Event Domination: Which Swimmers Own the Most Top Times in a Specific Event (Men’s Edition)
Through the years, some athletes have dominated events at extreme levels, owning many of the top-10 times in an event’s history. Think Michael Phelps in the 400-meter individual medley and 200 butterfly. Ian Thorpe in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle. Grant Hackett in the 1500 freestyle.
In this Swimming World feature, we will take a present-day look at several athletes who have dominated specific disciplines. To qualify for the list, a swimmer must own at least the top-two times in history, and possess at least four of the top-10 performances ever recorded.
Kliment Kolesnikov
Event: 50 Backstroke
Note: No one has flashed speed in the 50 backstroke like Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov, who holds the world record at 23.55 and holds the three-fastest times in history. More impressive is the fact that Kolesnikov owns 10 of the 12-fastest performances in the 50 backstroke, an event in which he is the reigning world champion.
Thomas Ceccon
Event: 100 Backstroke
Note: Reigning Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon has cracked the 52-second barrier in the 100 backstroke on four occasions, tied for the most in history with Ryan Murphy. The Italian owns the top two times in history at 51.60 and 51.80 and he has four of the nine-fastest efforts of all-time.
Adam Peaty – Part I
Event: 50 Breaststroke
Note: The decision by the International Olympic Committee to add the 50-meter stroke events to the program at the 2028 Olympic Games was met with open arms by Great Britain’s Adam Peaty – and for good reason. Peaty is the only man to ever go sub-26 in the 50 breaststroke, led by his world record of 25.95. In addition to owning the six-fastest times ever, Peaty boasts eight of the 10-quickest marks.
Adam Peaty – Part II
Event: 100 Breaststroke
Note: The breaststroke dominance of Adam Peaty doesn’t just cover the one-lap sprint. A three-time Olympic medalist in the 100 breaststroke, including twice as the gold medalist, Peaty is the world-record holder at 56.88 and only man to break the 57-second barrier. Peaty is the owner of the 14-fastest performances of all-time in the 100 breaststroke and .81 faster than the No. 2 performer in history, China’s Qin Haiyang (57.69).
Caeleb Dressel
Event: 100 Butterfly
Note: The United States’ Caeleb Dressel is the world-record holder in the 100 butterfly, thanks to a best time of 49.45. That effort is one of seven sub-50 outings by Dressel, who owns the two-fastest times in history. Dressel also boasts five of the seven-fastest performances in event history.
Kristof Milak
Event: 200 Butterfly
Note: Hungarian Kristof Milak, the 2020 Olympic champion, is almost a second faster than anyone has ever been in the 200 butterfly, with his world record sitting at 1:50.34. Milak holds the three-fastest times in history and five of the six-fastest performances. Of the 10-fastest times ever registered, seven belong to Milak.
Leon Marchand
Event: 400 Individual Medley
Note: When France’s Leon Marchand clocked 4:02.50 in the 400 individual medley at the 2023 World Championships, the performance cut more than a second from Michael Phelps’ iconic 2008 world record of 4:03.84. Marchand has also been 4:02.95 in the event and he holds four of the five-fastest times, all under the 4:05 barrier.