Swimming in Swimming World Championships |  | ||||
| 2024 |  | NZL | Erika Fairweather | |
| 2023 |  | AUS | Ariarne Titmus | |
| 2022 |  | USA | Katie Ledecky | |
| 2019 | | AUS | Ariarne Titmus | |
| 2017 | | USA | Katie Ledecky | |
| 2015 | | USA | Katie Ledecky | |
| 2013 | | USA | Katie Ledecky | |
| 2011 |  | ITA | Federica Pellegrini | |
| 2009 | | ITA | Federica Pellegrini | |
| 2007 |  | FRA | Laure Manaudou | |
| 2005 | | FRA | Laure Manaudou | |
| 2003 |  | GER | Hannah Stockbauer | |
| 2001 |  | UKR | Yana Klochkova | |
| 1998 |  | CHN | Chen Yan | |
| 1994 | | CHN | Yang Aihua | |
| 1991 | | USA | Janet Evans | |
| 1986 |  | GDR | Heike Friedrich | |
| 1982 | | GDR | Carmela Schmidt | |
| 1978 | | AUS | Tracey Wickham | |
| 1975 | | USA | Shirley Babashoff | |
| 1973 | | USA | Heather Greenwood | |