SwimSwam’s Top 100 For 2025: Women’s #10-1

After an unprecedented year of racing that included the Olympics sandwiched between the Long Course and Short Course World Championships, it’s time to start releasing our fifth annual Top 100 list—check out last year’s rankings here.

As in previous years, we’ve taken a statistically driven approach reliant primarily upon world rankings and medals won at the Olympics, and to a lesser extent, Short Course Worlds and the 2024 Worlds in Doha. We’ve also accounted for things like potential, future medal opportunities, injuries, and versatility. Long-course is weighted more heavily than short-course, though performance potential in both formats is factored into our rankings.

After a large contingent of Russian and Belarusian swimmers raced at Short Course Worlds in December, those swimmers have started to move back up the rankings after they were low on the lists last year due to lack of competition.

We’ll be breaking down the top 100 into multiple installments, so keep an eye out as they’re released.

These lists are, by nature, subjective. If you disagree, leave your thoughts/ranks in the comments.

Thank you to Daniel Takata for his help with the data and compiling the rankings. Madeline Folsom contributed to this report.

Women’s Rankings:

• #100 – #91
• #90 – #81
• #80 – #71
• #70 – #61
• #60 – #51
• #50 – #41
• #40 – #31
• #30 – #21
• #20 – #11
• #10 – #1

#10: Zhang Yufei, China (2024 Rank: 9) – One of the best butterfly swimmers in the world for the better part of the past decade, Zhang knows how to come up with big performances when it matters most. She earned bronze medals in all three individual events she raced last summer in Paris, taking 3rd in the 50 free (24.20), 100 fly (56.21) and 200 fly (2:05.09), and won three more medals on relays. With six medals, she was the most decorated athlete of the 2024 Olympic Games. The 26-year-old is a legitimate medal threat in four events at the 2025 World Championships, having medaled in the 50 free (2023), 50 fly (2022, 2023), 100 fly (2022, 2023) and 200 fly (2015, 2022) at past editions. The Chinese native has expressed a love-hate relationship with the 200 fly in the past, so it’s possible she moves away from it post-Olympics, but her ability to churn out 2:05-2:06s keeps her in the mix if she wants. She finished 2024 ranked 3rd in the world in the 200 fly, 5th in the 100 fly, 6th in the 50 fly, 9th in the 50 free and tied for 17th in the 100 free.

#9: Tang Qianting, China (2024 Rank: NR) – Tang overtook Ruta Meilutyte as the best female sprint breaststroker in the world last year—referring to prowess in the 50 and 100-meter events. Meilutyte wouldn’t be denied in the 50, winning gold to Tang’s silver at both LC Worlds in Doha and SC Worlds in Budapest, but Tang was far superior in the 100. She won the LC world title in a Chinese Record of 1:05.27 in February, smashed the Asian Record in 1:04.39 in April, and then despite adding time at the Olympics, won silver in 1:05.54. She added two more medals on China’s medley relays, and then closed out the year with a strong short course performance. At the World Cup, Tang swept the 50 and 100 breast for a pair of Triple Crowns, and then won gold in the 100 breast and silver in the 50 breast at SC Worlds. She reset the Asian Record in the 50 breast (28.76) at the World Cup, ranking her #3 all-time, and then at SC Worlds in the 100 breast, came within .01 of the world record in 1:02.37. The 20-year-old is clearly the gold medal favorite in the 100 breast and a likely top-three finisher in the 50 breast at Worlds this year, and Lilly King‘s 100 BR world record of 1:04.13 from 2017 could be in her sights.

