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Swimming
Swimming is the Olympic pool's blue-riband sport, where hundredths of a second separate legend from also-swam. Its greatest names have delivered some of the most dominant performances in Olympic history. Years of brutal training are cashed in over races that last barely minutes. 22 swimming stars covered daily. See also the greatest swimming athletes of all time.
22Athletes tracked
$258MCombined net worth
DailyNews & updates
Net Worth Leaderboard
Full ranking →| # | Athlete | Country | Position | Net worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Phelps | United States | Butterfly, Individual Medley, Freestyle | $100M |
| 2 | Ryan Murphy | United States | Backstroke | $100M |
| 3 | Mark Spitz | United States | Butterfly, Freestyle | $8M |
| 4 | Sarah Sjostrom | Sweden | Butterfly, Freestyle, Backstroke | $8M |
| 5 | Ian Thorpe | Australia | Freestyle | $6M |
| 6 | Caeleb Dressel | United States | Butterfly, Freestyle | $5M |
Latest Swimming News
All →
Swimming · Player Focus
Michael Phelps Reveals $20K World Record Deal with Mom That Changed His Career
Swimming · Player Focus
Adam Peaty Races Against Kids in Viral Pool Challenge-Watch the Speed
Swimming · Club News
Kaylee McKeown Wins Women's 200-Meter Backstroke at 2025 World Aquatics Championships
Swimming · Career
Regan Smith's Rise to Backstroke Dominance
All Swimming Athletes
22 total →Adam Peaty
8 Golds World Championships (LC)
United Kingdom
Ariarne Titmus
4 Olympic Gold Medals
Australia
Bobby Finke
2 Olympic Gold Medals
United States
Caeleb Dressel
9 Olympic Gold Medals
United States
Cesar Cielo
3 Olympic Medals
Brazil
Chad le Clos
4 Olympic Medals
South Africa
Emma McKeon
14 Olympic Medals
Australia
Federica Pellegrini
2 Olympic Medals
Italy
Gretchen Walsh
2 Olympic Medals
United States
Ian Thorpe
5 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze Olympic Medals
AustraliaKaylee McKeown
5 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze Olympic Medals
Australia
Leon Marchand
4 Gold, 1 Silver Olympic Medals
France
Mark Spitz
9 Olympic Gold Medals
United StatesMichael Phelps
28 Olympic Medals
United States
Missy Franklin
5 Olympic Medals
United States
Mollie O'Callaghan
5 Olympic Games Medals
Australia
Nathan Adrian
8 Olympic Medals
United States
Pan Zhanle
2 Gold, 1 Silver Olympic Games Medals
ChinaRegan Smith
2 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze Olympic Medals
United States
Ryan Murphy
3 Olympic Gold Medals
United States
Sarah Sjostrom
6 Olympic Medals
Sweden
Torri Huske
5 Olympic Medals
United StatesSwimming FAQ
Who is the greatest swimmer of all time?
Michael Phelps is the near-universal answer, as the most decorated Olympian in history. Among current and recent swimmers, names like Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel lead their own generational debates.
What are the four swimming strokes?
Freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Medley events combine all four, testing a swimmer's versatility across every discipline.
How do swimmers earn money?
Most income comes from sponsorship and national funding rather than prize money, which is modest compared with mainstream professional sport. Only the biggest Olympic stars build significant wealth from the pool.
Why do swimmers taper before big meets?
Tapering means sharply reducing training load in the weeks before a major competition so the body arrives fresh and explosive. Getting the taper right is considered one of the dark arts of the sport.
Know the Language
Individual medleyA race combining all four strokes in a set order, the ultimate test of all-round swimming.
SplitThe time recorded for one segment of a race, used to judge pacing and relay legs.
TaperThe planned reduction in training before a major meet, designed to peak at exactly the right moment.
Long courseCompetition in a fifty-metre pool, the Olympic standard, as opposed to short course in a twenty-five-metre pool.
TouchpadThe electronic panel at the end of each lane that stops the clock, deciding races by hundredths.