Swimming 100m is a great way to measure your progress as a swimmer. For beginners, the average time to swim 100m is between 2 and 3 minutes. This can vary depending on the individual’s swimming ability and technique.
According to USA Swimming, more advanced swimmers typically finish a 100m race in around 50 seconds. This is based on the times achieved by Olympic swimmers such as Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky, who have both finished the distance in under 50 seconds.
However, this doesn’t take into account age, gender or swimming style like freestyle, breaststroke or backstroke. This article divides deep into the data for each swimming method for by age and gender.
Table of Contents
Average Time to Swim 100m Freestyle For Males
A male can swim 100m in an average time of 02:45 using a freestyle or front crawl swimming method. More advanced swimmers can swim 100m around 01:30 with professional swimmers reaching a time of around 50 seconds or less.
| Age | Average Time to Swim 100m Male |
| 15 -20 | 02:29 |
| 20-25 | 02:10 |
| 25-30 | 02:16 |
| 30-35 | 02:21 |
| 35-40 | 02:26 |
| 40-45 | 02:31 |
| 45-50 | 02:50 |
| 50-55 | 02:56 |
| 55-60 | 03:03 |
| 60-65 | 03:10 |
💡Struggling with stubborn weight that won’t budge? Tired of yo-yo diets and empty promises? Say goodbye to past failures and hello to guaranteed success with our fail-proof, personalised calorie plans! Uncover scientifically-backed strategies that make weight loss effortless, helping you shed up to 24 pounds in just 12 weeks. This isn’t a fad; it’s a lifestyle transformation. Don’t miss out—your journey to a slimmer, more confident you is just one click away!
Check out my big swim data analytics that contains every swimming distance by age and gender in a full comparison table for beginners and intermediates. You can compare your swim average times against every distance in your age and ability group.
Average Time to Swim 100m Freestyle For Females
A female can swim 100m in an average time of 03:06 using a freestyle or front crawl swimming method. More advanced swimmers can swim 100m around 02:15. This depends on the age, ability and fitness level of the swimmer.
| Age | Average Time to Swim 100m Female |
| 15 -20 | 02:51 |
| 20-25 | 02:34 |
| 25-30 | 02:41 |
| 30-35 | 02:43 |
| 35-40 | 02:44 |
| 40-45 | 02:47 |
| 45-50 | 02:53 |
| 50-55 | 03:01 |
| 55-60 | 03:11 |
| 60-65 | 03:35 |
What is The World Record 100m Freestyle Swim Time?
The current world record for men in this event is held by David Popovici of Romania, who set a new record of 46.86 seconds at the European Championships in Rome in 2022. For women, Libby Trickett of Australia holds the world record with a time of 52.88 seconds, which she achieved in 2019.
Swimming records are constantly being broken as athletes strive to push their limits and reach new heights. This is especially true for the 100m freestyle, where swimmers have been able to shave off fractions of a second from their times over the years.
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has been recognising world records since 1905, so it’s likely that we’ll see even faster times in the future, this could be you.
Average Time to Swim 100m Breaststroke For Males
A male can swim 100m breaststroke in an average time of 02:53. More advanced swimmers can swim 100m breaststroke around 01:38 with professional swimmers reaching a time of around 60 seconds or less.
| Age | Average Time to Swim 100m Male |
| 15 -20 | 02:37 |
| 20-25 | 02:18 |
| 25-30 | 02:24 |
| 30-35 | 02:29 |
| 35-40 | 02:34 |
| 40-45 | 02:39 |
| 45-50 | 02:58 |
| 50-55 | 03:04 |
| 55-60 | 03:11 |
| 60-65 | 03:18 |
Average Time to Swim 100m Breaststroke For Females
A female can swim 100m breaststroke in an average time of 03:14. More advanced swimmers can swim 100m breaststroke around 02:23. This depends on the age, ability and fitness level of the swimmer.
| Age | Average Time to Swim 100m Female |
| 15 -20 | 02:59 |
| 20-25 | 02:40 |
| 25-30 | 02:49 |
| 30-35 | 02:51 |
| 35-40 | 02:52 |
| 40-45 | 02:55 |
| 45-50 | 03:01 |
| 50-55 | 03:09 |
| 55-60 | 03:19 |
| 60-65 | 03:43 |
What is The World Record 100m Breaststroke Swim Time?
Adam Peaty holds the current world record for the men’s 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 56.88 seconds, achieved at the 18th FINA World Championships 2019 in Gwangju. For women, Ruta Meilutyte holds the world record with a time of 01:04.35, set at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona.
The fastest short course 100 metres breaststroke swim by a male is 55.28 seconds, achieved by Ilya Shymanovich (Belarus) on 26 November 2021. The fastest short course 100 metres breaststroke swim by a female is 01:02.36, achieved by Rikke Møller Pedersen (Denmark) on 25 August 2018.
Average Time to Swim 100m Backstroke For Males
A beginner male can swim 100m backstroke in an average time of 02:49. More advanced swimmers can swim 100m around 01:35 with professional swimmers reaching a time of around 55 seconds or less.
| Age | Average Time to Swim 100m Male |
| 15 -20 | 02:33 |
| 20-25 | 02:14 |
| 25-30 | 02:20 |
| 30-35 | 02:25 |
| 35-40 | 02:30 |
| 40-45 | 02:35 |
| 45-50 | 02:55 |
| 50-55 | 03:01 |
| 55-60 | 03:08 |
| 60-65 | 03:14 |
Average Time to Swim 100m Backstroke For Females
A beginner female can swim 100m backstroke in an average time of 03:10. More advanced swimmers can swim 100m around 02:19. This depends on the age, ability and fitness level of the swimmer.
| Age | Average Time to Swim 100m Female |
| 15 -20 | 02:55 |
| 20-25 | 02:39 |
| 25-30 | 02:45 |
| 30-35 | 02:47 |
| 35-40 | 02:49 |
| 40-45 | 02:51 |
| 45-50 | 02:57 |
| 50-55 | 03:05 |
| 55-60 | 03:15 |
| 60-65 | 03:39 |
What is The World Record 100m Backstroke Swim Time?
The current world record for the 100m backstroke swim time is 51.60 seconds for males and 56.15 seconds for females. The male record was set by Thomas Ceccon of Italy at the 2022 FINA World Championships, while the female record was set by Shiho Sakai of Japan in 2009.
Recently, Coleman Stewart broke the American short-course record in the men’s 100-meter backstroke with a time of 48.91 seconds at the 2021 ISL season on Sunday. This was followed by his world record breaking performance of 48.33 seconds in the same event.
Other Swimming Distances You Might Find Helpful
Average Time to Swim 100m Summary
Swimming is a great way to stay fit and healthy, and it’s an activity that anyone can enjoy. For most beginners, the average time to swim 100m freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke is around 2:30 minutes. However, this time can vary depending on the individual’s swimming ability and experience.
For males, the average time for the 100m freestyle is between 2-3 minutes; for breaststroke it is between 2:30-3:40; and for backstroke it is between 2:35-3:45. For females, the average time for the 100m freestyle is between 2:00-3:20; for breaststroke it is between 2:30-3:50; and for backstroke it is between 2:15-3:35.
It’s important to remember that these are just averages – some swimmers may be faster or slower than these times. With practice and dedication, swimmers can improve their speed over time.