#8: Torri Huske, USA (2024 Rank: 21) – Huske reminded everyone how good she is in 2024 after a bit of a down year in 2023. The 2022 world champion in the 100 fly, Huske produced a time of 55.52 in the event at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, placing 2nd to newly minted world record holder Gretchen Walsh (55.31) and ranking her #3 all-time behind Walsh (55.18) and Sarah Sjostrom (55.48). Huske also punched her ticket to the Olympic team in the 100 free at the Trials, and impressed in the 50 free (24.09) and 200 IM (2:09.43) despite scratching both finals. In Paris, Huske came up clutch in the Olympic final, winning gold in the 100 fly in a time of 55.59, edging out Walsh by four one-hundredths of a second. Then, in a razor-thin final in the women’s 100 free, Huske pulled out the fastest swim of her life by four-tenths, clocking 52.29 to win the silver medal. She also threw down a 52.06 split on the 4×100 free relay that won silver and a 52.42 anchor on the 4×100 medley that won gold and broke the world record. The 22-year-old ranked 7th or better in four Olympic events last year: 2nd in the 100 fly (55.52), 4th in the 100 free (52.29), 6th in the 200 IM (2:08.47) and 7th in the 50 free (24.09). She’s also the 2022 world champion in the 50 fly, so will be a medal favorite in that event at LC Worlds, though Walsh has to be penciled in as the frontrunner for gold.

#7: Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia (2024 Rank: 3) – O’Callaghan saw her world record in the women’s 200 free fall at the hands of Ariarne Titmus at last year’s Australian Olympic Trials, but got the last laugh in the Olympic final. O’Callaghan, the 2023 world champion, put up a time of 1:53.27 in Paris to top Titmus (1:53.81) after they logged the two fastest swims ever at the Trials (Titmus 1:52.23, O’Callaghan 1:52.48). O’Callaghan typically is able to deliver when the chips are down—she won gold in the 100 free and silver in the 200 free at the 2022 Worlds, and then won gold in both in 2023. Given that consistency, it was a surprising result when O’Callaghan missed the 100 free podium in Paris, placing 4th, .01 back of bronze, in 52.34. She was a tenth faster leading off the Aussie women’s 4×100 free relay (52.24), and also had a standout opening leg on the 4×200 free relay (1:53.52), both resulting in gold medals. The 20-year-old walked away from the Olympics with five medals, making her one of the most decorated athletes of the Games, adding two more on the Australian women’s (silver) and mixed (bronze) medley relays. In 2024, O’Callaghan also established herself as one of the fastest backstrokers ever, joining the elusive sub-58 club in the 100 back with a time of 57.88 at the Olympic Trials. Due to scheduling, she dropped it from her Olympic program, but still finished the year ranked 4th. Entering the 2025 World Championships, O’Callaghan will also be a massive threat in the 50 back, having posted a blistering 27.16 last April, which ranked #2 in the world last year behind Aussie teammate Kaylee McKeown.

#6: Regan Smith, USA (2024 Rank: 5) – Smith did almost everything last year. World record in the LC 100 back? Check. Making the Olympic team in the 200 back after missing in Tokyo? Check. World records across the board in the backstroke events at Short Course Worlds? Check. The only thing eluding her was individual Olympic gold, as Kaylee McKeown continues to have her number at the biggest meet of the year. Smith won silver in the 100 back (57.66), 200 back (2:04.26) and 200 fly (2:03.84) in Paris, and added the first two Olympic gold medals of her career on relays, including leading off the U.S. women’s 4×100 medley relay in a time (57.28) faster than McKeown went in the individual final (57.33). Smith set the world record in the 100 back at the U.S. Trials in 57.13, which still stands and thus ranked her 1st in the world in 2024, and she also ranked 2nd in the world for the year in the 200 back (2:03.99), 200 fly (2:03.84), 3rd in the 100 fly (55.62) and 11th in the 200 IM (2:09.05). Smith was then a dominant force during the short course season. McKeown won the women’s 50 back at the opening leg of the World Cup in Shanghai, but withdrew from the series after that, leading to Smith sweeping every backstroke event the rest of way, breaking the world record in the 100 back twice and the 200 back once. At Short Course Worlds in December, Smith continued her dominance by sweeping the 50, 100 and 200 back, setting new world records in all three and walking away with seven total medals. The 23-year-old is a gold medal threat in four individual events at the 2025 World Championships, not including the 100 fly, where she was the 3rd-fastest swimmer in the world last year but the two ahead of her are her American teammates.

