Last Call for Answers: Who Is the Greatest Female Swimmer in History? Your Choice is Difficult

Mary T Meagher is not on the list- seriously?

Katie Ledecky is the ?! Not just in records, but in domination of those records.

Definitely Dawn Fraser. Winning 100m freestyle at three consecutive Olympics is something no other swimmer has been able to do. To be top for 12yrs is phenomenal!

Shane Gould. No more needs to be said!

I would say Ledecky by a mile (no pun intended), and still rolling. Gould had an abbreviated career, of her own choosing, Caulkins admittedly had some inconsistent rough patches. Ledecky put Evans’ and other records deep in the rearview mirror and has been the most dominant female swimmer in the sport ever. By my count, she has only missed the top step of the podium three times internationally in individual events over nine years, swimming four different events in an era of specialization and greater participation. Five-time female World Swimmer of Year and four years in a row at one point; no one else has done that.

For me the choice would be between Tracy Caulkins and Katie Ledecky and I think I would have to pick Katie.

Jenny Thompson! (Ledecky may surpass that as her career unfolds)

By combining all of the same objective measures for women used to bestow acclaim on Phelps on the male side–Olympic and Worlds performance, World Records, individual intl victories/medals, top 25 LCM times, win percentage, length of career, dominance of victories measured by times, distance placed between top competitors and level of competition faced, intl event win repeats and consistency, World SOY awards–it’s Ledecky.

Tracy Caulkins, at one point she held an American record in every stroke and nearly every distance. She was Phelps before Phelps. She won 12 NCAA titles in 3 years. She survived a boycott and swam into her 20s which was UNHEARD of in the 1980s. She is humble and was the torch bearer for the sport. Versatile, profilic and captain of the Olympic team.

Apples to oranges. Katie is the most dominant swimmer we’ve ever seen, and she’s not even done.

Krisztina Egerszegi was very good. She was very youg éhen she got her first Olympic gold. She is a Legend. A Legend of Hungary.

Federica Pellegrini

Shane Gould, held every world freestyle record, 100 through 1500 and the world 200 IM record simultaneously

Difficult… 1. Dawn Fraser; 2. Katie Ledecky; 3. Shane Gould and Tracy Caulkins; 5. Krsiztina Egerszegi…

Tracy could swim absolutely everything, anytime, any place!!! She’s an outstanding example for all.

Katie Ledecky. The level of competition/number of outstanding competitors/specialization she has had to face in her career–in a range of distances over the course of a decade–has been impressive. Even up to at least the late 1970s in age of Caulkins for example, an “international” swim meet might host 100 female swimmers total from ten countries to cover 14 events.

CAULKINS. No one matches her versatility. All strokes, all distances. How is this even a debate? Coughlin could be second. Kristin Otto up there too (Olympic medals in three strokes). No disrespect to other amazing women like Ledecky, Meagher, Egerzegy, Torres, Babashoff, Frasier, Thompson and others. But Caulkins, like Phelps, was next level.

Katie Ledecky….is they best….crear performance.

Tracy Caulkins, by far.

Not a difficult choice. Ledecky. I mean, c’mon, you are just transparently trying to stoke interest in swim pioneers because of ISHOF and its renovations but show some respeck to the Ledeck.

Ledecky for me. For almost ten years now, she has raced remarkable competitors (and the clock) in a range of distances, and with her quiet, thoughtful and intelligent manner, has re-written what is possible and imaginable in the sport in a most inspiring and uplifting way. Bravo Dexter! Bravo!