ISL Season One
We’ve compiled a list of the Top 10 swims in each event from what was the inaugural year of the International Swimming League. The league doesn’t seem to be keeping records, so we’ve done it for you instead. These records will be a great reference point ahead of the second season later this year.
Although there are still many details yet to be confirmed, some changes for season 2 have already been announced. One such change is the introduction of ‘Jackpot Times’, which is essentially a point-stealing rule. You can read more about the specifics of the rule here.
In theory, this will put more of an emphasis on times this season. Athletes look to gain extra points (a lot in some cases) by beating their competitors by as big a margin as possible. Swims like Daiya Seto‘s World Record in the 400IM (where he beat his competition by 5 seconds), or Katie Ledecky‘s 400 free which was just 0.14 off the WR, would have been rewarded considerable extra points if this rule had been in play last season.
A 5-week training camp and competition is the revised plan for ISL Season 2, and is reportedly taking place in Budapest, Hungary. Announcements of rosters are expected in early-September. You can read more about the plans here.
- See also: men’s rankings.
Day 1 Events
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 100m Fly | Kelsi Dahlia CAC 55.35 | Emma McKeon LON 55.39 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 55.65 | Kelsi Dahlia CAC 55.78 | Kelsi Dahlia CAC 55.88 | Kelsi Dahlia CAC 55.91 | Emma McKeon LON 55.91 | Emma McKeon LON 55.95 | Anastasiya Shkurdai ENS 56.09 | Emma McKeon LON 56.10 |
| 50m Brs | Lilly King CAC 28.90 | Lilly King CAC 29.00 | Molly Hannis CAC 29.05 | Lilly King CAC 29.12 | Molly Hannis CAC 29.18 | Lilly King CAC 29.23 | Alia Atkinson IRO 29.27 | Alia Atkinson IRO 29.31 | Alia Atkinson IRO 29.32 | Imogen Clarke ENS 29.44 |
| 400m I.M | Melanie Margalis CAC 4:24.15 | Melanie Margalis CAC 4:24.46 | Melanie Margalis CAC 4:24.95 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 4:25.24 | Melanie Margalis CAC 4:25.77 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 4:26.32 | Fantine Lesaffre ENS 4:26.41 | Sydney Pickrem LON 4:26.55 | Katie Ledecky DCT 4:27.18 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 4:27.27 |
| 4x100m Free Relay | Energy Standard 3:26.48 | Energy Standard 3:26.55 | London Roar 3:26.71 | Cali Condors 3:27.65 | London Roar 3:27.90 | London Roar 3:28.11 | London Roar 3:28.39 | Energy Standard 3:28.63 | Energy Standard 3:28.77 | London Roar 3:28.77 |
| 200m Back | Minna Atherton LON 1:59.25 | Minna Atherton LON 1:59.48 | Minna Atherton LON 2:00.58 | Kathleen Baker LAC 2:01.22 | Kathleen Baker LAC 2:01.57 | Minna Atherton LON 2:01.59 | Amy Bilquist LAC 2:01.61 | Kylie Masse LAC 2:01.88 | Kylie Masse LAC 2:01.89 | Kylie Masse LAC 2:01.90 |
| 50m Free | Ranomi Kromowidjojo IRO 23.29 | Cate Campbell LON 23.33 | Cate Campbell LON 23.35 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 23.43 | Cate Campbell LON 23.45 | Cate Campbell LON 23.46 | Cate Campbell LON 23.48 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 23.51 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 23.52 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 23.58 |
| 200m Free | Siobhan Haughey DCT 1:51.99 | Siobhan Haughey DCT 1:52.01 | Kayla Sanchez ENS 1:52.72 | Charlotte Bonnet ENS 1:52.88 | Siobhan Haughey DCT 1:52.88 | Ariarne Titmus CAC 1:52.90 | Emma McKeon LON 1:53.18 | Femke Heemskerk ENS 1:53.22 | Federica Pellegrini ACQ 1:53.28 | Emma McKeon LON 1:53.32 |
| 50m Back | Minna Atherton LON 25.81 | Olivia Smoliga CAC 25.89 | Minna Atherton LON 25.99 | Holly Barratt LON 25.99 | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 26.01 | Minna Atherton LON 26.05 | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 26.13 | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 26.18 | Kathleen Baker LAC 26.21 | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 26.25 |
| 200m Brs | Lilly King CAC 2:17.03 | Lilly King CAC 2:17.78 | Kelsey Wog CAC 2:18.06 | Lilly King CAC 2:18.25 | Kelsey Wog CAC 2:18.26 | Kelsey Wog CAC 2:18.68 | Emily Escobedo NYB 2:18.73 | Anne Lazor LAC 2:19.07 | Sydney Pickrem LON 2:19.21 | Emily Escobedo NYB 2:19.26 |
Day 2 Events
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 100m Free | Emma McKeon LON 51.02 | Cate Campbell LON 51.02 | Cate Campbell LON 51.20 | Emma McKeon LON 51.27 | Cate Campbell LON 51.37 | Emma McKeon LON 51.38 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 51.50 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 51.50 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 51.66 | Cate Campbell LON 51.68 |
