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:
#30: Erika Fairweather, New Zealand (2024 Rank: 19): – Fairweather stunned everyone on the opening day of the 2023 World Championships, upsetting the Titmus/Ledecky/McIntosh stranglehold on the 400 freestyle podium by taking bronze ahead of McIntosh and breaking the 4:00 barrier. Fairweather couldn’t replicate that magic in Paris, finishing just off the podium, placing 4th (4:01.12) in the 400 free and 7th in the 200 free (1:55.59). She had plenty to celebrate at the beginning of the year though, as she became New Zealand’s first swimming world champion by winning the 400 free in Doha. The now 21-year-old followed that success up with a silver in the 200 free and bronze in the 800 free. As the 2025 season begins, Fairweather remains a rangy freestyler who’s shown she’s capable of getting the better of the sport’s biggest stars.
#29: Li Bingjie, China (2024 Rank: 12) – It’s easy to forget that Li is still just 22 as it feels as though she’s been near the top of the women’s distance scene for the better part of the past decade. A three-time medalist at the 2017 Worlds when she was 15, Li didn’t have the same level of success she did in 2023 last year, but still secured a pair of relay world titles in Doha and two individual medals, and won an Olympic bronze medal on the Chinese women’s 4×200 free relay. Individually in Paris, Li placed 5th in the 1500 free, 9th in the 400 and 800 free, and 10th in the 200 free. She finished the year ranked 5th in the world in the 400 free (4:01.62) and 6th in the 1500 free (15:56.62), but never had her best stuff in the 800, ranking 15th (8:25.43). Li can be a bit unpredictable at times, but is a three-event medal threat when she’s on.
#28: Simona Quadarella, Italy (2024 Rank: 32) – Quadarella has been among the best female distance swimmers in the world throughout the Ledecky era, and despite Ledecky’s dominance, has managed to win three world titles when the American superstar was not in the field. Two of those came in 2024, as Quadarella swept the 800 and 1500 free in Doha in a pared-down field. At the Olympics, the Italian had a pair of 4th-place finishes in the two distance events, finishing the year ranked 5th in the world in the 800 (8:14.55) and 4th in the 1500 (15:44.05). Although it’s possible Quadarella’s medal-winning window is closing as the next wave of distance swimmers rise, she’s arguably been the most consistent of anyone over the last few years outside of Ledecky, so she’s still a medal threat.
#27: Yang Junxuan, China (2024 Rank: 66) – Yang is an ultra-talented freestyler whose stock took a hit in 2023 after, as the defending world champion, she opted not to race the 200 free at Worlds in Fukuoka. She placed 8th in the 100 free there in her lone event, but resurfaced as a multi-event threat in 2024. The now 23-year-old finished the year ranked 4th in the world in the 200 free (1:54.37) and 6th in the 100 free (52.48) after respective finishes of 5th and 6th at the Olympics, and she was also 25th-fastest in the world last year in the 50 free (24.56). If Yang is committed to the 200-meter distance moving forward, as a 52-mid/1:54-low swimmer, she’s a medal contender in the 100 and 200 free.
#26: Marrit Steenbergen, Netherlands (2024 Rank: 31) – Coming off a standout 2023 World Championship performance that saw her make four individual finals and win bronze in the 100 free, Steenbergen had a relatively disappointing Olympics, though she had a strong start to 2024 in Doha. The Dutch native won gold in the 100 free at the World Championships in a time of 52.26, which ranked her 3rd for the year, and she went on to take 7th at the Olympics (52.83). She also opted not to race the 50 or 200 free in Paris, and missed a second swim in the 200 IM, placing 20th. Now 25, Steenbergen has the ability to be in podium contention in at least two events and as she showed in 2023, make major finals in four. The 100 free is her best bet at LC Worlds in 2025, but she could rack up some hardware at the SC Euros later in the year.
