Women’s swimming world championships
inswimming
Winners of the women’s swimming world championships are provided in the table.
| freestyle | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| year | 50 m | 100 m | 200 m |
| *Tied. | |||
| 1973 | Kornelia Ender (E.Ger.) | Keena Rothhammer (U.S.) | |
| 1975 | Kornelia Ender (E.Ger.) | Shirley Babashoff (U.S.) | |
| 1978 | Barbara Krause (E.Ger.) | Cynthia Woodhead (U.S.) | |
| 1982 | Birgit Meineke (E.Ger.) | Annemarie Verstappen (Neth.) | |
| 1986 | Tamara Costache (Rom.) | Kristin Otto (E.Ger.) | Heike Friedrich (E.Ger.) |
| 1991 | Zhuang Yong (China) | Nicole Haislett (U.S.) | Hayley Lewis (Austl.) |
| 1994 | Le Jingyi (China) | Le Jingyi (China) | Franziska van Almsick (Ger.) |
| 1998 | Amy Van Dyken (U.S.) | Jenny Thompson (U.S.) | Claudia Poll (C.Rica) |
| 2001 | Inge De Bruijn (Neth.) | Inge De Bruijn (Neth.) | Giaan Rooney (Austl.) |
| 2003 | Inge De Bruijn (Neth.) | Hanna-Maria Seppälä (Fin.) | Alena Popchanka (Bela.) |
| 2005 | Libby Lenton (Austl.) | Jodie Henry (Austl.) | Solenne Figues (France) |
| 2007 | Libby Lenton (Austl.) | Libby Lenton (Austl.) | Laure Manaudou (France) |
| 2009 | Britta Steffen (Ger.) | Britta Steffen (Ger.) | Federica Pellegrini (Italy) |
| 2011 | Therese Alshammar (Swed.) |
Aliaksandra Herasimenia (Bela.)* Jeanette Ottesen (Den.)* |
Federica Pellegrini (Italy) |
| 2013 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Neth.) | Cate Campbell (Austl.) | Missy Franklin (U.S.) |
| 2015 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Neth.) | Bronte Campbell (Austl.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) |
| 2017 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Simone Manuel (U.S.) | Federica Pellegrini (Italy) |
| 2019 | Simone Manuel (U.S.) | Simone Manuel (U.S.) | Federica Pellegrini (Italy) |
| 2022 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Mollie O'Callaghan (Austl.) | Junxuan Yang (China) |
| 2023 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Mollie O'Callaghan (Austl.) | Mollie O'Callaghan (Austl.) |
| 2024 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Marrit Steenbergen (Neth.) | Siobhan Bernadette Haughey (H.K.) |
| freestyle | |||
| year | 400 m | 800 m | 1,500 m |
| 1973 | Heather Greenwood (U.S.) | Novella Calligaris (Italy) | |
| 1975 | Shirley Babashoff (U.S.) | Jenny Turrall (Austl.) | |
| 1978 | Tracey Wickham (Austl.) | Tracey Wickham (Austl.) | |
| 1982 | Carmela Schmidt (E.Ger.) | Kim Linehan (U.S.) | |
| 1986 | Heike Friedrich (E.Ger.) | Astrid Strauss (E.Ger.) | |
| 1991 | Janet Evans (U.S.) | Janet Evans (U.S.) | |
| 1994 | Yang Aihua (China) | Janet Evans (U.S.) | |
| 1998 | Chen Yan (China) | Brooke Bennett (U.S.) | |
| 2001 | Yana Klochkova (Ukr.) | Hannah Stockbauer (Ger.) | Hannah Stockbauer (Ger.) |
| 2003 | Hannah Stockbauer (Ger.) | Hannah Stockbauer (Ger.) | Hannah Stockbauer (Ger.) |
| 2005 | Laure Manaudou (France) | Kate Ziegler (U.S.) | Kate Ziegler (U.S.) |
| 2007 | Laure Manaudou (France) | Kate Ziegler (U.S.) | Kate Ziegler (U.S.) |
| 2009 | Federica Pellegrini (Italy) | Lotte Friis (Den.) | Alessia Filippi (Italy) |
| 2011 | Federica Pellegrini (Italy) | Rebecca Adlington (U.K.) | Lotte Friis (Den.) |
| 2013 | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) |
| 2015 | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) |
| 2017 | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) |
| 2019 | Ariarne Titmus (Aus.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Simona Quadarella (Italy) |
| 2022 | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) |
| 2023 | Ariarne Titmus (Austl.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) | Katie Ledecky (U.S.) |
