{"id":494904,"date":"2022-01-04T13:00:56","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T20:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=494904"},"modified":"2022-01-04T12:41:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T19:41:00","slug":"swimming-world-january-2022-presents-the-greatest-world-records-in-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-world-january-2022-presents-the-greatest-world-records-in-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming World January 2022 Presents – The Greatest World Records In History"},"content":{"rendered":"

The latest issue of Swimming World Magazine<\/em><\/span>
\nis now available for download in the<\/span> Swimming World Vault<\/span><\/strong><\/a>!<\/p>\n

Non-Subscribers Can Download This Issue Here<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Greatest World Records In History<\/span><\/h1>\n

By John Lohn<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The fastest of all-time. It\u2019s a special title to hold, and only a tiny percentage of athletes can make the claim. To own the label of world record holder elevates an individual to a status that cannot be argued. Whether for an hour, days, months or years, world record setters know no peer. They are\u2014for a period\u2014the best their event has seen.<\/p>\n

As the 2022 campaign gets underway, Swimming World decided to look at the greatest world records in history. No, this is not a perfect science, and there will be objections from the dedicated readership. But the eight records featured are\u2014plain and simple\u2014spectacular in nature…and one longtime scribe\u2019s picks for all-time recognition.<\/p>\n

When selecting these records for inclusion, several factors were considered:
\n\u2022 Duration of the world record<\/em>
\n\u2022 Historical significance and context<\/em>
\n\u2022 Was it a barrier-breaking mark?<\/em>
\n\u2022 Gap to the opposition<\/em><\/p>\n

Ultimately, the women\u2019s records covered a greater range of eras, while the men\u2019s marks consisted of one ancient standard and three marks from modern times. Feel free to argue and suggest other options, but know this: The following records are all special.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

DAWN FRASER, AUSTRALIA <\/strong><\/span>
\n100 Freestyle (59.9, 1962)<\/strong>
\nBy the time Dawn Fraser established this world record, the Australian already held legendary status. She was a multi-time Olympic champion from the 1956 and 1960 Games and held the global standard in the 100 meter freestyle uninterrupted since 1956. But there was one more bar to clear on the road to another Olympic crown: breaking the minute barrier.<\/p>\n

Racing at the Aussie Trials for the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Fraser produced a time of 59.9 for the 100 freestyle to become the first woman to dip under a minute. Her achievement arrived 40 years after Johnny Weissmuller became the first man to accomplish the feat. More, the effort further separated Fraser from the competition, as it took nearly two years for American Sharon Stouder to become the second member of the sub-minute club.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MARY T. MEAGHER, USA<\/span>
\n200 Butter\ufb02y (2:05.96, 1981)<\/strong>
\nWhen a performance still ranks as elite four decades after it was delivered, it is easy to recognize the swim as an all-time mark. And that is exactly what the legendary Mary T. Meagher brings to the conversation. This world record was produced at the 1981 United States National Championships and was a statement performance, as it arrived a year after Meagher was denied the chance to race at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow by President Jimmy Carter\u2019s boycott.
\nSo, how powerful was this mark? For starters, it was more than four seconds faster than the 2:10.44 that East Germany\u2019s Ines Geissler clocked for gold at the 1980 Games. More, Meagher\u2019s swim would have been good for fourth place (and just off the podium) at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

JANET EVANS, USA<\/strong><\/span>
\n400 Freestyle (4:03.85, 1988)<\/strong>
\nBefore Katie Ledecky emerged, Janet Evans was undisputedly recognized as the greatest distance swimmer in history. While her peak marks in the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle were considered, Evans earned inclusion on this list for the show she delivered in the 400 freestyle at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. There, the American teenager stood up to the East German machine, which was powered by a systematic doping program, and turned in a performance that would stand for nearly two decades.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the race, Evans was expected to be in a battle with East Germany\u2019s Heike Friedrich, and the race was tight through its midway point. After going out in 2:02.14 for the opening 200 meters, Evans was faster on the back half, clocking 2:01.71 for the closing four laps and a negative split. The product was a world record that would stand for 17-plus years. It wasn\u2019t until Frenchwoman Laure Manaudou went 4:03.03 in 2006 that the record was taken from Evans.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

To continue reading more about some of the greatest world records in history, <\/span><\/a>
\n<\/strong>Click here to download the full January issue of Swimming World Magazine, available now!<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Swimming<\/a>[Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro \/ USA Today Sports]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Get Swimming World Magazine<\/em> and Swimming World Biweekly<\/em> FREE When You<\/span>
\nBecome A Member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

New! 30 Day Membership to ISHOF AND<\/em> Digital Swimming World Subscription for just $10 a month!<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

Want more? Get a 1 Year ISHOF Family Membership With Swimming World Print AND<\/em> Digital Subscription<\/span> Order Now!<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/h3>\n

Non-Subscribers can click here to download this issue for only $5.94<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h2>\n

FEATURES<\/p>\n

012<\/span> THE TOP 5 STORIES OF 2021<\/strong><\/span>
\nby David Rieder<\/strong>
\nWhile the pandemic and its massive effects on the sport were the lone top story of 2020, the action in the pool returned to center-stage in 2021. Unsurprisingly, the focus of the year\u2019s top stories centers on Tokyo, where the Olympics produced some amazing performances and historic results.<\/p>\n

016<\/span> 2021 ATHLETES OF THE YEAR<\/strong><\/span>
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona and Matthew De George<\/strong><\/p>\n