#5: Kate Douglass, USA (2024 Rank: 7) – Among the world’s elite, Douglass was one of the most active swimmers last year as the American superstar raced at both World Championships and contested the World Cup series in addition to the Olympic Games. The defining moment of Douglass’ year was pulling away from defending champion Tatjana Smith to win Olympic gold in the women’s 200 breast, setting an American Record in a time of 2:19.24. Douglass also won Olympic silver in the 200 IM and provided some key freestyle splits for the U.S. as she added two more relay medals in Paris. Earlier in the year at the World Championships in Doha, Douglass won the world title in the 200 IM, earned silver in the 200 breast, and was also the runner-up to Sarah Sjostrom in the 50 free, joining the sub-24 club in 23.91. Douglass finished the year ranking 2nd in the world in the 50 free, 3rd in the 200 breast (2:19.24), 3rd in the 200 IM (2:06.79), and 8th in the 100 free (52.56) in the long course pool. The 23-year-old then showed off her short course ability, winning the overall Women’s World Cup title after earning Triple Crowns in the 200 breast, 50 fly and 100 IM, setting new world records in the 200 breast on two occasions. Then, at SC Worlds, Douglass re-lowered her world record en route to gold in the 200 breast (2:12.50), broke Katinka Hosszu‘s longstanding world record in the 200 IM (2:01.63), and won five more medals in Budapest, including three individually in the 50 free (silver), 100 free (bronze) and 100 IM (silver). A rare talent across sprint free, sprint fly, breaststroke and IM, Douglass is a world title contender this year in the 200 breast and 200 IM, arguably the favorite in the former and a close second in the latter, and is in the medal hunt in the 50 and 100 free if she races them. (Douglass qualified for the Olympics in the 100 free but dropped it from her program in Paris, allowing Gretchen Walsh to swim. Douglass scratched the 50 free at the Trials due to a scheduling conflict with the 200 IM.)

#4: Gretchen Walsh, USA (2024 Rank: 28) – Walsh confirmed what we had known for the last few years—she’s the best short course swimmer in the world. The University of Virginia star had already established that in the yards pool, but finally got the opportunity to race in meters and took full advantage. After some record-setting swims at a rare SCM dual in the NCAA, she lit the pool on fire at Short Course Worlds, setting 11 world records in six different events (two relays), and walking away with seven gold medals. That included world records in the 50 free (22.83), 50 fly (23.94), 100 fly (52.71) and 100 IM (55.11), and the second-fastest swim ever in the 100 free (50.31). Prior to that, Walsh took her long course game to the next level at the U.S. Olympic Trials. She set the first world record of her career on the opening night of the Trials in the women’s 100 fly (55.18), and then produced the 2nd-fastest swim ever the next night in the final (55.31) to qualify for her first Olympic team. She also qualified for the team in the 50 and 100 free, and in Paris, won silver in the 100 fly (55.63), placed 4th in the 50 free (24.21) and 8th in the 100 free (53.04). Riding a ton of momentum in early 2025, Walsh has to be considered the favorite for gold at Worlds in the 50 fly, a co-favorite alongside teammate Torri Huske in the 100 fly, and a medal hopeful in both sprint free events. Last year, she ranked 1st in the 100 fly (55.18), 2nd in the 50 fly (25.20), 6th in the 50 free (24.06) and 12th in the 100 free (53.04).

