In open water humans look like splashy, slow creatures compared with fish. But the fastest sprint swimmers can really move. In March 2026, Australian Cameron McEvoy set a new world record in the men’s 50-meter freestyle at 20.88 seconds. That works out to an average speed of about 5.3 mph - faster than most people walk. He broke César Cielo’s 17-year-old record of 20.91, set in the days when swimmers wore the now-banned full-body “super suits.”
For short bursts during the underwater dolphin kick at the start, swimmers can hit even higher speeds, brushing 6 mph. Their bodies stay long and narrow to slice through the water. The faster you go, the harder the water pushes back, so saving energy at every stroke matters.
Top swimmers do something strange with their hands. Instead of slicing through the water, they cup it loosely so a tiny whirlpool forms behind each palm. That swirling water sticks to the hand and gives them something firmer to push against - like pushing off the side of a small invisible pool with every stroke.
