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World and Olympic Records

World records and Olympic records set by South African swimmers. Karen Muir set 18 World records between 1965 and 1969, and Penny Heyns set 12. Roland Schoeman and Cameron van der Burgh have both set 9 world records.

At the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, the South African men's team set an new world record in winning the 4x100 freestyle relay. 

Olympic Records

DateTimeEventSwimmerVenue
September 1, 1960 1:12,0 100m backstroke Laura Ranwell Rome
July 23, 1996 2:26,63 200m breaststroke Penny Heyns Atlanta
July 23, 1996 2:25,40 200m breaststroke Penny Heyns Atlanta
July 28, 2012 58,83 100m breaststroke Cameron van der Burgh London

World Records

DateTimeEventSwimmerVenue
July 9, 1960 1:11,1 110yds backstroke Natalie Steward (UK) Blackpool
September 24, 1960 1:11,0 110yds backstroke Natalie Steward (UK) Blackpool
August 10, 1965 1:08,7 110yds backstroke Karen Muir Blackpool
February 21, 1966 1:08,6 110yds backstroke Ann Fairlie Kimberley
February 26, 1966 1:08,3 110yds backstroke Karen Muir Durban
March 1, 1966 1:08,0 110yds backstroke Karen Muir Durban
July 23, 1966 01:07.4 100m backstroke Ann Fairlie Béziers
July 25, 1966 02:27.1 200m backstroke Karen Muir Béziers
August 18, 1966 02:26.4 200m backstroke Karen Muir Lincoln
August 25, 1966 2:28,2 220yds backstroke Karen Muir Vancouver
August 26, 1966 1:07,9 110yds backstroke Ann Fairlie Vancouver
August 28, 1966 2:32,0 220yds individual medley Karen Muir Vancouver
January 28, 1967 2:27,7 220yds backstroke Karen Muir Pretoria
July 22, 1967 1:07,5 110yds backstroke Karen Muir Coventry
January 26, 1968 2:24,1 220yds backstroke Karen Muir Kimberley
January 26, 1968 2:24,1 200m backstroke Karen Muir Kimberley
January 30, 1968 01:06.7 110yds backstroke Karen Muir Kimberley
January 30, 1968 01:06.7 100m backstroke Karen Muir Kimberley
January 21, 1969 05:21,2 440yds medley Karen Muir Kimberley
March 1, 1969 05:20,2 440yds medley Karen Muir Cape Town
April 6, 1968 01:06.4 100m backstroke Karen Muir Paris
January 6, 1968 02:24.1 200m backstroke Karen Muir Kimberley
July 21, 1968 02:23.8 200m backstroke Karen Muir Los Angeles
July 6, 1969 01:05.6 100m backstroke Karen Muir Utrecht
August 14, 1976 49.44 100m freestyle Jonty Skinner Philadelphia
August 14, 1976 23.86 50m freestyle (100 split) Jonty Skinner Philadelphia
April 10, 1988 22.18 100m freestyle Peter Williams Indianapolis
March 4, 1996 01:07.5 100m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Durban
September 26, 1999 30.60 50m breaststroke  SC Penelope Heyns Durban
September 5, 199 1:05,57 100m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Johannesburg
September 26, 1999 1:05,40  100m breaststroke SC Penelope Heyns Durban
August 1, 1998 30.95 50m breaststroke (100 split) Penelope Heyns New York
August 29, 1999 30.83 50m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Sydney
July 21, 1996 01:07.0 100m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Atlanta
July 18, 1999 01:07.0 100m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Los Angeles
July 18, 1999 01:06.9 100m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Los Angeles
August 23, 1999 01:06.5 100m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Sydney, Australia
July 17, 1999 02:24.7 200m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Los Angeles
July 17, 1999 02:24.5 200m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Los Angeles
August 26, 1999 02:24.4 200m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Sydney
August 27, 1999 02:23.6 200m breaststroke Penelope Heyns Sydney
March 23, 2000 21.31 50m freestyle SC Roland Schoeman Minneapolis
August 12, 2006 20.98 50m freestyle SC Roland Schoeman Hamburg
September 7, 2008 20.64 50m freestyle SC Roland Schoeman Germiston
August 8, 2009 20.30 50m freestyle SC Roland Schoeman Pietermaritzburg
January 22, 2005 46.25 100m freestyle SC Roland Schoeman Berlin
August 15, 2004 03:13.2 4 x 100 m freestyle relay   Athens
  48.17   Roland Schoeman  
  48.13   Lyndon Ferns  
  48.96   Darian Townsend  
  47.91   Ryk Neethling  
January 18, 2005 52.51 100m IM SC Roland Schoeman Stockholm
January 22, 2005 52.11 100m IM SC Ryk Neethling Berlin
January 26, 2005 52.01 100m IM SC Ryk Neethling Moscow
February 11, 2005 51.52 100m IM SC Ryk Neethling East Meadow, NY
November 15, 2009 1:51,55 200m IM SC Darian Townsend Berlin
November 22, 2009 4:22,80 400 IM SC Kathryn Meaklim Singapore
July 24, 2005 23.01 50m butterfly Roland Schoeman Montreal
July 25, 2005 22.96 50m butterfly Roland Schoeman Montreal
November 8, 2008 26.08 50m breststroke SC Cameron van der Burgh Moscow
November 11, 2008 25.94 50m breststroke SC Cameron van der Burgh Stockholm
April 18, 2009 27.06 50m breaststroke Cameron van der Burgh Durban
July 28, 2009 26.74 50m breaststroke Cameron van der Burgh Rome
July 29, 2009 26.67 50m breaststroke Cameron van der Burgh Rome
August 8, 2009 25.43 50m breaststroke SC Cameron van der Burgh Pietermaritzburg
August 9, 2009 55.99 100m breststroke SC Cameron van der Burgh Pietermaritzburg
November 15, 2009 55.61 100m breastsroke Cameron van der Burgh Berlin
July 29, 2012 58,46 100m breaststroke Cameron van der Burgh London
November 7, 2009 1:47.08 200m backstroke George du Randt Moscow
December 4, 2014 48.44 100m butterfly SC Chad le Clos Doha
December 8, 2016 48.04 100m butterfly SC Chad le Clos Windsor, Canada
August 7, 2013 1:49,04 200m butterfly SC Chad le Clos Eindhoven
November 5, 2013 1:48,56 200m butterfly SC Chad le Clos Singapore