The 200-metre individual medley is a race in competitive swimming in which swimmers compete in all four strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle) in one race, with each leg being 50 metres in length. The stroke order is different to the team variant of this race. US swimmer Michael Phelps is famous for his four-peat at the Olympics, winning the event at each Olympic Games from 2004 to 2016, the first swimmer to have ever won four successive gold medals at the same event. The world record for both SCM and LCM is currently held by Leon Marchand.
Description Swimmers start by diving off the block and swimming 50 metres of the butterfly stroke before touching the wall with both hands and turning into 50 metres of backstroke. There are three different ways you can turn on the wall in the backstroke-to-breaststroke transition. The most common is a one-handed touch to the wall and simply rotating your body to push off. The second possible turn is a cross overturn. This is when the swimmer touches the wall on their side and then flipping their legs over their head. The third possible turn is a bucket turn where, after you touch the wall, you do a backflip, similar to the cross-over turn but on your back. After the turn, the swimmer completes 50 metres of breaststroke. They finish the race with 50 metres of freestyle. All-time top 25 Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 200 m individual medley times and the top 25 athletes:- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 200 m individual medley times- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 200 m individual medley times, by repeat athletes- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 200 m individual medley times
Men long course
Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 1:52.69 Léon Marchand 30 July 2025 Singapore 2 1:53.68 Marchand #2 31 July 2025 Singapore 2 3 1:54.00 Ryan Lochte 28 July 2011 Shanghai 4 1:54.06 Marchand #3 2 August 2024 Paris 5 1:54.10Lochte #2 30 July 2009 Rome 3 6 1:54.16 Michael Phelps 28 July 2011 Shanghai 7 1:54.23Phelps #2 15 August 2008 Beijing 4 8 1:54.24 Hubert Kós 16 August 2026 Paris 9 1:54.27Phelps #3 2 August 2012 London 5 10 1:54.30 Shaine Casas 31 July 2025 Singapore 11 1:54.43Lochte #3 21 August 2010 Irvine 6 12 1:54.44 Hugo González 16 August 2026 Paris 13 1:54.56Lochte #4 10 July 2009 Indianapolis 7 14 1:54.62 Wang Shun 24 September 2023 Hangzhou 15 1:54.66Phelps #4 11 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 16 1:54.75Phelps #5 9 August 2015 San Antonio 17 1:54.80Phelps #6 4 July 2008 Omaha 18 1:54.82Marchand #4 27 July 2023 Fukuoka 19 1:54.84Lochte #5 6 August 2010 Irvine Phelps #7 30 June 2012 Omaha 21 1:54.90Lochte #6 2 August 2012 London 22 1:54.93Lochte #7 30 June 2012 Omaha 23 1:54.98Phelps #8 29 March 2007 Melbourne Lochte #8 1 August 2013 Barcelona 25 1:55.00Wang #2 30 July 2021 Tokyo 8 1:55.07 Kosuke Hagino 9 