Blume*	Manuel & Oleksiak*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	–	–	Hosszú*	DiRado*	–	King*	Kaneto*	–	Sjöström*	Belmonte*	Hosszú*	Hosszú*
WC 2017	Sjöström*	Manuel*	Pellegrini*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Ledecky*	Medeiros*	Masse*	Seebohm*	King*	King*	Yefimova*	Sjöström*	Sjöström*	Belmonte*	Hosszú*	Hosszú*
WC 2019	Manuel*	Manuel*	Pellegrini*	Titmus*	Ledecky*	Quadarella*	Smoliga*	Masse*	Smith*	King*	King*	Yefimova*	Sjöström*	MacNeil*	Kapás*	Hosszú*	Hosszú*

Note: Only events that are presently contested have their own column in the above table. At the 1920 Olympics, a 300-meter freestyle event was held. The champion in this event has been placed in the 400-meter freestyle column.

Title leaders

• The leaders in these events are listed below. All swimmers with at least three individual titles are included. Note that this list favors more recent swimmers due to the increasing number of events held, and the introduction and increasing frequency of the World Championships.

Asterisks (*) and bold denote active swimmers

Rank	Name	Year of birth	Total titles	Olympic Games	World Championships	Time span
1.	Katie Ledecky*	1997	15	4	11	2012–2019 (8)
2.	Katinka Hosszú*	1989	12	3	9	2009–2019 (11)
3.	Inge de Bruijn	1973	9	4	5	2000–2004 (5)
	Sarah Sjöström*	1993	9	1	8	2009–2019 (11)
5.	Yana Klochkova	1982	8	4	4	2000–2004 (5)
6.	Krisztina Egerszegi	1974	7	5	2	1988–1996 (9)
	Janet Evans	1971	7	4	3	1988–1994 (7)
	Kristin Otto	1966	7	4	3	1982–1988 (7)
	Kornelia Ender	1958	7	3	4	1973–1976 (4)
	Federica Pellegrini*	1988	7	1	6	2008–2019 (12)
11.	Missy Franklin	1995	6	2	4	2011–2013 (3)
	Yuliya Yefimova*	1992	6	0	6	2009–2019 (11)
13.	Tracy Caulkins	1963	5	2	3	1978–1984 (7)
	Kirsty Coventry	1983	5	2	3	2004–2009 (6)
	Rebecca Soni	1987	5	2	3	2008–2012 (5)
	Luo Xuejuan	1984	5	1	4	2001–2004 (4)
	Leisel Jones	1985	5	1	4	2005–2008 (4)
	Libby Trickett (Lenton)	1985	5	1	4	2005–2008 (4)
	Lilly King*	1997	5	1	4	2016–2019 (4)
	Hannah Stockbauer	1982	5	0	5	2001–2003 (3)
21.	Brooke Bennett	1980	4	3	1	1996–2000 (5)
	Ulrike Richter	1959	4	2	2	1973–1976 (4)
	Mary T. Meagher	1964	4	2	2	1982–1986 (5)
	Natalie Coughlin*	1982	4	2	2	2001–2008 (8)
	Britta Steffen	1983	4	2	2	2008–2009 (2)
	Simone Manuel*	1996	4	1	3	2016–2019 (4)
	Laure Manaudou	1986	4	1	3	2004–2007 (4)
	Katie Hoff	1989	4	0	4	2005–2007 (3)
	Kate Ziegler	1988	4	0	4	2005–2007 (3)
30.	Dawn Fraser	1937	3	3	–	1956–1964 (9)
	Debbie Meyer	1952	3	3	–	1968 (1)
	Shane Gould	1956	3	3	0	1972 (1)
	Michelle Smith	1969	3	3	0	1996 (1)
	Melissa Belote	1956	3	2	1	1972–1973 (2)
	Barbara Krause	1959	3	2	1	1978–1980 (3)
	Amy Van Dyken	1973	3	2	1	1996–1998 (3)
	Susie O'Neill	1973	3	2	1	1996–2000 (5)
	Diana Mocanu	1984	3	2	1	2000–2001 (2)
	Rebecca Adlington	1989	3	2	1	2008–2011 (4)
	Ranomi Kromowidjojo*	1990	3	2	1	2012–2013 (2)
	Hannelore Anke	1957	3	1	2	1975–1976 (2)
	Petra Schneider	1963	3	1	2	1980–1982 (3)
	Heike Friedrich	1970	3	1	2	1986–1988 (3)
	Lin Li	1970	3	1	2	1991–1992 (2)
	Ágnes Kovács	1981	3	1	2	1998–2001 (4)
	Petria Thomas	1975	3	1	2	2001–2004 (4)
	Otylia Jędrzejczak	1983	3	1	2	2003–2005 (3)
	Jenny Thompson	1973	3	0	3	1998–2003 (6)
	Jessicah Schipper	1986	3	0	3	2005–2009 (5)
	Zhao Jing	1990	3	0	3	2009–2013 (5)
	Emily Seebohm*	1992	3	0	3	2015–2017 (3)

See also

• List of individual gold medalists in swimming at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships (men)
• List of gold medalist relay teams in swimming at the Olympics and World Aquatics Championships
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)
• List of top Olympic gold medalists in swimming

References

• HistoFINA Swimming Medallists And Statistics At Olympic Games, January 31, 2015
• HistoFINA Swimming Medallists And Statistics At FINA World Championships (50m), December 3, 2015
• Sports-reference Olympic medalists