#25: Mary-Sophie Harvey, Canada (2024 Rank: NR) – Harvey didn’t come out of nowhere in 2024, but established herself as a true major international medal contender after she was more of a fringe finalist in previous years. She was a relay-only swimmer at the Tokyo Olympics, placed 8th in the 200 IM at the 2022 World Championships, and then at the 2023 Worlds, took 11th in the 200 IM and 19th in the 200 free. Last year was a major resurgence for the Canadian, as she placed 4th at the Olympics in the 200 free (1:55.29) while contributing on Canada’s 4th-place finish 4×200 free relay. She ranked 9th in the world in the 200 free for the year, and also had elite ranks in the 400 IM (13th), 200 IM (14th), 100 fly (19th), 100 free (31st) and 400 free (33rd). The 25-year-old then had a phenomenal Short Course Worlds, winning five medals including an individual silver in the 200 free and bronze in the 400 free, and added a trio of 4th-place finishes in the 100, 200 and 400 IM. Riding this wave of momentum, Harvey will be one to watch for in 2025.
#24: Paige Madden, USA (2024 Rank: NR) – SwimSwam’s Comeback Swimmer of the Year, Madden had an impressive 2024 with two Olympic medals and adding a world title and world record at the end of the year to boot. Madden set new personal bests in the 200 free (1:56.36), 400 free (4:02.08) and 800 free (8:20.71) at the U.S. Olympic Trials, and followed up by resetting her 800 free PB in Paris and winning the bronze medal in 8:13.00. She also placed 6th in the 400 free (4:02.26) and split 1:55.65 on the U.S. 4×200 free relay that won silver. She ranked 4th in the world in the 800 free, 7th in the 400 free, and 21st in both the 200 and 1500 free (16:09.93). The 26-year-old then showed some speed at SC Worlds, placing 4th in the 400 free (3:55.12) and 800 free (8:07.22), and taking 6th in the 200 free (1:52.93) while swimming on the American’s world record-breaking 4×200 free relay. Madden’s seemingly found a spark that pushes her into the upper echelon of the rankings after being left off last year, and her development in the 800 free is a key part of her being in the top 25.
#23: Claire Weinstein, USA (2024 Rank: 39) – Still just 17, Weinstein is one of the best 200 freestylers in the world and just keeps getting better. In 2023, she upset Katie Ledecky at U.S. Nationals in the 200 free in a time of 1:55.26, and went on to place 12th at the World Championships (and was left off the U.S. 4×200 free relay). Last year, Weinstein rebounded from a poor swim at the beginning of the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 free, qualifying for the Olympic team in the 200 free (1:56.18) and then taking a big step on the major international stage in Paris, making the individual final and placing 8th. She saved her best for the women’s 4×200 free relay, however, leading off in a lifetime best of 1:54.88 as the Americans won silver. That swim ranked Weinstein 6th in the world for the year, and she was also 13th in the 800 free (8:23.73) and 14th in the 400 free (4:04.54). She continued to show her evolution at Short Course Worlds in December, setting an American Record en route to winning bronze in the 200 free (1:51.62) while anchoring the U.S. to gold and a world record in the 4×200 free relay with a blistering 1:50.31 split. Weinstein may only have one truly top-tier event right now, but given her ability in the 200 free, it seems she’s only scratching the surface of her potential in the 400 and 800.
#22: Meg Harris, Australia (2024 Rank: 54) – One of the lowest ranked swimmers last year who won an individual Olympic medal, Harris’ biggest hurdle to a spot on the 50 free podium in Paris was getting through the stacked Australian Olympic Trials. Harris edged out defending Olympic champion Emma McKeon to qualify at the Trials, and then did the hardest thing there is to do in swimming, execute the best swim of your life in the Olympic final. Harris became the 16th woman in history to break 24 seconds in the 50 free in the final, clocking 23.97 to snag the silver medal. She also split 51.94 on the victorious Aussie women’s 4×100 free relay after finishing 3rd at the Olympic Trials in the 100 free. The 22-year-old ranked 7th in the world last year in the event (52.52), and was also solid in the 200 free (1:56.93 for 31st). Given her age, Harris could be a mainstay on the 50 free podium for the foreseeable future, with a chance in the 100 every year.
#21: Tes Schouten, Netherlands (2024 Rank: 26) – Schouten took a big step forward in 2024, becoming the 10th woman in history under the 2:20 barrier in the 200 breast en route to winning the world title in Doha. Her time of 2:19.81 ranks her #9 all-time, and she added a silver in Doha in the 100-meter event (1:05.82). At the Olympics, although unable to recreate that sub-2:20 form, Schouten won bronze in 2:21.05, and settled for 10th in the 100 breast. With the retirement of Tatjana Smith, Schouten seems to be a clear #3 in the world in the 200 breast behind Olympic champion Kate Douglass and world record holder Evgeniia Chikunova, so major international medal opportunities will be there for her. Not only does Schouten come into 2025 as the defending LC world champion in the 200 breast, but she’s also the reigning SC European champion in the event, with the chance to defend that title in December.