April 2016 Tokyo 9 1:55.18 László Cseh 29 July 2009 Rome 10 1:55.26 Michael Andrew 17 June 2021 Omaha 11 1:55.28 Duncan Scott 30 July 2021 Tokyo 12 1:55.30 Tomoyuki Matsushita 20 September 2026 Tokyo 13 1:55.36 Eric Shanteau 30 July 2009 Rome Yumeki Kojima 20 September 2026 Tokyo 15 1:55.40 Chase Kalisz 11 August 2018 Tokyo 16 1:55.55 Thiago Pereira 30 July 2009 Rome Daiya Seto 18 January 2020 Beijing 18 1:55.65 Carson Foster 21 June 2024 Indianapolis 19 1:55.72 Mitch Larkin 12 June 2019 Brisbane 20 1:55.76 Philip Heintz 16 June 2017 Berlin 21 1:55.85 Kosuke Makino 14 September 2025 Kusatsu 22 1:56.07 Tom Dean 27 July 2023 Fukuoka Finlay Knox 18 May 2024 Toronto 24 1:56.16 Mikhail Shcherbakov 16 August 2026 Paris 25 1:56.17 Jérémy Desplanches 30 July 2021 Tokyo
Men short course Correct as of December 2025 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 1:48.88 Léon Marchand 1 November 2024 Singapore 2 2 1:49.43 Shaine Casas 11 October 2025 Carmel 3 1:49.51Casas #2 10 December 2024 Budapest 3 4 1:49.63 Ryan Lochte 14 December 2012 Istanbul 5 1:49.73Marchand #2 11 October 2025 Carmel 6 1:50.08Lochte #2 17 December 2010 Dubai Casas #3 18 October 2025 Westmont 4 8 1:50.15 Matthew Sates 13 December 2022 Melbourne 9 1:50.30Marchand #3 19 October 2024 Shanghai 10 1:50.37Casas #4 19 October 2022 Toronto 5 11 1:50.47 Kosuke Hagino 5 December 2014 Doha 6 12 1:50.66 Daiya Seto 29 October 2021 Kazan 13 1:50.76Seto #2 21 December 2019 Las Vegas 7 14 1:50.85 Andreas Vazaios 6 December 2019 Glasgow 8 15 1:50.88 Alberto Razzetti 10 December 2024 Budapest 9 16 1:50.90 Finlay Knox 10 December 2024 Budapest 17 1:50.91Marchand #4 25 October 2024 Incheon 10 18 1:50.96 Carson Foster 13 December 2022 Melbourne 11 19 1:50.98 Duncan Scott 8 December 2023 Otopeni 12 20 1:51.01 Wang Shun 11 December 2018 Hangzhou 21 1:51.04Knox #2 13 December 2022 Melbourne 22 1:51.08Scott #2 19 October 2024 Shanghai 23 1:51.09Seto #3 29 September 2018 Eindhoven 24 1:51.12Seto #4 11 September 2021 Naples 13 25 1:51.14 Caeleb Dressel 11 September 2021 Naples 25 1:51.14Scott #3 1 November 2024 Singapore 14 1:51.34 Luke Barr 2 October 2026 Baku 15 1:51.36 László Cseh 4 December 2015 Netanya 16 1:51.39Hugo González6 December 2025Lublin 17 1:51.53 Andrew Seliskar 21 November 2020 Budapest 18 1:51.55 Darian Townsend 15 November 2009 Berlin 19 1:51.56 Chad le Clos 1 September 2014 Dubai 20 1:51.72 Markus Rogan 10 December 2009 Istanbul 21 1:51.74 Tomoe Hvas 6 December 2019 Glasgow 22 1:51.78 Noè Ponti 19 October 2024 Shanghai 23 1:51.89 Michael Phelps 23 October 2011 Berlin 24 1:51.92 Philip Heintz 31 August 2016 Berlin 25 1:51.97 Tomoru Honda 23 October 2022 Tokyo
Women long course
