This article originally appeared in the 2023 College Preview issue of SwimSwam Magazine. Subscribe here.
To swim well in short course yards in 200 freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly, you need to be fast in the 100. Very fast.
Is this really true? So it seems, as we’ll check the data.
If we make the same comparison between 100 and 200 races in long course meters, perhaps the association is not so immediate.
Then let’s see.
For example, in the men’s 200 breaststroke, the world record holder in long course meters is Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook*, with 2:05.95, the only swimmer in history to crack the 2:06 barrier. On the other hand, he is not as fast in the 100 breaststroke. His personal best time is 59.51, which does not rank him among the 50 fastest performers in history.
*Since this article was written, Qin Haiyang broke Stubblety-Cook’s world record in 2:05.48.
There are several other examples. The women’s 200 freestyle world record holder, Italy’s Federica Pellegrini, with 1:52.98, is not among the 30 fastest women of all time in the 100 with 53.18. In men’s 200 freestyle, the world record holder is Germany’s Paul Biedermann with 1:42.00, and in the 100 his personal best time is 48.31, outside the top 100 all-time.
(Although not the specialties of these swimmers, the times of the 100-meter events were obtained in important meets, where the athletes were in their prime, tapered and shaved.)
In short course yards, that just doesn’t happen. As already mentioned, to swim well in 200 yards events, you need to be very fast in 100 yards.
The all-time rankings don’t lie
Take, for example, the men’s 200 freestyle in short course yards. Five athletes in history have broken the 1:30 barrier. And all of them have times around 41 seconds in the 100 — and only one swimmer in history, Caeleb Dressel, swam below 40 seconds in the 100. In other words, 41 seconds is so fast that it is an impossible time for most people.
Top 10 all-time: Men’s 200 freestyle (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Dean Farris (Harvard) | 1:29.15 (2019) | 40.8 |
| 2 | Kieran Smith (Florida) | 1:29.48 (2021) | 41.79 |
| 3 | Townley Haas (Texas) | 1:29.50 (2018) | 41.67 |
| 4 | Blake Pieroni (Indiana) | 1:29.63 (2018) | 41.16 |
| 5 | Luke Hobson (Texas) | 1:29.63 (2023) | 41.99 |
| 6 | Andrew Seliskar (Cal) | 1:30.14 (2019) | 43.19 |
| 7 | Grant House (Arizona State) | 1:30.23 (2022) | 41.48 |
| 8 | Drew Kibler (Texas) | 1:30.28 (2022) | 41.33 |
| 9 | Zach Apple (Indiana) | 1:30.34 (2019) | 41.36 |
| 10 | Shaine Casas (Texas A&M) | 1:30.59 (2021) | 41.68 |
Something similar happens in the women’s 200 backstroke. Of the 10 fastest female swimmers in history, nine – including the top 5 – have cracked the 51-second barrier in the 100 backstroke. Which is really fast.
Top 10 all-time: Women’s 200 backstroke (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Regan Smith (Riptide) | 1:47.16 (2019) | 49.16 |
| 2 | Beata Nelson (Wisconsin) | 1:47.24 (2019) | 49.18 |
| 3 | Kathleen Baker (Cal) | 1:47.30 (2018) | 49.80 |
| 4 | Claire Curzan (Stanford) | 1:47.43 (2023) | 49.46 |
| 5 | Taylor Ruck (Stanford) | 1:47.59 (2019) | 50.34 |
| 6 | Elizabeth Pelton (Cal) | 1:47.84 (2013) | 51.26 |
| 7 | Missy Franklin (Cal) | 1:47.91 (2015) | 50.97 |
| 8 | Rhyan White (Alabama) | 1:48.06 (2020) | 50.02 |
| 9 | Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin) | 1:48.32 (2021) | 50.39 |
| 9 | Bella Sims (Sandpipers) | 1:48.32 (2022) | 50.53 |
In fact, if you look at the NCAA record holders of the eight 200 races in short course yards, you will see that in three of them the record holders do not have times in 100 races that rank them in the top 20 all-time.