#3: Katie Ledecky, USA (2024 Rank: 4) – Already the greatest female swimmer ever, Ledecky will continue to cement her legacy this year after a historic 2024 that included winning her fourth straight Olympic gold medal in the 800 free and a successful title defense in the 1500 free. The soon-to-be 27-year-old is a shoo-in to win her sixth world title in the 1500 free this year, having posted the 16th-fastest swim ever (and faster than anyone else in history) recently, and should be able to get the job done again in the 800 free despite Summer McIntosh‘s stunning 8:09 in February. Ledecky didn’t attend the 2024 Worlds, so her streak of six straight 800 world titles was technically snapped in Doha, but that title is hers and everyone knows it. In the 400 free, Ledecky won’t have to deal with reigning Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus at Worlds this year, but will likely have to go head-to-head with McIntosh, who has a faster best time and beat her at the Olympics. In fact, Ledecky was well off form in the Paris final and won bronze in 4:00.86—she went 3:58.35 at the U.S. Trials, which was quicker than McIntosh’s fastest last year (3:58.37). Ledecky seems to have no plans of racing the 200 free individually anymore, but she’s still a key cog on the U.S. relay, and ranked 7th in the world last year after clocking 1:54.97 at a Pro Swim meet in April.

#2: Kaylee McKeown, Australia (2024 Rank: 2) – McKeown ranked 1st in the world in two events last year and was 2nd in three others. She led the rankings in the 50 back (27.07) and 200 back (2:03.30), and was 2nd in the 100 back (57.33), 200 IM (2:06.63) and 400 IM (4:28.22). At the Olympics, the Australian successfully defended both of her titles in the 100 and 200 back, beating rival Regan Smith head-to-head when the chips were down yet again. McKeown won a third individual medal with a bronze in the 200 IM and added two more relay medals for five total in Paris. The 23-year-old has shown her ability to be elite in the 400 IM, moving to #3 all-time after unleashing a 4:28.22 swim last year, but hasn’t yet taken it on in a major championship. Although she ended up withdrawing from Short Course Worlds, McKeown still broke the world record in the SCM 100 back last year in 54.56, which has since been lowered by Smith, and beat Smith in their only head-to-head matchup at the World Cup in the 50 back. If McKeown wanted to swim a prelim leg on Australia’s 4×200 free relay, she could conceivably win up to eight medals at the 2025 Worlds, though it’s more likely we’ll see her with six: 50/100/200 back, 200 IM, and both medley relays.

#1: Summer McIntosh, Canada (2024 Rank: 1) – There’s no questioning McIntosh as the best female swimmer in the world right now. She performed exceptionally under pressure at the Paris Olympics, overcoming tough fields to win gold in the women’s 200 fly (2:03.03) and 200 IM (2:06.56) with new Olympic and World Junior Records, and doing what she was supposed to do in the 400 IM, cruising to victory by nearly six seconds after breaking her own world record at the Canadian Olympic Trials in 4:24.38. The 18-year-old also won silver in the 400 free behind world record holder Ariarne Titmus, and helped push the Canadian women to 4th-place finishes in all three relays. In addition to those four events, McIntosh was also among the world’s fastest swimmers in the 200 free and 800 free last year despite not racing either in Paris. She finished 2024 ranked 1st in the world in the three events she won Olympic gold in, 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM, and also ranked 2nd in the 800 free (8:11.39) and 3rd in both the 200 free (1:53.69) and 400 free (3:58.37). After her performance in Paris, which marked the first time a Canadian had ever won three golds at a single Olympics, McIntosh put on a show at the Short Course World Championships. She swam to gold medals and new world records in the women’s 400 free (3:50.25), 200 fly (1:59.32) and 400 IM (4:15.48), and also won silver in the 200 back (1:59.96), which many would consider her seventh-best event. It didn’t factor into her ranking, but we can’t ignore the fact that McIntosh has already gone 8:09.86 in the 800 free in 2025, making her just the second woman under 8:10 alongside Katie Ledecky. Heading into the 2025 Worlds, McIntosh will be favored for gold in the 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM, and could just as easily be slotted into that position in the 400 free with Titmus opting out of Worlds. McIntosh could also win a medal in the 200 free if she chooses to swim that race, and what her ceiling is in the 800 free is an intriguing prospect, though it doesn’t seem likely that’s added to her championship program. Regardless, she’s the class of the women’s field right now and only continues to improve.