Greatest swimmer of all time: A ranked list of the best swimmers ever
Who is the greatest swimmer of all time? Fans, pundits, and players have debated the question since the game's inception, arranging and rearranging the hierarchies with every generation. The sport has seen extraordinary athletes who have gone on to break records and win medals.
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Swimming as a sport has been around since the early 1800s. Various categories of the sport exist, from the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and the individual medley. From these categories, some athletes have exceptionally done well on the international stage.
Top 10 greatest swimmers of all time
Due to the nature of the sport, it is challenging to determine what constitutes a successful swimmer. Although medals can be used to measure success, factors such as influence, ability, leadership, consistency, and longevity can be used to determine how great an athlete is. Here is a list of the most dominant swimmer of all time.
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10. Maritza Correia
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Correia began swimming at six years old after being diagnosed with scoliosis. Despite all odds, she had a successful career, earning an Olympic silver medal in the 4 × 100-meter freestyle relays at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In 2002, she became the U.S. Open record holder in the 50-yard freestyle.
Maritza Correia is considered a trailblazer for young African American and Latinx swimmers. She was the first swimmer from two ethnic minority groups to join the U.S. Olympic team and set a world and American swimming record. She currently serves as an ambassador for USA Swimming’s Swim 1922 Program.
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9. Johnny Weissmuller
Jonny Weissmuller, considered the greatest swimmer of all time and a well-known actor, won five Olympic gold medals for the United States and set 67 world records during his career. Weissmuller was discovered by American swimming coach William Bachrach while swimming at the Illinois Athletic Club.
Johnny Weissmuller is best known for his role and appearances in the classic adventure film Tarzan. He is one of the few swimmers who successfully transitioned from sports into acting. In addition, the real-life hero warmed hearts when he and his brother rescued 20 people in a capsizing boat in 1927.
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8. Jenny Thompson
Jennifer Thompson is undeniably the greatest female swimmer of all time. She is the most decorated female athlete in the sport, having won twelve medals, including eight gold medals, in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympics.
Thompson currently works as an anesthesiologist at the Spectrum medical group in Portland, Maine. She is heavily involved with Swim Across America, a charitable organiZation raising cancer research money.
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7. Matt Biondi
Matt Biondi is a former competitive swimmer and water polo player. The 11-time Olympic medalist is an all-time Hall of Famer recognized by different organizations such as the International Swimming Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the UC Berkeley Hall of Fame, and the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
After retiring, Biondi began his career as a high school teacher and swim coach. He currently works at Sierra Canyon School as a math and swimming coach. In addition, Matt serves as a spokesperson for several organizations.
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6. Dara Torres
Dara Torres is regarded as one of the best swimmers of all time, and she is the first U.S. swimmer to feature in five different Olympics. With 12 Olympic medals under her name, Torres became a world record-holder in three events and the oldest female swimmer to win a medal at the Olympics.
After retiring, Dara Torres worked as a reporter for different television networks across the U.S. The longtime Swim Across America celebrity swimmer is the vice president of Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, an organization that aims to save lives by putting an end to drowning.
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5. Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin is a former swimmer and Olympic medalist. Natalie was the first female athlete to swim under 1:00 in the 100-meter backstroke (long course) and the first female swimmer in the modern Olympics to win three gold, four silver and five bronze medals.
Natalie ventured into business after retiring from the sport. She is a brand ambassador and investor in the frozen food company Luvo Inc.
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4. Ian Thrope
Ian Thrope is a retired Australian Olympic swimmer famously known as the Thorpedo. The highly decorated freestyle swimmer who won 9 Olympic medals in his career also holds the record for the most gold medals won by any Australian athlete. Ian was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2008 as an Athlete Member and elevated to Legend of Australian Sport in 2021 for his contribution to swimming.
After his retirement, Thrope ventured into film. In the movie Bullied, he presents a controversial and compelling insight into the issue of school bullying that brings victims and their classmates together to help understand the impacts of bullying.
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3. Katie Ledecky
Katie Ledecky is undeniably the GOAT of women's swimming, with seven Olympic gold medals and 19 World Championship gold medals, the most in history for any female swimmer. Katie is considered a dominant force in every freestyle event ranging from 200 metres to the mile.
Ledecky has worked as a volunteer with Bikes for the World. She worked with the organization for two years, repairing old bicycles and sending them to would-be cyclists in the developing world.
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2. Mark Spitz
Who is the second-greatest swimmer of all time? Mark Spitz is a former competitive swimmer and nine-time Olympic champion. During his most successful Olympic appearance in the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, he won seven gold medals, each in world-record time.
Mark retired from swimming after the Munich Olympics at the age of 22. Named as one of the greatest Olympians, the 2000 Sports Illustrated Athlete of the Century has worked as a motivational speaker, influencer, and investor.
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1. Michael Phelps
Is Michael Phelps the greatest swimmer of all time? Michael holds the all-time world record for Olympic gold, with 23 gold, three silver, and two bronze medals and is the record holder for the most gold medals ever earned in a single Olympics.
Due to his dominance in the sport, fans have always been curious about how Michael Phelps became the greatest swimmer of all time. He started swimming at a young age under Olympic Swimming Coach Bob Bowman, who instilled discipline in him.
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Who is the greatest British swimmer of all time?
Over the years, England has produced some exciting swimmers, such as John Arthur Jarvis, Henry Taylor, Judy Grinham and Thomas William Darnton Dean. Undoubtedly, Adam Peaty is the best British swimmer of all time, a double Olympic champion who won five medals in the Olympics.
Is Adrian Radley the greatest swimmer of all time?
Although Australian swimmer Adrian Radley did not know anything about the sport when he joined the school team, he retired as a master in backstroke events. Alongside his relay teammates, Radley set Australia's first world record in 30 years during the 100m medley relay at the FINA World Championships in 1997.
Who is the greatest swimmer of all time in the Philippines?
Miguel Molina, a Filipino American Olympian, has won fan recognition as one of the greatest Filipino swimmers. He has represented his country in the Olympics and other international competitions, winning four individual events and two relays. Before his retirement, he had won 11 gold, seven silver, and seven bronze medals.
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Swimming has produced some fantastic and exciting athletes over the years. Michael Phelps is the most excellent swimmer of all time, having amassed 28 medals. He is a trailblazer and the number one GOAT in the sport.
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