Last Call for Answers: Who Is the Greatest Female Swimmer in History? Your Choice is Difficult
In some sports, selecting the greatest athlete in history is not a difficult task. Michael Phelps is the undisputed king of the pool, while Wayne Gretzky knows no peer on the ice. In other sports, debates can be held. On the basketball court, Michael Jordan might be the consensus choice, but Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James have their supporters. Who is the choice on the football field? Jim Brown? Joe Montana? Tom Brady? Someone else?
The point is, debate is part of sports and when it comes to choosing the greatest female swimmer in history, the decision is not as clear-cut as it is on the men’s side. An argument for the top spot can be made for several women – six to be precise – and Swimming World is hoping its readers will weigh in on the topic and provide some feedback.
Now, we could devise a poll to have this question answered, but the statistical data produced through that process would not allow for deeper input. So, we are asking readers to use the comments section to identify their picks for the greatest female swimmer in history and explain (briefly) their reasoning. To give the readers some options, here is an alphabetical list of the six women generally considered the best of the best. However, feel free to select someone else if you are guided in that direction.
- Tracy Caulkins
- Krisztina Egerszegi
- Janet Evans
- Dawn Fraser
- Shane Gould
- Katie Ledecky
Since this exercise is one that targets those with an appreciation of the sport, we are not including accomplishments. For one, we do not want to sway anyone by deciding what is and is not included for each individual’s career accolades. Second, we respect your knowledge and ability to research or contemplate what you already know.
So, put together a short argument for your favorite. We will let a few days pass, and once we have some comments, we will share a handful of the submitted selections and commentaries. Thanks for participating.
Tracy Caulkins hands down!
Why Molly? Can you give reasons for your pick? Thanks.
Tracy Caulkins. Most versatile and accomplished in a multitude of events.
She excelled at all for strokes plus the I M. She could Sprint and win at distance also. The boycott ruined her chances at Olympic excellence.
Mary T Meagher is not on the list- seriously?
I thought the same thing!!
It would have to be one that could swim any event at a qualification level. Shirley Babasholf could swim any freestyle event. Tough one.
Very surprised Natalie Coughlin name is not on the list 12 Olympic medals
Robert Fletcher agree but there’s only five. And four out of five I believe have more individual Olympic golds. And the fifth has the same amount plus set an American record in every stroke.
Brian Kremers
Katie Ledecky????
Arguements can be made for several individuals. Mary T’s fly records are outrageously amazing, but that is only one event. Tracy Caulkins accomplishments in all strokes and various distances certainly gets my vote. World, American, and U.S. Open records in all four strokes may never be equaled again. NUFF SAID!
Where is Mary T?!?!? Records that stood for nearly 2 decades.
Katie Ledecky is the ?! Not just in records, but in domination of those records.
Janet Evans. Her stroke was one coaches did not promote until she won using it. Then it became the norm. Do it right, it works. I admire game changers.
Janet Evans, many forget she could crush the 400 IM as well as the distance freestyles. Some of her records stood over 20 years. And… no fast suits back then.
Tracy Caulkins great in all strokes and missed out on opportunity to win medals at the boycotted Olympics in 1980. Also disadvantaged in the rankings due to more opportunities for longevity in the sport that current swimmers can benefit from.
Totally agree about Tracey Caulkins and the women who came before her
Dawn Fraser !!
Definitely Dawn Fraser. Winning 100m freestyle at three consecutive Olympics is something no other swimmer has been able to do. To be top for 12yrs is phenomenal!
Ledecky. Base it on breadth of her career, multiple outstanding Olympic and World Champs meet performances combined with year-to-year consistency, dominance of swims, and unmatched depth of historical top times in multiple events. She won 25 international gold medals in her first 27 international finals with more than a dozen world records. Almost a decade in, she is still putting up top times in the world in four events and has “eight-peated” internationally in the 800 Free.
Shane Gould. No more needs to be said!
Tracy Caulkins by a landslide
I would say Ledecky by a mile (no pun intended), and still rolling. Gould had an abbreviated career, of her own choosing, Caulkins admittedly had some inconsistent rough patches. Ledecky put Evans’ and other records deep in the rearview mirror and has been the most dominant female swimmer in the sport ever. By my count, she has only missed the top step of the podium three times internationally in individual events over nine years, swimming four different events in an era of specialization and greater participation. Five-time female World Swimmer of Year and four years in a row at one point; no one else has done that.
I think just based on 2014-2016 stretch alone, Ledecky is best ever. I saw her swims at Gold Coast Pan Pacs in 2014, greatest swims I have ever seen in-person and under worst conditions. Throw in four individual Oly gold, all the World Championships and records, don’t think it can be denied.
For me the choice would be between Tracy Caulkins and Katie Ledecky and I think I would have to pick Katie.
Tracy Caulkins
She could swim everything! I remember her breaking the American record in the 500 fr at East LA nationals and some ladies on our team saying why doesn’t she stick to her own events
Jenny Thompson! (Ledecky may surpass that as her career unfolds)
Dawn Fraser – winning 100 free at three consecutive Olympics & would have had a good chance of making it four, if she hadn’t been banned! At her first two Olympics there were only five women’s events – so not much chance of winning multiple medals. If there had been 50 free she would probably won another three gold medals.