| 100m Brs | Lilly King CAC 1:03.00 | Lilly King CAC 1:03.71 | Breeja Larson NYB 1:03.80 | Alia Atkinson IRO 1:03.84 | Alia Atkinson IRO 1:03.94 | Anne Lazor LAC 1:04.07 | Martina Carraro ACQ 1:04.11 | Lilly King CAC 1:04.21 | Alia Atkinson IRO 1:04.23 | Breeja Larson NYB 1:04.40 |
| 400m Free | Katie Ledecky DCT 3:54.06 | Ariarne Titmus CAC 3:56.21 | Holly Hibbott LON 3:57.45 | Ariarne Titmus CAC 3:57.61 | Holly Hibbott LON 3:57.96 | Ariarne Titmus CAC 3:58.34 | Melanie Margalis CAC 3:58.85 | Hali Flickinger CAC 3:58.95 | Leah Smith LAC 3:59.08 | Federica Pellegrini ACQ 3:59.18 |
| 4x100m Medley Relay | Cali Condors 3:46.82 | London Roar 3:46.99 | London Roar (2) 3:47.27 | London Roar 3:47.39 | Cali Condors 3:47.45 | Cali Condors 3:47.46 | Iron (2) 3:47.69 | London Roar 3:47.91 | Cali Condors 4:49.06 | London Roar (2) 3:49.23 |
| 200m I.M | Katinka Hosszu IRO 2:04.16 | Melanie Margalis CAC 2:04.18 | Sydney Pickrem LON 2:04.34 | Sydney Pickrem LON 2:04.85 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 2:05.11 | Melanie Margalis CAC 2:05.17 | Melanie Margalis CAC 2:05.18 | Kayla Sanchez ENS 2:05.32 | Melanie Margalis CAC 2:05.32 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 2:06.22 |
| 50m Fly | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 24.81 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 24.83 | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 24.88 | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 24.92 | Holly Barratt LON 24.92 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 24.98 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 25.03 | Beryl Gastaldello LAC 25.15 | Sarah Sjostrom ENS 25.16 | Marie Wattel LON 25.17 |
| 100m Back | Minna Atherton LON 54.89 | Minna Atherton LON 55.09 | Minna Atherton LON 55.12 | Minna Atherton LON 55.29 | Minna Atherton LON 55.35 | Minna Atherton LON 55.43 | Minna Atherton LON 55.54 | Minna Atherton LON 55.55 | Kira Toussaint IRO 55.58 | Kira Toussaint IRO 55.74 |
| 200m Fly | Hali Flickinger CAC 2:03.81 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 2:03.94 | Hali Flickinger CAC 2:05.12 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 2:05.37 | Remedy Rule DCT 2:05.38 | Katie McLaughlin LAC 2:05.41 | Hali Flickinger CAC 2:05.42 | Megan Kingsley CAC 2:05.45 | Katinka Hosszu IRO 2:05.52 | Kelsi Dahlia CAC 2:05.80 |
4x100m Mixed Freestyle Relay
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| Mixed 4x100m Free Relay | Energy Standard 3:15.97 | London Roar 3:16.03 | London Roar 3:16.04 | Aqua Centurions (2) 3:16.38 | London Roar 3:17.05 | Energy Standard 3:17.09 | London Roar 3:17.54 | Energy Standard 3:17.59 | Cali Condors 3:17.75 | London Roar (2) 3:18.27 |
- Minna Atherton stormed to a new World Record in the 100m backstroke during her ISL tenure, as well as being a fraction off (0.02) the record in the 200m. She became the first woman to go sub-55 seconds in the event, touching in 54.89 and taking down Hosszu’s previous mark of 55.03. Of all the huge names to participate in the ISL season 1, nobody was as singularly dominant as Atherton in any given event, holding the top 8 times in the women’s 100 back.
- Katie Ledecky came within 0.14 of Ariarne Titmus‘ World Record in the 400m free – which the Aussie swimmer set back in 2018. Ledecky did, however, set a new American Record with this swim (3:54.06).
- Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey downed two Asian records in both the 50m breaststroke and her speciality, the 200m freestyle, during her ISL stint for DC Tridents. She first brought the marks down to 30.05 and 1:52.01, respectively, both of which were set at the Naples match. While racing in Maryland she slipped under both those marks to deliver a 29.88 in the 50m brs and 1:51.99 in the 200m freestyle.
- Breaststroke ace Lilly King delivered an American Record with her 28.90 in the 50m breaststroke. She was the only swimmer to break the 29 mark.
- Melanie Margalis did the double in the 200IM and 400IM this ISL season, setting new American Records in both events. She set the 200IM record at the 1st match in Indiana (2:04.18) and the other when she raced to victory in the 400IM during the Grand Finale is Las Vegas (4:24.15).
Isn’t that freestyle relay faster than the world record?
The women’s 400 free relay is, that’s correct.
FINA World Records in relays must be set by swimmers of the same country. If that rule wasn’t in place, then every year there would be some kind of “all star relay meet” where the 4 fastest swimmers would get together and swim a relay just to break the World Record and collect on their World Record bonuses.
Unlike FINA’s quibbling about individual World Records set during ISL meets, this one-country rule isn’t related to ISL and has been around for a long time.
Minna!
☆☆☆☆☆