Swimming can consist of events over a long course which is in a 50-metre pool or a short course which is in a 25-metre pool.
Short course will usually see faster times due to being able to kick off the wall four times instead of two times in the long course.
Below are the top 10 fastest 100m freestyle times for both men and women over long course and short course.
Men's Fastest 100m Swimming Times Long Course
1. 46.86 seconds - David Popovici (Romania) - August 13, 2022 - Rome
2. 46.91 - César Cielo (Brazl) - July 30, 2009 - Rome
3. 46.94 - Alain Bernard (France)- April 29, 2009 - Montpellier
4. 46.96 - Caeleb Dressel (USA) - July 25, 2019 - Gwangju
5. 46.97 - Pan Zhanle (China) - September 24, 2023 - Hangzhou
6. 47.04 - Cameron McEvoy (Australia) - April 10, 2016 - Adelaide
7. 47.05 - Eamon Sullivan (Australia) - August 13, 2008 - Beijing
8. 47.08 - Kyle Chalmers (Australia) - July 25, 2019, Gwangju and July 29, 2021, Tokyo
9. 47.10 - James Magnussen (Australia) - March 19, 2012 - Adelaide
10. 47.11 - Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia) - July 28, 2021 - Tokyo
Women's Fastest 100m Swimming Times Long Course
1. 51.71 seconds - Sarah Sjöström (Sweden) - July 23, 2017 - Budapest
2. 51.96 - Emma McKeon (Australia) - July 30, 2021 - Tokyo
3. 52.02 - Siobhán Haughey (Hong Kong) - October 8, 2023 - Berlin
4. 52.03 - Cate Campbell (Australia) - August 10, 2018 - Tokyo
5. 52.04 - Simone Manuel (USA) - July 26, 2019 - Gwangju
6. 52.07 - Britta Steffen (Germany) - July 31, 2009 - Rome
7. 52.08 - Mollie O'Callaghan (Australia) - July 23, 2023 - Fukuoka
8. 52.27 - Bronte Campbell (Australia) - April 9, 2018 - Gold Coast
9. 52.28 - Shayna Jack (Australia) - July 23, 2023 - Fukuoka
10. 52.57 - Kate Douglass (USA) - June 28, 2023 - Indianapolis
Men's Fastest 100m Swimming Times Short Course
1. 44.84 seconds - Kyle Chalmers (Australia) - October 29, 2021 - Kazan
2. 44.94 - Amaury Leveaux (France) - December 13, 2008 - Rijeka
3. 44.95 - Vladimir Morozov (Russia) - November 16, 2018 - Singapore
4. 45.04 - Florent Manaudou (France) - December 5, 2013 - France
5. 45.08 - Nathan Adrian (USA) - December 19, 2009 - Great Britain
Caeleb Dressel (USA) - November 22, 2020 - Budapest
7. 45.36 - Evgeny Lagunov (Russia) - December 11, 2009 - Istanbul
8. 45.41 - Maxime Grousset (France) - December 14, 2022 - Melbourne
9. 45.46 - Matthew Abood (Australia) - November 21, 2009 - Singapore
10. 45.54 - Stefan Nystrand (Sweden) - November 10, 2009 - Stockholm
Women's Fastest 100m Swimming Times Short Course
1. 50.25 seconds - Cate Campbell (Australia) - October 26, 2017 - Australia
2. 50.58 - Sarah Sjöström (Sweden) - August 11, 2017 - Eindhoven
Emma McKeon (Australia) - October 3, 2021 - Budapest
4. 50.79 - Siobhán Haughey (Hong Kong) - December 4, 2021 - Eindhoven
5. 50.95 - Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Netherlands) - December 15, 2017 - Denmark
6. 51.01 - Libby Trickett (Australia) - August 11, 2009 - Australia
7. 51.16 - Béryl Gastaldello (France) - November 10, 2020 - Budapest
8. 51.19 - Fran Halsall (Great Britain) - November 22, 2009 - Singapore
9. 51.25 - Marrit Steenbergen (Netherlands) - December 15, 2022 - Melbourne
10. 51.26 - Abbey Weitzeil (USA) - November 10, 2020 - Budapest