By combining all of the same objective measures for women used to bestow acclaim on Phelps on the male side–Olympic and Worlds performance, World Records, individual intl victories/medals, top 25 LCM times, win percentage, length of career, dominance of victories measured by times, distance placed between top competitors and level of competition faced, intl event win repeats and consistency, World SOY awards–it’s Ledecky.
Debbie Meyer, holds the most individual world records. Won Nationals a few times in the 400 IM. Won gold in all events she swam in Olympics. Did this all with in 5 years of her national career.
Tracy Caulkins, at one point she held an American record in every stroke and nearly every distance. She was Phelps before Phelps. She won 12 NCAA titles in 3 years. She survived a boycott and swam into her 20s which was UNHEARD of in the 1980s. She is humble and was the torch bearer for the sport. Versatile, profilic and captain of the Olympic team.
Why isn’t Shirley Babashoff in the conversation? It’s been determined she was cheated out of many victories due to drug cheats?
Apples to oranges. Katie is the most dominant swimmer we’ve ever seen, and she’s not even done.
Agreed with things being apples to oranges, although I’m probably in the minority on this I’m still going with Krisztina Egerszegi but that’s also a bit bias growing up as part of Gen X I really enjoyed watching her compete as well as her poise and class. You’re spot on when it comes to Ledecky who has a lot of swimming ahead of her so my opinion might be different in 10 years. Always enjoy these debates and appreciate others thoughts.
Bjorn Samson I grew up watching her, as well!
It will be Katie. Janet holds the current title in my opinion.
Krisztina Egerszegi was very good. She was very youg éhen she got her first Olympic gold. She is a Legend. A Legend of Hungary.
Mary T’s records would STILL BE among the world’s fastest…. there was a recent video of a 200m fly that her last world record WOULD HAVE STILL WON, 35+ years later!
Federica Pellegrini
Where is Jenny Thompson? Shirley Babashoff?
Shane Gould, held every world freestyle record, 100 through 1500 and the world 200 IM record simultaneously
Shane Gould, held every world freestyle record, 100 through 1500 and the 200 IM world record simultaneously
Difficult… 1. Dawn Fraser; 2. Katie Ledecky; 3. Shane Gould and Tracy Caulkins; 5. Krsiztina Egerszegi…
Ergerszegi – One of the few to beat the East Germans.
Tracy could swim absolutely everything, anytime, any place!!! She’s an outstanding example for all.
Krisztina Egerszegi
Katie Ledecky. The level of competition/number of outstanding competitors/specialization she has had to face in her career–in a range of distances over the course of a decade–has been impressive. Even up to at least the late 1970s in age of Caulkins for example, an “international” swim meet might host 100 female swimmers total from ten countries to cover 14 events.
Krisztina Egerszegi
CAULKINS. No one matches her versatility. All strokes, all distances. How is this even a debate? Coughlin could be second. Kristin Otto up there too (Olympic medals in three strokes). No disrespect to other amazing women like Ledecky, Meagher, Egerzegy, Torres, Babashoff, Frasier, Thompson and others. But Caulkins, like Phelps, was next level.
Katie Ledecky. Ledecky can swim all four strokes too. But I imagine there are physical limits and meet-event considerations, and much greater international specialization now. Looking at objective facts, Ledecky twice broke the same American 400 IM SCY record that was held by Caulkins, in times that were seven seconds faster than Caulkins’ best (3:57 vs 4:04), so more than a suit differential there. When Caulkins first broke that record at 4:16, the prior record had been 4:20.
Katie Ledecky….is they best….crear performance.
Yana Klochkova
Tracy Caulkins, by far.
Dara Torres…. 12 Olympics records 5 Olympis and made it on the team as a mom at 41 years old. Being a former sprinter, she was my idol!!
Not a difficult choice. Ledecky. I mean, c’mon, you are just transparently trying to stoke interest in swim pioneers because of ISHOF and its renovations but show some respeck to the Ledeck.
Ledecky. As obvious as Phelps. Combined 15 Olympic and World LCM individual event titles and LCM WRs 14 times while in high school and college and laying waste to NCAA record book in ultra-competitive female international and collegiate era (think just for starters, Sjostrom, Hosszu, Pellegrini, Coughlin, Franklin, Schmitt, Soni, Vollmer, Manuel, Oleksiak, Campbells, McKeon, Adlington, Friis, Ziegler, Hoff, DiRado, King, Beisel, Baker, R. Smith, L. Smith, Yefimova, Kromowidjojo, Belmonte, Shiwen–and you could name two dozen more superstars and potential future ISHOFers). That Ledecky has been a female record five-time World Swimmer of Year and a consecutive six-time American Swimmer of Year (record for male or female) among this group and this expanded era of competition (more countries, more swimmers) speaks volumes.
Ledecky for me. For almost ten years now, she has raced remarkable competitors (and the clock) in a range of distances, and with her quiet, thoughtful and intelligent manner, has re-written what is possible and imaginable in the sport in a most inspiring and uplifting way. Bravo Dexter! Bravo!
Nothing easier to answer, Krisztina Egerszegi