GOAT Rank · 267

Greatest Swimmers of all time

This ranking is led by Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky and Therese Alshammar. GOAT Rank currently ranks 267 eligible swimmers using verified career records across dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Quick answer

According to GOAT Rank's current model, Michael Phelps ranks #1 on this list with a GOAT Score of 98.1.

How the GOAT Score is calculated →

#AthleteGOAT Score

101

Tom Dolan

83.1

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1993–2002
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Tom Dolan

102

Rebecca Soni

83.1

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2008–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 64.0

Athlete: Rebecca Soni

103

Ariarne Titmus

83.0

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2016–active
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Ariarne Titmus

104

Wang Shun

83.0

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2011–active
Country: 🇨🇳 China

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Wang Shun

105

Kate Douglass

83.0

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2019–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Kate Douglass

106

Chase Kalisz

83.0

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Chase Kalisz

107

Vladimir Bure

82.9

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1968–1976
Country: 🇷🇺 Russia

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Vladimir Bure

108

Ai Yanhan

82.9

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2014–active
Country: 🇨🇳 China

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Ai Yanhan

109

Emiliano Brembilla

82.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1993–2009
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 78.0
Longevity: 88.0

Athlete: Emiliano Brembilla

110

Pan Zhanle

82.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2021–active
Country: 🇨🇳 China

Peak: 96.0
Dominance: 88.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Pan Zhanle

111

Daiya Seto

82.7

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2012–active
Country: 🇯🇵 Japan

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Daiya Seto

112

Mike Bruner

82.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1975–1980
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 64.0

Athlete: Mike Bruner

113

Hannelore Anke

82.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1973–1977
Country: 🇩🇪 Germany

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Hannelore Anke

114

Molly Renshaw

82.5

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2012–2024
Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 84.0

Athlete: Molly Renshaw

115

Pär Arvidsson

82.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1976–1984
Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Pär Arvidsson

116

John Hencken

82.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1972–1976
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 86.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: John Hencken

117

Amy Van Dyken

82.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1994–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Amy Van Dyken

118

Kosuke Hagino

82.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2012–2021
Country: 🇯🇵 Japan

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Kosuke Hagino

119

Petra Schneider

82.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1978–1984
Country: 🇩🇪 East Germany

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Petra Schneider

120

Duncan Scott

82.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2016–active
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Duncan Scott

121

Thomas Ceccon

82.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2018–active
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Thomas Ceccon

122

Simona Quadarella

82.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2015–active
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Simona Quadarella

123

Gretchen Walsh

82.1

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2021–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 94.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 64.0

Athlete: Gretchen Walsh

124

Mike Burton

82.0

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1966–1972
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Mike Burton

125

Grant Brits

82.0

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2015–active
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Grant Brits

126

Missy Franklin

81.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2010–2018
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Missy Franklin

127

Brendan Hansen

81.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2000–2012
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 82.0

Athlete: Brendan Hansen

128

Robin Backhaus

81.8

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1971–1976
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Robin Backhaus

129

Summer McIntosh

81.7

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2019–active
Country: 🇨🇦 Canada

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 90.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 62.0

Athlete: Summer McIntosh

130

Elizabeth Beisel

81.7

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2007–2016
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Elizabeth Beisel

131

Stéphan Caron

81.7

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1985–1992
Country: 🇫🇷 France

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Stéphan Caron

132

Barbara Bedford

81.7

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1990–2000
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Barbara Bedford

133

Enith Brigitha

81.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1970–1980
Country: 🇳🇱 Netherlands

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Enith Brigitha

134

David Wilkie

81.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1970–1976
Country: 🇬🇧 Great Britain

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: David Wilkie

135

Gunnar Larsson

81.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1968–1974
Country: 🇸🇪 Sweden

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 84.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Gunnar Larsson

136

Brian Brinkley

81.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1970–1978
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Brian Brinkley

137

Michael Chadwick

81.6

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2013–2021
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Michael Chadwick

138

Libby Trickett

81.5

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2003–2012
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Libby Trickett

139

Ye Shiwen

81.5

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2010–2021
Country: 🇨🇳 China

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Ye Shiwen

140

Simone Manuel

81.5

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2015–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 72.0

Athlete: Simone Manuel

141

Sun Yang

81.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2008–2020
Country: 🇨🇳 China

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: Sun Yang

142

César Cielo

81.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2006–2016
Country: 🇧🇷 Brazil

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 82.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 70.0

Athlete: César Cielo

143

Bronte Barratt

81.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2006–2016
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 74.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 80.0

Athlete: Bronte Barratt

144

Ricky Berens

81.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2007–2014
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 88.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Ricky Berens

145

Xu Jiayu

81.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2013–active
Country: 🇨🇳 China

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 82.0
Longevity: 78.0

Athlete: Xu Jiayu

146

Torri Huske

81.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2019–active
Country: 🇺🇸 United States