| 2024 | Erika Fairweather (N.Z.) | Simona Quadarella (Italy) | Simona Quadarella (Italy) |
| backstroke | |||
| year | 50 m | 100 m | 200 m |
| 1973 | Ulrike Richter (E.Ger.) | Melissa Belote (U.S.) | |
| 1975 | Ulrike Richter (E.Ger.) | Birgit Treiber (E.Ger.) | |
| 1978 | Linda Jezek (U.S.) | Linda Jezek (U.S.) | |
| 1982 | Kristin Otto (E.Ger.) | Cornelia Sirch (E.Ger.) | |
| 1986 | Betsy Mitchell (U.S.) | Cornelia Sirch (E.Ger.) | |
| 1991 | Krisztina Egerszegi (Hung.) | Krisztina Egerszegi (Hung.) | |
| 1994 | He Cihong (China) | He Cihong (China) | |
| 1998 | Lea Maurer (U.S.) | Roxanna Maracineanu (France) | |
| 2001 | Haley Cope (U.S.) | Natalie Coughlin (U.S.) | Diana Mocanu (Rom.) |
| 2003 | Nina Zhivanevskaya (Russia) | Antje Buschschule (Ger.) | Katy Sexton (U.K.) |
| 2005 | Giaan Rooney (Austl.) | Kirsty Coventry (Zimb.) | Kirsty Coventry (Zimb.) |
| 2007 | Leila Vaziri (U.S.) | Natalie Coughlin (U.S.) | Margaret Hoelzer (U.S.) |
| 2009 | Zhao Jing (China) | Gemma Spofforth (U.K.) | Kirsty Coventry (Zimb.) |
| 2011 | Anastasiya Zueva (Russia) | Zhao Jing (China) | Missy Franklin (U.S.) |
| 2013 | Zhao Jing (China) | Missy Franklin (U.S.) | Missy Franklin (U.S.) |
| 2015 | Fu Yuanhui (China) | Emily Seebohm (Austl.) | Missy Franklin (U.S.) |
| 2017 | Etiene Medeiros (Braz.) | Kylie Masse (Can.) | Emily Seebohm (Austl.) |
| 2019 | Olivia Smoliga (U.S.) | Kylie Masse (Can.) | Regan Smith (U.S.) |
| 2022 | Kylie Masse (Can.) | Regan Smith (U.S.) | Kaylee McKeown (Austl.) |
| 2023 | Kaylee McKeown (Austl.) | Kaylee McKeown (Austl.) | Kaylee McKeown (Austl.) |
| 2024 | Claire Curzan (U.S.) | Claire Curzan (U.S.) | Claire Curzan (U.S.) |
| breaststroke | |||
| year | 50 m | 100 m | 200 m |
| 1973 | Renate Vogel (E.Ger.) | Renate Vogel (E.Ger.) | |
| 1975 | Hannelore Anke (E.Ger.) | Hannelore Anke (E.Ger.) | |
| 1978 | Yuliya Bogdanova (U.S.S.R.) | Lina Kachushite (U.S.S.R.) | |
| 1982 | Ute Geweniger (E.Ger.) | Svetlana Varganova (U.S.S.R.) | |
| 1986 | Sylvia Gerasch (E.Ger.) | Silke Hörner (E.Ger.) | |
| 1991 | Linley Frame (Austl.) | Yelena Volkova (U.S.S.R.) | |
| 1994 | Samantha Riley (Austl.) | Samantha Riley (Austl.) | |
| 1998 | Kristy Kowal (U.S.) | Agnes Kovacs (Hung.) | |
| 2001 | Luo Xuejuan (China) | Luo Xuejuan (China) | Agnes Kovacs (Hung.) |
| 2003 | Luo Xuejuan (China) | Luo Xuejuan (China) | Amanda Beard (U.S.) |
| 2005 | Jade Edmistone (Austl.) | Leisel Jones (Austl.) | Leisel Jones (Austl.) |
| 2007 | Jessica Hardy (U.S.) | Leisel Jones (Austl.) | Leisel Jones (Austl.) |
| 2009 | Yuliya Yefimova (Russia) | Rebecca Soni (U.S.) | Nadja Higl (Serb.) |
| 2011 | Jessica Hardy (U.S.) | Rebecca Soni (U.S.) | Rebecca Soni (U.S.) |
| 2013 | Yuliya Yefimova (Russia) | Ruta Meilutyte (Lith.) | Yuliya Yefimova (Russia) |
| 2015 | Yuliya Yefimova (Russia) | Yuliya Yefimova (Russia) | Kanako Watanabe (Japan) |
| 2017 | Lilly King (U.S.) | Lilly King (U.S.) | Yuliya Yefimova (Russia) |
| 2019 | Lilly King (U.S.) | Lilly King (U.S.) | Yuliya Yefimova (Russia) |
| 2022 | Ruta Meilutyte (Lith.) | Benedetta Pilato (Italy) | Lilly King (U.S.) |
| 2023 | Ruta Meilutyte (Lith.) | Ruta Meilutyte (Lith.) | Tatjana Smith (S.Af.) |
| 2024 | Ruta Meilutyte (Lith.) | Qianting Tang (China) | Tes Schouten (Neth.) |
| butterfly | |||
| year | 50 m | 100 m | 200 m |
| 1973 | Kornelia Ender (E.Ger.) | Rosemarie Kother (E.Ger.) | |
| 1975 | Kornelia Ender (E.Ger.) | Rosemarie Kother (E.Ger.) | |
| 1978 | Joan Pennington (U.S.) | Tracy Caulkins (U.S.) | |
| 1982 | Mary T. Meagher (U.S.) | Ines Geissler (E.Ger.) | |
| 1986 | Kornelia Gressler (E.Ger.) | Mary T. Meagher (U.S.) | |
| 1991 | Qian Hong (China) | Summer Sanders (U.S.) | |
| 1994 | Liu Limin (China) | Liu Limin (China) | |
