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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

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#	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

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Swimming · Match Report

Adam Peaty suffers shock defeat in Commonwealth Games final

2026-07-26 · Adam Peaty

Swimming · Match Report

Adam Peaty wins bronze at Commonwealth Games but breaks down over gold pain

2026-07-26 · Adam Peaty

Swimming · Match Report

Adam Peaty Upstaged by Australian Superstar at Commonwealth Games

2026-07-25 · Adam Peaty

Swimming · Match Report

Adam Peaty eyes more medals as swimming finals loom at Commonwealth Games

2026-07-25 · Adam Peaty

All Swimming Athletes

22 total →

Adam Peaty

Breaststroke

8 Golds World Championships (LC)

United Kingdom

Ariarne Titmus

Freestyle

4 Olympic Gold Medals

Australia

Bobby Finke

Distance freesty

2 Olympic Gold Medals

United States

Caeleb Dressel

Butterfly, Frees

9 Olympic Gold Medals

5 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze Olympic Medals

Australia

Kaylee McKeown

Backstroke, Indi

5 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze Olympic Medals

Australia

Leon Marchand

Breaststroke, In

4 Gold, 1 Silver Olympic Medals

France

Mark Spitz

Butterfly, Frees

9 Olympic Gold Medals

5 Olympic Games Medals

2 Gold, 1 Silver Olympic Games Medals

China

Regan Smith

Backstroke, Butt

2 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze Olympic Medals

United States

Ryan Murphy

Backstroke

3 Olympic Gold Medals

Swimming 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.