Peak: 92.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 68.0

Athlete: Torri Huske

147

Nicolò Martinenghi

81.4

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2016–active
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 82.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 74.0

Athlete: Nicolò Martinenghi

148

Iona Anderson

81.3

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2021–active
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 90.0
Dominance: 80.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 86.0
Longevity: 66.0

Athlete: Iona Anderson

149

Dyana Calub

81.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 1996–2004
Country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 76.0
Statistics: 84.0
Honours: 84.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Dyana Calub

150

Kirsty Balfour

81.2

Sport: Swimming
Career: 2002–2009
Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Peak: 88.0
Dominance: 78.0
Statistics: 86.0
Honours: 80.0
Longevity: 76.0

Athlete: Kirsty Balfour

#	Athlete	Sport	Country	Career	GOAT Score
101	Tom Dolan	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1993–2002	83.1
102	Rebecca Soni	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2008–2012	83.1
103	Ariarne Titmus	Swimming	🇦🇺 Australia	2016–active	83.0
104	Wang Shun	Swimming	🇨🇳 China	2011–active	83.0
105	Kate Douglass	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2019–active	83.0
106	Chase Kalisz	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2013–active	83.0
107	Vladimir Bure	Swimming	🇷🇺 Russia	1968–1976	82.9
108	Ai Yanhan	Swimming	🇨🇳 China	2014–active	82.9
109	Emiliano Brembilla	Swimming	🇮🇹 Italy	1993–2009	82.8
110	Pan Zhanle	Swimming	🇨🇳 China	2021–active	82.8
111	Daiya Seto	Swimming	🇯🇵 Japan	2012–active	82.7
112	Mike Bruner	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1975–1980	82.6
113	Hannelore Anke	Swimming	🇩🇪 Germany	1973–1977	82.6
114	Molly Renshaw	Swimming	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England	2012–2024	82.5
115	Pär Arvidsson	Swimming	🇸🇪 Sweden	1976–1984	82.4
116	John Hencken	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1972–1976	82.4
117	Amy Van Dyken	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1994–2000	82.4
118	Kosuke Hagino	Swimming	🇯🇵 Japan	2012–2021	82.3
119	Petra Schneider	Swimming	🇩🇪 East Germany	1978–1984	82.3
120	Duncan Scott	Swimming	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	2016–active	82.3
121	Thomas Ceccon	Swimming	🇮🇹 Italy	2018–active	82.2
122	Simona Quadarella	Swimming	🇮🇹 Italy	2015–active	82.2
123	Gretchen Walsh	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2021–active	82.1
124	Mike Burton	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1966–1972	82.0
125	Grant Brits	Swimming	🇦🇺 Australia	2015–active	82.0
126	Missy Franklin	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2010–2018	81.8
127	Brendan Hansen	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2000–2012	81.8
128	Robin Backhaus	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1971–1976	81.8
129	Summer McIntosh	Swimming	🇨🇦 Canada	2019–active	81.7
130	Elizabeth Beisel	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2007–2016	81.7
131	Stéphan Caron	Swimming	🇫🇷 France	1985–1992	81.7
132	Barbara Bedford	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	1990–2000	81.7
133	Enith Brigitha	Swimming	🇳🇱 Netherlands	1970–1980	81.6
134	David Wilkie	Swimming	🇬🇧 Great Britain	1970–1976	81.6
135	Gunnar Larsson	Swimming	🇸🇪 Sweden	1968–1974	81.6
136	Brian Brinkley	Swimming	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1970–1978	81.6
137	Michael Chadwick	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2013–2021	81.6
138	Libby Trickett	Swimming	🇦🇺 Australia	2003–2012	81.5
139	Ye Shiwen	Swimming	🇨🇳 China	2010–2021	81.5
140	Simone Manuel	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2015–active	81.5
141	Sun Yang	Swimming	🇨🇳 China	2008–2020	81.4
142	César Cielo	Swimming	🇧🇷 Brazil	2006–2016	81.4
143	Bronte Barratt	Swimming	🇦🇺 Australia	2006–2016	81.4
144	Ricky Berens	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2007–2014	81.4
145	Xu Jiayu	Swimming	🇨🇳 China	2013–active	81.4
146	Torri Huske	Swimming	🇺🇸 United States	2019–active	81.4
147	Nicolò Martinenghi	Swimming	🇮🇹 Italy	2016–active	81.4
148	Iona Anderson	Swimming	🇦🇺 Australia	2021–active	81.3
149	Dyana Calub	Swimming	🇦🇺 Australia	1996–2004	81.2
150	Kirsty Balfour	Swimming	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	2002–2009	81.2

Compare the leaders

Michael Phelps vs Katie Ledecky

Read 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 methodology

Frequently asked questions

How is this ranking calculated?

Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.

Who is included?

According to GOAT Rank's current data model, only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible. Rank and score are read live.

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