After Paris, Who Holds the Most American Records in Swimming?

Thank you to X user @willlerch for outlining the data in this article.

With the swimming action at the Paris 2024 Olympics wrapped up, its time to take a look at which swimmers currently hold the most Americans in swimming across all three pools (LCM, SCM, and SCY).

Top Male: Caeleb Dressel – 14

Despite not breaking any of his LCM American Records in Paris, Dressel remains at the top of this list. He currently holds the American Record in the LCM versions of the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 100 butterfly, and 4×100 medley relay, with his 100 butterfly and 4×100 medley relay times also standing as World Records. In the SCM pool, Dressel holds American records in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 IM, 200 freestyle relay, and 400 freestyle relay. Similar to the long course pool, his SCM 100 butterfly also stands as the World Record, as does his 50 freestyle and 100 IM.

Dressel only holds 3 American Records in SCY, with his times in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 100 butterfly standing as the fastest in history. During his time in the NCAA, Dressel also held the American Record in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM. However, both of those records have since been broken.

Caeleb Dressel‘s American Records

• SCY
  • 50 freestyle  – 17.63 (2018)
  • 100 freestyle – 39.90 (2018)
  • 100 butterfly – 42.80 (2018)
• LCM
  • 50 freestyle –  21.04 (2021)
  • 100 freestyle – 46.96 (2019)
  • 50 butterfly – 22.35 (2019)
  • 100 butterfly – 49.45 (2021)*
  • 400 medley relay – 3:26.78 (2021)*
• SCM
  • 50 freestyle – 20.16 (2020)*
  • 100 freestyle – 45.08 (2020)
  • 100 butterfly – 47.78 (2020)*
  • 100 IM – 49.28 (2020)*
  • 200 freestyle relay – 1:21.80 (2018)
  • 400 freestyle relay – 3:03.03 (2018)

*denotes World Record

Top Female: (tie) Kate Douglass/Gretchen Walsh – 13

University of Virginia teammates Kate Douglass and Gretchen Walsh currently stand tied in this metric with 13 American Records each.

Douglass, one of the top female NCAA swimmers in history, holds perhaps one of the most versatile record counts ever. In SCY, she currently only has two individual American Records remaining with the 200 breaststroke and 200 IM. However, at one point she held American Records in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly as well (which were both broken by Walsh).

This past NCAA season, Walsh broke Douglass’ American Records in the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle. She also added American Records in the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle to give herself an impressive resume as well.

Both swimmers also hold SCY American Records on 4 different relays. Walsh and Douglass were both part of the Cavalier teams that broke the records in the 200 medley, 400 medley, 200 freestyle, and 400 freestyle relays, with a majority of those records falling during the 2023 NCAA season.

In LCM, Douglass currently holds two individual American Records with top times in the 200 breaststroke and 50 freestyle, showcasing an impressive range once-again. Walsh holds the American Record and World Record in the 100 butterfly, while also holding the American Record in the 50 butterfly. Both swimmers set an American Record in the 4×100 freestyle relay in Paris, while Walsh was on the women’s and mixed 4×100 medley relay teams that set American and World Records.

Douglass also holds the American Record in the SCM version of the 200 IM, making it her only individual record in that pool. At the 2022 World Championships, Douglass also set American Records as part of the 200 freestyle relay, 400 freestyle relay, and 400 medley relay.

Kate Douglass‘ American Records:

• SCY
  • 200 breaststroke – 2:01.29 (2023)
  • 200 IM – 1:48.37 (2023)
  • 200 freestyle relay – 1:23.87 (2023)
  • 400 freestyle relay – 3:05.84 (2023)
  • 200 medley relay – 1:31.51 (2023)
  • 400 medley relay – 3:22.34 (2023)
• LCM
  • 50 freestyle – 23.91 (2024)
  • 200 breaststroke – 2:19.24 (2024)
  • 400 freestyle relay – 3:30.30 (2024)
• SCM
  • 200 IM – 2:02.12 (2022)
  • 200 freestyle relay – 1:33.89 (2022)
  • 400 freestyle relay – 3:26.29 (2022)
  • 400 medley relay – 3:44.35 (2022)

Remarkably, despite having the second-highest overall American Record total, Walsh does not hold a single record in the SCM pool. However, that might soon change with the 2024 SCM World Championships slated to take place this winter. Despite the championships occuring during the NCAA season, the University of Virginia sent a large contigent of swimmers to the 2022 edition of the meet, including Douglass and Alex Walsh. Thus, it seems likely that the team might elect to do the same this year. If given the chance, it is highly probable that G. Walsh could see her first SCM records come given her dominance over the other pools.

Gretchen Walsh‘s American Records:

• SCY
  • 50 freestyle – 20.37 (2024)
  • 100 freestyle – 44.83 (2024)
  • 100 butterfly – 47.42 (2024)
  • 100 backstroke – 48.10 (2024)
  • 200 freestyle relay – 1:23.87 (2023)
  • 400 freestyle relay – 3:05.84 (2023)
  • 200 medley relay – 1:31.51 (2023)
  • 400 medley relay – 3:22.34 (2023)
• LCM
  • 50 butterfly – 25.11 (2023)
  • 100 butterfly – 55.18 (2024)*
  • 400 freestyle relay – 3:30.30 (2024)
  • mixed 400 medley relay – 3:37.43 (2024)*
  • 400 medley relay – 3:49.63 (2024)*