Placing Curzan in top 20 …is a choice
Especially since it’s higher ranked than swimmers who won Olympics individual medal and relay golds (eg. Meg Harris)
A Walsh being top 20 is weird. Harris won an individual silver and relay gold in a final and has relay potential. A Walsh literally has one event that she didn’t medal in and didn’t finish top 3 for the year.
It’s a projection, not a 2024 recap, and A. Walsh has a great chance for a medal in the 200IM and making the team in the 200 breast. She shouldn’t be above Harris though, who actually has an individual gold chance.
Yeah I realise it’s forward looking, but I’m not sure what suggests A Walsh has better prospects than Harris. Harris has significantly better individual and relay medal prospects than A Walsh does and it’s not really close.
Without Sarah, Harris has a chance for 50 free gold.
A Walsh chance to win 200 IM gold is less.
Yes, this is what I was speculating below.
walsh has a good chance of winning a medal this year. (although Harris should be ahead) If Walsh is not disqualified this year, it is very likely that she will medal after Mcintosh and Douglas in the 200 im
I think saying it is “very likely” that Walsh will beat McKeown is a pretty big stretch.
McKeown’s best time last year was 0.8 faster than Walsh. McKeown was slower in Paris in the 200IM because she had already swum 10 races while Walsh was fresh. In Singapore, it’s both of their first event
Kaylee has the 100 back semi shortly before the 200 IM final. Mel Marshall needs to lobby WAQ to reverse their order so the semi is second.
i disagree with saying it’s likely a walsh would beat McKeown but since Mcintosh probably won’t be swimming it (right?) I would put her as bronze favourite
I think Claire only has the option of moving individually to a
category (200 backstroke), the 100 backstroke is closed and the 100 butterfly is clearly occupied, another option would perhaps be a relay.
But if she finally gets a place in the 200 backstroke (fought with Bacon, white, noble…) she has a chance for bronze, since Regan is ahead in the event, and if this year Summer Mcintosh makes the category, it seems likely that she can get a medal, which closes space for Claire.
More Top 100! Thank you!
Paris Olympics showed Meg Harris is on upward trajectory and big meet performer. While #22 is thereabouts, an optimistic crystal ball outlook is:
– Gold 50Fr
– podium 100Fr
– Gold 4 x 100Fr final swim
Plus likely prelim relay swims
– 4 x 200
– mixed medley
– mixed free (likely final)
Swim swam have historically given USA swimmers ranking uplift for relay potential.
All up imo Meg should be well into top 20 – go show them Meg!
In Sjostrom’s absence she has as good a shot at gold in the 50 as anyone else. McKeon is retired, Wasick and Douglass’s PBs are only a few hundredths faster (plus Douglass is not guaranteed to swim it, though I hope she will). Gretchen is a question mark; her LCM freestyle doesn’t seem to be anything special so far, but who knows with Gretchen?
Aside from not getting top 2 at trials there’s nothing really preventing Douglass from swimming the 50 free at Worlds like she did in Doha.
really wonder how fast Weinstein can get this year. Afaik, she’s the second fastest 17 year old all-time (if you go by age at the end of the year) after only McIntosh. MOC and Ledecky were 1:55.11 and 1:55.16 respectively at the same age Claire was last summer
Ariarne Titmus was a 1:54.85 at 17
reread the comment, I went by age @ end of year. So basically the year – their birth year
Her trajectory did flatten out quite a lot last year only improving by 0.38. Can she steepen it again and go 1:53? Mollie’s yearly improvement didn’t drop below a second until she was swimming 1:52.
where did u find this
I would like to know as well.
Troyy is magic. He scrapes data and creates all these cool spreadsheets.
I love Meg Harris. She was motoring everyone down (except for Sarah) in the last 15m of her 50m Free.
Yang’s performance in the relay is too stable and excellent, which has been better than her performance in individual events.
51.96 in mixed medlay relay
52.11 in women medlay relay
52.48 in 400 freestlye relay (the first leg)
1:54.52 in 800 freestyle relay (the first leg)