- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
GOAT Rank · 30
Greatest Swimming Breaststroke of all time
This ranking uses verified career records and GOAT Rank's published model. Every listed athlete clears the data eligibility threshold.
#AthleteGOAT Score
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2002–2022
- Country
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 92.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1998–2012
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1999–2016
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2016–2024
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1988–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇱🇹 Lithuania
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇨🇳 China
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2004–2016
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2008–2012
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 64.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1973–1977
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2012–2024
- Country
- 🏴 England
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1972–1976
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2000–2012
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1970–1976
- Country
- 🇬🇧 Great Britain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 68.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2002–2009
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2003–2012
- Country
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1982–1992
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2014–active
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1988–1998
- Country
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 72.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 72.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1978–1986
- Country
- 🇷🇺 Russia
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2019–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1998–2004
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 70.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2019–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2003–2012
- Country
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 68.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1976–1980
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 72.0
- Statistics
- 74.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2007–2013
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 80.0
- Dominance
- 62.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 70.0
- Longevity
- 64.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Adam Peaty | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2012–— | 88.7 |
| 32 | Lilly King | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2016–— | 87.1 |
| 48 | Alia Atkinson | Swimming | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 2002–2022 | 86.4 |
| 54 | Leisel Jones | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1998–2012 | 85.8 |
| 58 | Kosuke Kitajima | Swimming | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1999–2016 | 85.5 |
| 59 | Tatjana Smith | Swimming | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 2016–2024 | 85.5 |
| 67 | Mike Barrowman | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1988–1992 | 85 |
| 71 | Rūta Meilutytė | Swimming | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 2012–— | 84.7 |
| 90 | Qin Haiyang | Swimming | 🇨🇳 China | 2017–— | 83.6 |
| 93 | Dániel Gyurta | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 2004–2016 | 83.5 |
| 102 | Rebecca Soni | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2008–2012 | 83.1 |
| 113 | Hannelore Anke | Swimming | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1973–1977 | 82.6 |
| 114 | Molly Renshaw | Swimming | 🏴 England | 2012–2024 | 82.5 |
| 116 | John Hencken | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1972–1976 | 82.4 |
| 127 | Brendan Hansen | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2000–2012 | 81.8 |
| 134 | David Wilkie | Swimming | 🇬🇧 Great Britain | 1970–1976 | 81.6 |
| 147 | Nicolò Martinenghi | Swimming | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2016–— | 81.4 |
| 150 | Kirsty Balfour | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2002–2009 | 81.2 |
| 181 | Alexander Dale Oen | Swimming | 🇳🇴 Norway | 2003–2012 | 79.9 |
| 192 | Adrian Moorhouse | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1982–1992 | 79.5 |
| 205 | Ippei Watanabe | Swimming | 🇯🇵 Japan | 2014–— | 78.8 |
| 210 | Brigitte Becue | Swimming | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 1988–1998 | 78.6 |
| 228 | Sophie Angus | Swimming | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2016–— | 77.8 |
| 230 | Yuliya Bogdanova | Swimming | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1978–1986 | 77.5 |
| 243 | Lydia Jacoby | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2019–— | 76.2 |
| 244 | Zoë Baker | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1998–2004 | 76.1 |
| 247 | Simone Cerasuolo | Swimming | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2019–— | 75.8 |
| 248 | Mike Brown | Swimming | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2003–2012 | 75.7 |
| 259 | Duncan Goodhew | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1976–1980 | 73.9 |
| 267 | Kasey Carlson | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2007–2013 | 70.3 |
Compare the leaders
Adam Peaty vs Lilly KingRead the full methodology
Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.
Read the full methodologyFrequently asked questions
How is this ranking calculated?
Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Who is included?
Only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible.
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