But this happens only by circumstance. For example, the NCAA record holder in the men’s 200 breaststroke is Leon Marchand with 1:47.67. His best time in the 100 breaststroke is 51.01 in the 100 breaststroke. But, during the 2023 NCAAs, he split 49.23 in the 400-medley relay. That is, he would have the potential for a sub-50 in the 100 breaststroke in flat start, which would put him in the top three all-time. His best time of 51.01 was only due to him not having competed in the event at his prime.
Top 10 all-time: Men’s 200 breaststroke (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Léon Marchand (Arizona State) | 1:47.67 (2023) | 51.01 |
| 2 | Will Licon (Texas) | 1:47.91 (2017) | 50.68 |
| 3 | Reece Whitley (Cal) | 1:48.53 (2020) | 50.84 |
| 4 | Kevin Cordes (Arizona) | 1:48.66 (2014) | 50.04 |
| 5 | Andrew Seliskar (Cal) | 1:48.70 (2019) | 51.78 |
| 6 | Max McHugh (Minnesota) | 1:48.76 (2022) | 49.90 |
| 7 | Matt Fallon (Penn) | 1:49.03 (2022) | 51.45 |
| 8 | Cody Miller (Sandpipers) | 1:49.16 (2017) | 50.82 |
| 9 | Josh Prenot (Cal) | 1:49.31 (2016) | 52.57 |
| 10 | Carles Coll Marti (Virginia Tech) | 1:49.38 (2022) | 51.50 |
Something similar occurs in the female version. NCAA record holder Kate Douglass set a 2:01.29 in the 2023 NCAAs, and her best time in the 100 breaststroke is 58.14 — which is clearly outdated, as 58.29 was her split in the first 100 of the 200. She has potential for a sub-57 in the 100, which would put her in the top five all-time.
Top 10 all-time: Women’s 200 breaststroke (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Kate Douglass (Virginia) | 2:01.29 (2023) | 58.14 |
| 2 | Lilly King (Indiana) | 2:02.60 (2018) | 55.73 |
| 3 | Alex Walsh (Virginia) | 2:03.02 (2022) | 57.64 |
| 4 | Bethany Galat (Texas A&M) | 2:03.26 (2018) | 59.44 |
| 4 | Anna Elendt (Texas) | 2:03.26 (2023) | 56.88 |
| 6 | Kierra Smith (Minnesota) | 2:03.55 (2017) | 58.91 |
| 7 | Sydney Pickrem (Texas A&M) | 2:03.65 (2019) | 59.3 |
| 8 | Sophie Hansson (NC State) | 2:03.75 (2022) | 56.72 |
| 9 | Emma Reaney (Notre Dame) | 2:04.06 (2014) | 57.79 |
| 10 | Lydia Jacoby (Texas) | 2:04.32 (2023) | 57.03 |
The only exception is Ella Eastin, NCAA record holder in the 200 butterfly since 2018 with 1:49.51. She never really recorded fast times in the 100 yards event — her best time in the 100 butterfly is 52.51, and most female swimmers with fast times in the 200 have times between 49 and 50 seconds in the 100.
Top 10 all-time: Women’s 200 butterfly (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Ella Eastin (Stanford) | 1:49.51 (2018) | 52.51 |
| 2 | Regan Smith (Stanford) | 1:49.78 (2021) | 49.87 |
| 3 | Elaine Breeden (Stanford) | 1:49.92 (2009) | 50.87 |
| 4 | Emma Sticklen (Texas) | 1:49.95 (2023) | 49.79 |
| 5 | Alex Walsh (Virginia) | 1:50.23 (2023) | 51.31 |
| 6 | Louise Hansson (USC) | 1:50.28 (2019) | 49.26 |
| 7 | Kelsi Dahlia (Louisville) | 1:50.61 (2016) | 49.43 |
| 8 | Grace Oglesby (Louisville) | 1:50.80 (2019) | 50.75 |
| 9 | Claire Curzan (Stanford) | 1:50.85 (2022) | 49.24 |
| 10 | Katinka Hosszu (USC) | 1:51.02 (2010) | 52.33 |
All in all, of the eight NCAA record holders in 200 races, seven of them are insanely fast in 100 races. And most of the swimmers in the top 10 all-time performers in those events also are among the fastest in history of 100 events.
