Adam Peaty
Katinka Hosszu
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Adam Peaty leads 2 of 4 categories. Our all-time ranking places Adam Peaty at #9 and Katinka Hosszu at #10.
The case for Adam Peaty
The most dominant single-event swimmer of the modern era. Peaty transformed the 100m breaststroke, becoming the only man ever to break 57 seconds and setting the world record at 56.88 in 2019, a mark far ahead of the rest of history. He won Olympic gold in the 100m breaststroke at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, plus a mixed-relay gold, for three Olympic golds, and collected around eight world-championship titles. His 'Project 56' target became a byword for pushing a barrier thought unreachable. Between 2014 and 2021 he was undefeated in the 100m breaststroke at every major final, a streak of dominance rare in any sport. His combination of stroke rate and power rewrote what the event could be.
The case for Katinka Hosszu
The 'Iron Lady', the most prolific racer of her generation and the queen of the individual medley. Hosszu won three gold medals at the Rio 2016 Olympics, in the 200m IM, 400m IM and 100m backstroke, and set world records in the 200m IM (2:06.12) and 400m IM (4:26.36) that showcased her all-round mastery. She amassed around nine world-championship titles and built an unprecedented career on the World Cup circuit, racing dozens of events per season for prize money and points, hence her nickname. Where most stars pick a lane, Hosszu contested every stroke and distance, and her medley dominance across the 2010s, combining butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle at the highest level, made her one of the most versatile swimmers ever.