- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1996–2004
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
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
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2001–2012
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2000–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1971–1973
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 46.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2010–active
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 72.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2000–2016
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1968–1974
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1974–1980
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1985–1992
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2014–2024
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2009–2022
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1979–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 64.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2009–2022
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1986–1992
- Country
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2006–2018
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2006–2013
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1978–1984
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 68.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2006–2016
- Country
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1994–2004
- Country
- 🇫🇷 France
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2005–2017
- Country
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1984–1992
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1992–2008
- Country
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 76.0
- Longevity
- 88.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2008–2016
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2011–2018
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 74.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1976–1984
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2013–2021
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 68.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2019–active
- Country
- 🇮🇪 Ireland
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 64.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2014–active
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- 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
- 2018–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2003–2016
- Country
- 🇷🇸 Serbia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1992–2000
- Country
- 🇷🇺 Russia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1986–1993
- Country
- 🇸🇷 Suriname
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2010–2016
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2010–2021
- Country
- 🇭🇺 Hungary
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1972–1980
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2017–active
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 56.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2022–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 60.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2019–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- 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
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2018–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1954–1960
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 1974–1980
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 72.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2019–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2019–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 68.0
- Sport
- Swimming
- Career
- 2009–2023
- Country
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 76.0
- Statistics
- 80.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 82.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | Lindsay Benko | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1996–2004 | 81.1 |
| 152 | Simon Bucher | Swimming | 🇦🇹 Austria | 2017–active | 81.1 |
| 153 | Alessandro Calvi | Swimming | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2001–2012 | 81.1 |
| 154 | Kristóf Milák | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 2016–active | 80.9 |
| 155 | Dana Vollmer | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2000–2016 | 80.9 |
| 156 | Shane Gould | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1971–1973 | 80.9 |
| 157 | Charlotte Bonnet | Swimming | 🇫🇷 France | 2010–active | 80.9 |
| 158 | Frédérick Bousquet | Swimming | 🇫🇷 France | 2000–2016 | 80.9 |
| 159 | Novella Calligaris | Swimming | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1968–1974 | 80.9 |
| 160 | Joe Bottom | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1980 | 80.9 |
| 161 | Jens-Peter Berndt | Swimming | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1985–1992 | 80.8 |
| 162 | Yui Ohashi | Swimming | 🇯🇵 Japan | 2014–2024 | 80.7 |
| 163 | Boglárka Kapás | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 2009–2022 | 80.5 |
| 164 | Craig Beardsley | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–1984 | 80.5 |
| 165 | Holly Barratt | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2009–2022 | 80.4 |
| 166 | Frank Baltrusch | Swimming | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1986–1992 | 80.4 |
| 167 | Jazmin Carlin | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2006–2018 | 80.3 |
| 168 | Stephanie Rice | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2006–2013 | 80.3 |
| 169 | Rowdy Gaines | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1978–1984 | 80.3 |
| 170 | Jakob Andkjær | Swimming | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 2006–2016 | 80.3 |
| 171 | Romain Barnier | Swimming | 🇫🇷 France | 1994–2004 | 80.3 |
| 172 | Lauren Boyle | Swimming | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 2005–2017 | 80.2 |
| 173 | Pablo Morales | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1984–1992 | 80.2 |
| 174 | Lars Frölander | Swimming | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1992–2008 | 80.2 |
| 175 | Alicia Coutts | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2008–2016 | 80.1 |
| 176 | Jessica Ashwood | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2011–2018 | 80.0 |
| 177 | Gary Abraham | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1976–1984 | 80.0 |
| 178 | Kathleen Baker | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2013–2021 | 79.9 |
| 179 | Daniel Wiffen | Swimming | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 2019–active | 79.9 |
| 180 | James Guy | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 2014–active | 79.9 |
| 181 | Alexander Dale Oen | Swimming | 🇳🇴 Norway | 2003–2012 | 79.9 |
| 182 | Coby Carrozza | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2018–active | 79.9 |
| 183 | Milorad Čavić | Swimming | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 2003–2016 | 79.8 |
| 184 | Denis Pankratov | Swimming | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1992–2000 | 79.8 |
| 185 | Anthony Nesty | Swimming | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 1986–1993 | 79.7 |
| 186 | Cammile Adams | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2010–2016 | 79.7 |
| 187 | Richárd Bohus | Swimming | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 2010–2021 | 79.6 |
| 188 | Rômulo Arantes | Swimming | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 1972–1980 | 79.6 |
| 189 | Kaylee McKeown | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2017–active | 79.5 |
| 190 | Jack Alexy | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2022–active | 79.5 |
| 191 | Hunter Armstrong | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2019–active | 79.5 |
| 192 | Adrian Moorhouse | Swimming | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1982–1992 | 79.5 |
| 193 | Javier Acevedo | Swimming | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2014–active | 79.5 |
| 194 | Shaine Casas | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2018–active | 79.3 |
| 195 | Jon Henricks | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 1954–1960 | 79.2 |
| 196 | Deborah Babashoff | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 1974–1980 | 79.2 |
| 197 | Katharine Berkoff | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2019–active | 79.1 |
| 198 | Jack Cartwright | Swimming | 🇦🇺 Australia | 2016–active | 79.1 |
| 199 | Jack Aikins | Swimming | 🇺🇸 United States | 2019–active | 79.1 |
| 200 | Bruno Fratus | Swimming | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2009–2023 | 79.0 |
Compare the leaders
Michael Phelps vs Katie LedeckyRead 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?
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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