Swimming has been part of African Games since its inaugural edition in 1965 and has continued to feature prominently at the competition in each of its subsequent editions.
As of 2023:
All records were set in finals unless noted otherwise. All times are swum in a long-course (50m) pool.
Event
Time
Name
Nationality
Date
Meet
Location
Ref
50m freestyle
22.02
Ali Khalafalla
Egypt
13 March 2024
2023 African Games
Accra , Ghana
[ 2]
100m freestyle
48.97
Oussama Sahnoune
Algeria
21 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 3]
200m freestyle
1:47.77
Devon Brown
South Africa
6 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 4]
400m freestyle
3:48.06
Ahmed Akram
Egypt
9 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 5]
800m freestyle
7:55.36
Ahmed Akram
Egypt
7 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 6]
1500m freestyle
15:11.68
Ahmed Akram
Egypt
10 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 7]
50m backstroke
25.26
Mohamed Samy
Egypt
23 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 8]
100m backstroke
55.02
Abdellah Ardjoune
Algeria
24 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 9]
200m backstroke
1:59.03
Martin Binedell
South Africa
21 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 3]
50m breaststroke
27.18
Cameron van der Burgh
South Africa
7 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 10]
100m breaststroke
1:00.19
Cameron van der Burgh
South Africa
6 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 11]
200m breaststroke
2:14.21
Alaric Basson
South Africa
23 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 12]
50m butterfly
23.51
Chad le Clos
South Africa
8 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 13]
100m butterfly
51.24
Chad le Clos
South Africa
7 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 14]
200m butterfly
1:56.37
Chad le Clos
South Africa
9 September 2011
2011 All-Africa Games
Maputo , Mozambique
[ 15] [ 16]
200m individual medley
2:00.70
Chad le Clos
South Africa
10 September 2011
2011 All-Africa Games
Maputo , Mozambique
[ 17] [ 18]
400m individual medley
4:16.88
Chad le Clos
South Africa
6 September 2011
2011 All-Africa Games
Maputo , Mozambique
[ 19] [ 20]
4×100m freestyle relay
3:19.42
South Africa
8 September 2011
2011 All-Africa Games
Maputo , Mozambique
[ 21] [ 22]
4×200m freestyle relay
7:18.62
South Africa
8 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 23]
4×100m medley relay
3:40.24
South Africa
24 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 24]
Legend:
# – Record awaiting ratification by CANA ; WR – World record ; AF – African record ; Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial
Event
Time
Name
Nationality
Date
Meet
Location
Ref
50m freestyle
24.72
Farida Osman
Egypt
13 March 2024
2023 African Games
Accra , Ghana
[ 25]
100m freestyle
55.13
Erin Gallagher
South Africa
21 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 3]
200m freestyle
1:59.84
Karin Prinsloo
South Africa
6 September 2011
2011 All-Africa Games
Maputo , Mozambique
[ 19] [ 26]
400m freestyle
4:15.53
Melissa Corfe
South Africa
July 2007
2007 All-Africa Games
Algiers , Algeria
800m freestyle
8:43.89
Kirsty Coventry
Zimbabwe
July 2007
2007 All-Africa Games
Algiers , Algeria
1500m freestyle
16:47.61
Catherine van Rensburg
South Africa
9 March 2024
2023 African Games
Accra , Ghana
[ 27]
50m backstroke
28.76
Caitlin de Lange
South Africa
11 March 2024
2023 African Games
Accra , Ghana
[ 28]
100m backstroke
1:00.86
Kirsty Coventry
Zimbabwe
7 September 2011
2011 All-Africa Games
Maputo , Mozambique
[ 29]
200m backstroke
2:10.66
Kirsty Coventry
Zimbabwe
July 2007
2007 All-Africa Games
Algiers , Algeria
50m breaststroke
31.91
Simone Moll
South Africa
12 March 2024
2023 African Games
Accra , Ghana
[ 30]
100m breaststroke
1:07.58
Penny Heyns
South Africa
September 1999
1999 All-Africa Games
Johannesburg , South Africa
200m breaststroke
2:28.00
Penny Heyns
South Africa
September 1999
1999 All-Africa Games
Johannesburg , South Africa
50m butterfly
25.94
Farida Osman
Egypt
22 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 31]
100m butterfly
58.79
Farida Osman
Egypt
23 August 2019
2019 African Games
Casablanca , Morocco
[ 32]
200m butterfly
2:12.46
Mandy Loots
South Africa
10 September 2011
2011 All-Africa Games
Maputo , Mozambique
[ 17] [ 33]
200m individual medley
2:13.02
Kirsty Coventry
Zimbabwe
July 2007
2007 All-Africa Games
Algiers , Algeria
400m individual medley
4:39.91
Kirsty Coventry
Zimbabwe
July 2007
2007 All-Africa Games
Algiers , Algeria
4×100m freestyle relay
3:48.47
Egypt
12 March 2024
2023 African Games
Accra , Ghana
[ 34]
4×200m freestyle relay
8:20.28
South Africa
6 September 2015
2015 African Games
Brazzaville , Republic of the Congo
[ 35]
4×100m medley relay
4:10.90
South Africa
July 2007
2007 All-Africa Games
Algiers , Algeria
Legend:
# – Record awaiting ratification by CANA ; WR – World record ; AF – African record ; Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial
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