Top 10 all-time: Women’s 200 freestyle (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Missy Franklin (Cal) | 1:39.10 (2015) | 46.66 |
| 2 | Mallory Comerford (Louisville) | 1:39.80 (2018) | 46.20 |
| 3 | Katie Ledecky (Stanford) | 1:40.36 (2017) | 48.28 |
| 4 | Simone Manuel (Stanford) | 1:40.37 (2017) | 45.56 |
| 4 | Taylor Ruck (Stanford) | 1:40.37 (2019) | 46.76 |
| 6 | Allison Schmitt (NBAC) | 1:40.62 (2015) | 47.77 |
| 7 | Summer McIntosh (Sarasota Sharks) | 1:40.63 (2022) | 47.88 |
| 8 | Siobhan Haughey (Michigan) | 1:40.69 (2018) | 46.64 |
| 9 | Bella Sims (Sandpipers) | 1:41.10 (2022) | 47.16 |
| 10 | Megan Romano (Georgia) | 1:41.21 (2012) | 47.01 |
Top 10 all-time: Men’s 200 backstroke (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Ryan Murphy (Cal) | 1:35.73 (2016) | 43.49 |
| 2 | Shaine Casas (Texas A&M) | 1:35.75 (2021) | 43.87 |
| 3 | Destin Lasco (Cal) | 1:35.87 (2023) | 43.93 |
| 4 | John Shebat (Texas) | 1:36.42 (2019) | 44.35 |
| 5 | Austin Katz (Texas) | 1:36.45 (2019) | 44.93 |
| 6 | Hugo González (Cal) | 1:36.72 (2023) | 46.24 |
| 7 | Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach) | 1:36.81 (2007) | 44.60 |
| 8 | Tyler Clary (Michigan) | 1:37.58 (2009) | 48.39 |
| 9 | Coleman Stewart (NC State) | 1:37.71 (2020) | 43.62 |
| 10 | Patrick Mulcare (USC) | 1:37.80 (2017) | 45.90 |
Top 10 all-time: Men’s 200 butterfly (SCY)
| Rank | Swimmer | Time | PB in 100 |
| 1 | Jack Conger (Texas) | 1:37.35 (2017) | 44.35 |
| 2 | Nicolas Albiero (Louisville) | 1:37.92 (2022) | 44.32 |
| 3 | Joseph Schooling (Texas) | 1:37.97 (2016) | 43.75 |
| 4 | Trenton Julian (Cal) | 1:38.53 (2021) | 45.86 |
| 5 | Andreas Vazaios (NC State) | 1:38.57 (2019) | 45.81 |
| 6 | Shaine Casas (Texas A&M) | 1:38.69 (2021) | 44.91 |
| 7 | Brendan Burns (Indiana) | 1:38.71 (2022) | 44.54 |
| 8 | Aiden Hayes (NC State) | 1:38.79 (2023) | 44.35 |
| 9 | Tom Shields (Cal) | 1:38.80 (2020) | 43.84 |
| 10 | Luca Urlando (Georgia) | 1:38.82 (2022) | 43.80 |
This is a trend that is also observed not only among record holders, but among the 10 fastest performers in history of each 200 race. The vast majority have great times in 100 races.
The difference between SCY and LCM
As already mentioned, this does not necessarily occur in events in long course meters. It doesn’t take much effort to remember exceptional swimmers in the 200 and not so good in the 100, in addition to the aforementioned Stubblety-Cook, Pellegrini and Biedermann: Rikke Pedersen, Rie Kaneto, Viktoria Gunes, Hali Flickinger, Mirela Belmonte, Anton Chupkov, Daiya Seto…
Hali Flickinger is an emblematic example. Olympic and world medalist in the 200 butterfly, she is currently one of the best swimmers in the world in the event. The best result she achieved in NCAAs was a third place in 2015. At the time, first place went to Kelsi Dahlia, with a time more than a second and a half faster than Flickinger’s. Dahlia was a sprint swimmer, known for her ability in the 50 and 100 butterfly events.