Correct as of September 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 2:05.70 Summer McIntosh 9 June 2025 Victoria 2 2 2:06.10 Yu Zidi 21 September 2026 Tokyo 3 3 2:06.12 Katinka Hosszú 3 August 2015 Kazan 4 4 2:06.15 Ariana Kukors 27 July 2009 Rome 5 2:06.56McIntosh #2 3 August 2024 Paris 6 2:06.58Hosszú #2 9 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 5 7 2:06.63 Kaylee McKeown 10 June 2024 Brisbane 8 2:06.69McIntosh #3 28 July 2025 Singapore 6 9 2:06.79 Kate Douglass 22 June 2024 Indianapolis 7 10 2:06.82 Yu Yiting 17 June 2026 Hangzhou 11 2:06.84Hosszú #3 2 August 2015 Kazan 8 12 2:06.88 Siobhan-Marie O'Connor 9 August 2016 Rio de Janeiro 13 2:06.89McIntosh #4 30 March 2023 Toronto 14 2:06.92Douglass #2 3 August 2024 Paris 15 2:06.99McKeown #2 17 April 2024 Gold Coast 16 2:07.00Hosszú #4 24 July 2017 Budapest 17 2:07.02Hosszú #5 21 July 2019 Gwangju 18 2:07.03Kukors #2 26 July 2009 Rome 9 18 2:07.03 Stephanie Rice 27 July 2009 Rome 20 2:07.04Douglass #3 17 June 2026 Indianapolis 21 2:07.05Douglass #4 12 February 2024 Doha 22 2:07.06McIntosh #5 19 May 2024 Toronto 23 2:07.09Douglass #5 1 July 2023 Indianapolis 10 24 2:07.13 Alex Walsh 19 June 2022 Budapest 25 2:07.14Hosszú #6 23 July 2017 Budapest 11 2:07.57 Ye Shiwen 31 July 2012 London 12 2:07.68 Sydney Pickrem 19 May 2024 Toronto 13 2:07.91 Yui Ohashi 24 July 2017 Budapest 14 2:08.15 Alicia Coutts 31 July 2012 London 15 2:08.17 Abbie Wood 18 April 2026 London 16 2:08.32 Qi Hui 17 October 2009 Jinan Kathleen Baker 29 July 2018 Irvine 18 2:08.34 Kim Seo-yeong 24 August 2018 Jakarta 19 2:08.45 Kanako Watanabe 3 August 2015 Kazan 20 2:08.47 Torri Huske 13 April 2024 San Antonio 21 2:08.48 Regan Smith 2 June 2023 Tempe 22 2:08.51 Madisyn Cox 22 May 2021 Austin 23 2:08.55 Anastasia Gorbenko 29 May 2024 Barcelona 24 2:08.59 Kirsty Coventry 13 August 2008 Beijing 25 2:08.64 Rika Omoto 10 May 2019 Sydney
Women short course Correct as of October 2026 Time Athlete Nation Date Place 1 1 2:01.63 Kate Douglass 10 December 2024 Budapest 222:01.83Marritt Steenbergen6 December 2025Lublin 3 3 2:01.86 Katinka Hosszú 6 December 2014 Doha 4 2:02.12Douglass #2 13 December 2022 Melbourne 5 2:02.13Hosszú #2 31 August 2014 Dubai 6 2:02.53Hosszú #3 5 December 2015 Netanya 7 2:02.61Hosszú #4 27 August 2014 Doha 4 8 2:02.65 Alex Walsh 10 December 2024 Budapest 5 9 2:02.75 Abbie Wood 10 December 2024 Budapest 6 10 2:02.80 Yu Yiting 3 October 2026 Baku 11 2:02.90Hosszú #5 10 December 2016 Windsor 12 2:03.07Hosszú #6 27 August 2014 Doha 13 2:03.20Hosszú #7 7 August 2013 Eindhoven 14 2:03.25Hosszú #8 10 August 2013 Berlin Hosszú #9 15 December 2018 Hangzhou 16 2:03.37Walsh #2 13 December 2022 Melbourne 7 17 2:03.57 Kaylee McKeown 13 December 2022 Melbourne 18 2:03.60Hosszú #10 29 September 2014 Hong Kong 19 2:03.66Hosszú #11 12 December 2015 Indianapolis 20 2:03.68McKeown #2 27 November 2020 Brisbane 8 21 2:03.93 Yui Ohashi 14 November 2020 Budapest 22 2:03.99Yu #2 2 November 2024 Singapore 9 23 2:04.00 Sydney Pickrem 21 November 2020 Budapest 24 2:04.01Walsh #3 25 October 2025 Toronto 10 25 2:04.06 Melanie Margalis 16 October 2020 Budapest 11 2:04.30 Mary-Sophie Harvey 10 December 2024 