No Americans Broke A World Record In 2023, The First Time In 78 Years
By Daniel Takata on SwimSwam
In 2023, at least in long course meters, we saw more world records than in any other year since the hi-tech suits were banned in 2010. There were 17 LCM world records last year – and one more in short course meters.
However, none of these records were set by a swimmer from the United States. Which is rare. In comparison, in 2022, there were seven records set by U.S. swimmers—one in long course and six in short course.
When was the last time we had a year without world records from U.S. swimmers?
If we consider long and short course meters, it’s been a while, a long while. In fact, this has never occurred since World Aquatics began recognizing world records only in metric measurements in 1957. Before that, 1945 was the last year that ended without world records for swimmers from the United States. Which means nearly eight decades.
World Records Set by U.S. Swimmers Annually Since 1945
Year
Total
LCM
SCM
1945
0
0
0
1946
2
2
0
1947
2
2
0
1948
6
6
0
1949
2
2
0
1950
3
3
0
1951
2
2
0
1952
1
1
0
1953
1
1
0
1954
4
4
0
1955
2
2
0
1956
7
7
0
1957
3
3
0
1958
8
8
0
1959
13
13
0
1960
23
23
0
1961
28
28
0
1962
18
18
0
1963
14
14
0
1964
40
40
0
1965
6
6
0
1966
14
14
0
1967
46
46
0
1968
33
33
0
1969
9
9
0
1970
16
16
0
1971
18
18
0
1972
34
34
0
1973
7
7
0
1974
17
17
0
1975
16
16
0
1976
24
24
0
1977
4
4
0
1978
14
14
0
1979
8
8
0
1980
8
8
0
1981
6
6
0
1982
5
5
0
1983
8
8
0
1984
8
8
0
1985
4
4
0
1986
3
3
0
1987
5
5
0
1988
12
12
0
1989
5
5
0
1990
3
3
0
1991
4
4
0
1992
9
8
1
1993
5
0
5
1994
1
1
0
1995
3
1
2
1996
2
1
1
1997
3
0
3
1998
2
0
2
1999
9
4
5
2000
20
5
15
2001
7
5
2
2002
15
4
11
2003
12
11
1
2004
21
11
10
2005
4
4
0
2006
10
7
3
2007
18
14
4
2008
34
23
11
2009
31
16
15
2010
2
0
2
2011
3
1
2
2012
7
5
2
2013
12
4
8
2014
6
5
1
2015
6
4
2
2016
5
4
1
2017
6
6
0
2018
7
2
5
2019
6
5
1
2020
5
0
5
2021
4
2
2
2022
7
1
6
2023
0
0
0
In long course meters, the last time was in 2020. In the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the only world record set was in the 4 x 100 mixed medley relay by China. But, in short course meters, U.S. swimmers broke five records that year in the International Swimming League (ISL)
In short course, there were no records set by U.S. swimmers in 2017. However, that year saw six world records broken by U.S. swimmers in long course.
The last time there were no world records set in men’s events by swimmers from the United States was in 2017. Among women, it last happened in 2010.
Another interesting fact: since World Aquatics started recognizing world records in 1908, the year it was founded, in every Olympic year there have been U.S. swimmers breaking world records. With there being no world records in 2023, will this streak be broken in 2024?
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