However, in short course yards, sprinters tend to do very well in 200 events — just like Dahlia, Louise Hansson, Simone Manuel, Zach Apple, Max McHugh, Joseph Schooling, and several others, who are not even close as efficient in 200 races in long course meters. This is kind of similar to what happens in short course meters, but far from what is observed in long course meters.
There are two reasons for that: the presence of more turns, which means that swimmers with more explosiveness are able to exploit this skill in the impulses from the wall and in underwater swimming, and because they have to swim less. Two hundred yards is equivalent to 183 meters.
So, a great 100-meter event swimmer is already halfway there to becoming a great 200 event swimmer in short course yards. The historic data shows this. If you want to succeed in the 200 yards events, become a very fast swimmer in the 100. More than in long course meters, it is speed that will make you successful in short course yards.
This is a good article! But you could also interpret this data as SCY events just inherently being more similar than LCM ones since one singular skill (turns/undies) has such an impact over so many events.
Being good in any one event translates to being good in many events in SCY.
Biedermann’s swim in the 200free was freak even for a super suited swim. No one has come within a second of it since.
Popovici has
1:42:97 that’s right. Almost a second slower. Popovici was obviously in form at Rome and for whatever reason it’s a fast pool where WRs are broken. I hope he can get back to that form and go 1:41
It strikes me that the vast majority of those listed for 200 free could also swim a pretty good 400/500 (not all). Maybe they are just good !! 100 200 400/500. Is the 100 speed really any more valuable than the 400/500 endurance?
Yes
More of the top 10 guys swim the 100 than the 500
For the LC one though I think the 400 endurance is more important than speed
I see this common assertion that “Kate Douglass could OBVIOUSLY go 56 in 100 br” as of it were self-evidently true.
But breaststroke is all about rhythm, and Kate’s works with a long, strong stroke. That’s why she does the 200 breast while she sprints the other strokes. I think her top 50/100 br is probably slower than you’d expect.
Not unusual for breaststrokers to have 2-3 different rhythms.
It *would* surprise me if she can’t go 56, especially with her clear sprint skill in other events. I know a lot of guys taking similar times/stroke counts in the 2 and they’re all 54-55 in the 1.
I see this mistake in other swimswam articles, but Leon Marchand has a 1:46.91 200 breaststroke. His 100 PB is also 50.65 which is from his 200 PB lol.
I think this was originally written during men’s NCAA’s earlier this year after the conclusion of day 3
I’ve always thought to be great at 200 SCY event you have to be really good at the 100 LCM of that stroke and viceversa
Feels like the more Americans improve in scy by optimizing walls, the more of a disadvantage they have in lcm, especially 200’s. Hopefully the truly great lcm talents are still good enough in scy to stay motivated and find their way to top level coaches. But it’s not ideal to be selecting for the best at thing A and hoping it will correlate closely enough to success at thing B.
Must be why Marchand is so bad at long course
He definitely shows that training in yards doesn’t ruin you for long course. Like Phelps or Ledecky, he’s just so good that he’s going to stand out in either format. We’ll never know if long course training could’ve helped him even more, or if the benefits of ASU (fun, exciting, Bowman, world class teammates) matter more.
It’s interesting because in my mind all three are different cases. Phelps was a long course swimmer who could throw down monster short course times “only” because he was so good overall. His underwaters were great, but both in training and results he was a long course swimmer at heart. I would say he’s the best fit for your comment of “so good that he’s going to stand out in either format”.
Distance swimming appears to be a bit more similar between courses than shorter events do. So while Ledecky might be slightly better in the big pool, she is roughly equally good at both. But I see this less as a unique attribute of Ledecky (she has plenty other… Read more »
Popovici is an incredible talent in long courage. I am not sure how much of his training and racing was in LCM or SCM but he said last year that he had to learn and Improve in SCM racing so presumably not much SCM focus. A pure long course swimmer. But can he improve further without an ASU-like training environment, surrounded by swimmers who although strong cannot challenge him day to day ?
Lol ‘long courage’ – very apt autocorrect
you can’t just throw up a picture of Our Boy like that without warning. i almost passed out