| 1998 | Jenny Thompson (U.S.) | Susie O'Neill (Austl.) | |
| 2001 | Inge De Bruijn (Neth.) | Petria Thomas (Austl.) | Petria Thomas (Austl.) |
| 2003 | Inge De Bruijn (Neth.) | Jenny Thompson (U.S.) | Otylia Jedrzejczak (Pol.) |
| 2005 | Danni Miatke (Austl.) | Jessicah Schipper (Austl.) | Otylia Jedrzejczak (Pol.) |
| 2007 | Therese Alshammar (Swed.) | Libby Lenton (Austl.) | Jessicah Schipper (Austl.) |
| 2009 | Marieke Guehrer (Austl.) | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Jessicah Schipper (Austl.) |
| 2011 | Inge Dekker (Neth.) | Dana Vollmer (U.S.) | Jiao Liuyang (China) |
| 2013 | Jeanette Ottesen Gray (Den.) | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Liu Zige (China) |
| 2015 | Jeanette Ottesen Gray (Den.) | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Natsumi Hoshi (Japan) |
| 2017 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Mireia Belmonte Garcia (Spain) |
| 2019 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Margaret Mac Neil (Can.) | Boglarka Kapas (Hung.) |
| 2022 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Torri Huske (U.S.) | Summer McIntosh (Can.) |
| 2023 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Yufei Zhang (China) | Summer McIntosh (Can.) |
| 2024 | Sarah Sjöström (Swed.) | Angelina Kohler (Ger.) | Laura Stephens (U.K.) |
| individual medley | |||
| year | 200 m | 400 m | |
| 1973 | Andrea Hubner (E.Ger.) | Gudrun Wegner (E.Ger.) | |
| 1975 | Kathy Heddy (U.S.) | Ulrika Tauber (E.Ger.) | |
| 1978 | Tracy Caulkins (U.S.) | Tracy Caulkins (U.S.) | |
| 1982 | Petra Schneider (E.Ger.) | Petra Schneider (E.Ger.) | |
| 1986 | Kristin Otto (E.Ger.) | Kathleen Nord (E.Ger.) | |
| 1991 | Lin Li (China) | Lin Li (China) | |
| 1994 | Lu Bin (China) | Dai Guohong (China) | |
| 1998 | Wu Yanyan (China) | Chen Yan (China) | |
| 2001 | Martha Bowen (U.S.) | Yana Klochkova (Ukr.) | |
| 2003 | Yana Klochkova (Ukr.) | Yana Klochkova (Ukr.) | |
| 2005 | Katie Hoff (U.S.) | Katie Hoff (U.S.) | |
| 2007 | Katie Hoff (U.S.) | Katie Hoff (U.S.) | |
| 2009 | Ariana Kukors (U.S.) | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | |
| 2011 | Ye Shiwen (China) | Elizabeth Beisel (U.S.) | |
| 2013 | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | |
| 2015 | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | |
| 2017 | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | |
| 2019 | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | Katinka Hosszu (Hung.) | |
| 2022 | Alex Walsh (U.S.) | Summer McIntosh (Can.) | |
| 2023 | Kate Douglass (U.S.) | Summer McIntosh (Can.) | |
| 2024 | Kate Douglass (U.S.) | Freya Constance Colbert (U.K.) | |
| team relays | |||
| year | 4 × 100-m freestyle | 4 × 200-m freestyle | 4 × 100-m medley |
| 1973 | East Germany | East Germany | |
| 1975 | East Germany | East Germany | |
| 1978 | United States | United States | |
| 1982 | East Germany | East Germany | |
| 1986 | East Germany | East Germany | East Germany |
| 1991 | United States | Germany | United States |
| 1994 | China | China | China |
| 1998 | United States | Germany | United States |
| 2001 | Germany | Great Britain | Australia |
| 2003 | United States | United States | China |
| 2005 | Australia | United States | Australia |
| 2007 | Australia | United States | Australia |
| 2009 | Netherlands | China | China |
| 2011 | Netherlands | United States | United States |
| 2013 | United States | United States | United States |
| 2015 | Australia | United States | United States |
| 2017 | United States | United States | United States |
| 2019 | Australia | Australia | United States |
| 2022 | Australia | United States | United States |
| 2023 | Australia | Australia | United States |
| 2024 | Netherlands | China | Australia |