Budapest 12 2:04.60 Julia Smit 19 December 2009 Manchester 13 2:04.64 Evelyn Verrasztó 10 December 2009 Istanbul Ye Shiwen 15 December 2012 Istanbul Kayla Sanchez 14 December 2018 Sheffield 16 2:04.75 Ellen Walshe 25 October 2025 Toronto 17 2:04.91 Caitlin Leverenz 16 December 2011 Atlanta 18 2:04.92 Beata Nelson 5 November 2022 Indianapolis 19 2:04.93 Anastasia Gorbenko 19 October 2025 Westmont 20 2:05.02 Ella Eastin 10 December 2016 Windsor 21 2:05.13 Siobhan-Marie O'Connor 5 December 2015 Netanya 22 2:05.38 Bailey Andison 9 September 2021 Naples 23 2:05.41 Rikako Ikee 14 January 2018 Tokyo 24 2:05.46 Emily Seebohm 18 November 2017 Singapore 25 2:05.54 Kathleen Baker 15 December 2018 Hangzhou
Olympic champions Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Mexico City 1968 2:12.0 Munich 1972 2:07.17 1976–1980not held Los Angeles 1984 2:01.42 Seoul 1988 2:00.17 Barcelona 1992 2:00.76 Atlanta 1996 1:59.91 Sydney 2000 1:58.98 Athens 2004 1:57.14 Beijing 2008 1:54.23 London 2012 1:54.27 Rio de Janeiro 2016 1:54.66 Tokyo 2020 1:55.00 Paris 2024 1:54.06
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Mexico City 1968 2:24.7 Munich 1972 2:23.07 1976–1980not held Los Angeles 1984 2:12.64 Seoul 1988 2:12.59 Barcelona 1992 2:11.65 Atlanta 1996 2:13.93 Sydney 2000 2:10.68 Athens 2004 2:11.14 Beijing 2008 2:08.45 London 2012 2:07.57 Rio de Janeiro 2016 2:06.58 Tokyo 2020 2:08.52 Paris 2024 2:06.56
World champions (long course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 2:08.36 CR Cali 1975 2:07.72 CR West Berlin 1978 2:03.65 Guayaquil 1982 2:03.30 CR Madrid 1986 2:01.57 CR Perth 1991 1:59.36 Rome 1994 1:58.16 Perth 1998 2:01.18 Fukuoka 2001 1:59.71 Barcelona 2003 1:56.04 Montreal 2005 1:56.68 Melbourne 2007 1:54.98 Rome 2009 1:54.10 Shanghai 2011 1:54.00 Barcelona 2013 1:54.98 Kazan 2015 1:55.81 Budapest 2017 1:55.56 Gwangju 2019 1:56.14 Budapest 2022 1:55.22 Fukuoka 2023 1:54.82 Doha 2024 1:56.64 Singapore 2025 1:53.68
Women
Edition Winner Time Notes Belgrade 1973 2:20.51 Cali 1975 2:19.80 CR West Berlin 1978 2:14.07 Guayaquil 1982 2:11.79 CR Madrid 1986 2:15.56 Perth 1991 2:13.40 Rome 1994 2:12.34 Perth 1998 2:10.88 CR Fukuoka 2001 2:11.93 Barcelona 2003 2:10.75 CR Montreal 2005 2:10.41 CR Melbourne 2007 2:10.13 CR Rome 2009 2:06.15 Shanghai 2011 2:08.90 Barcelona 2013 2:07.92 Kazan 2015 2:06.12 Budapest 2017 2:07.00 Gwangju 2019 2:07.53 Budapest 2022 2:07.13 Fukuoka 2023 2:07.17 Doha 2024 2:07.05 Singapore 2025 2:06.69
World champions (short course) Men
Edition Winner Time Notes Palma de Mallorca 1993 1:56.80 CR Rio de Janeiro 1995 1:56.86 Gothenburg 1997 1:57.46 Hong Kong 1999 1:55.81 CR Athens 2000 1:56.27 Moscow 2002 1:55.45 CR Indianapolis 2004 1:55.78 Shanghai 2006 1:53.31 Manchester 2008 1:51.56 Dubai 2010 1:50.08 Istanbul 2012 1:49.63 Doha 2014 1:50.47 Windsor 2016 1:51.74 Hangzhou 2018 1:51.01 Abu Dhabi 2021 1:51.15 Melbourne 2022 1:50.15 Budapest 2024 1:49.51 CR
Women