Competitive swimming

Competitive swimming is a sport where people race through water using their whole body. Swimmers can compete alone or as part of a team. The races take place in pools or in open water, such as a sea or lake. Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports.

Swimmers take part in races of different lengths in five main styles: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and the individual medley, which uses all four strokes. Four swimmers can also share a relay, in either a freestyle or a medley relay. In a medley relay, each of the four swimmers swims a different stroke, in the order backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle.

Each stroke needs its own special techniques. Competitions have rules about how each stroke must be swum. They also have rules about what swimmers may wear, such as swimsuits, caps, jewelry, and injury tape. Swimming is good for your health, but competitive swimmers can sometimes get injuries, such as tendinopathy in their shoulders or knees.

For the general article on human movement in the water, see Swimming. "Swimmer" redirects here. For other uses, see Swimmer (disambiguation).

History

Main article: History of swimming

People have enjoyed swimming for a very long time. The earliest sign of swimming for fun is Stone Age paintings from about 10,000 years ago. Written mentions of swimming date from 2000 BC. Early stories that mention swimming include the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Bible, Beowulf, and the Quran. In 1538, Nikolaus Wynmann wrote the earliest known complete book about swimming. In England, swimming became a competitive sport in the 1830s. By 1837, the National Swimming Society was holding regular races in six swimming pools built around London. By 1880, when the Amateur Swimming Association was formed, more than 300 local clubs were running across the country.

In 1844, two Native American swimmers at a London race showed the front crawl to a European audience. Sir John Arthur Trudgen learned the hand-over stroke from some South American natives. In 1873, he won a local English race with this new stroke. In 1875, Captain Matthew Webb became the first person to swim the English Channel, using the breaststroke. The swim took him 21 hours and 45 minutes to cover 21.26 miles (34.21 km). Other European countries set up swimming groups, including Germany in 1882, France in 1890, and Hungary in 1896. Men's swimming became part of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens. Women's swimming was added to the Olympics in 1912. The 1922 Women's Olympiad was the first international women's swim meet held outside the Olympics. The world swimming group, Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA, now World Aquatics), was formed in 1908. It changed its name to World Aquatics in December 2022.

Competitive swimming

See also: List of swimming competitions

Competitive swimming became popular in the 19th century. In high-level races, swimmers try to beat other swimmers and break personal or world records. They try to move through the water with as little resistance as possible so they can swim as fast as they can. Athletes train in cycles. They work hard at the start and middle, then train less as a competition gets closer. Cutting back on exercise in the days before an important event is called tapering. This lets the body rest without stopping exercise completely. Some swimmers also do a final step called "shave and taper." They shave off their body hair to reduce drag and remove the top layer of dead skin. This can help save milliseconds.

Swimming is one of the events at the Summer Olympic Games. Men and women each compete in 17 events. In 2025, the International Olympic Committee announced it would add three 50m events: butterfly, backstroke, and breaststroke. This raises the total from 35 to 41. Olympic events are held in a 50-meter pool. The international group that governs competitive swimming is World Aquatics. Until 2023, it was known as FINA. In open water swimming, races take place in lakes or seas. Only the 10 km event is in the Olympics. There are four main swimming styles: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle. Each race uses only one style, except the individual medley. That race uses all four styles, with equal distances for each. Some short course competitions also include the individual medley at shorter distances. Since the 1990s, the underwater dolphin kick has been the biggest change in swimming. It helps swimmers go faster at starts and turns. David Berkoff was the first to use it successfully. Denis Pankratov used it at the 1996 Olympics. In 2008, "technical" swimsuits at the European Short Course Championships helped Amaury Leveaux set records in the 100 m freestyle. FINA later limited underwater swimming to 15 metres. In the past decade, American swimmers such as Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have used the dolphin kick the most.

Competition pools

Further information: Olympic-size swimming pool

World Championship pools are 50 metres (160 ft) long (long course) and 25 metres (82 ft) wide. They have ten lanes, and each lane is at least 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) wide. There are starting blocks at both ends. Most pools have equipment that records times and checks that relay swimmers touch the wall correctly. The pool must be at least two metres deep.

Other pools that hold races under World Aquatics rules do not have to meet every one of these rules. Many have eight or six lanes. Some are 25 metres (82 ft) long, which makes them Short course pools. World records set in short course pools are kept separate from those set in long course pools. This is because having more or fewer turns in a race can change how fast a swimmer goes. Waves made by the swimmers mean that swimming near the middle of the pool can be helpful. So World Aquatics rules decide which lane each swimmer uses, based on their earlier times. In a ten lane pool, it works like this:

Seasons

Competitive swimming has two main seasons: a short course season and a long course season. The short course season takes place in autumn and winter, in pools that are 25 metres or 25 yards long. The long course season takes place in spring and summer, in 50-metre pools and in open water, such as seas and lakes.

In international races and club swimming in Europe, the short course season runs from September to December. The long course season runs from January to August, with open water swimming in the summer months. In club, school, and college swimming in the United States and Canada, the short course season is longer, from September to March. The long course season uses 50-metre pools from April to the end of August, with open water swimming in the summer. In club swimming in Australasia, the short course season runs from April to September, and the long course season runs from October to March. Outside the United States, metres are used in both seasons. Short course races let newer swimmers compete over shorter distances.

Officials

Several types of officials are needed for official races. The referee is in charge of all the other officials, runs the meet, and makes the final decisions, including who wins each race. The starter keeps the swimmers under control until the race begins and sends them off. The clerk of course sorts swimmers into heats based on their times, and timekeepers record each swimmer's time. Inspectors of turns check that swimmers follow the rules for turns, starts, and finishes. Judges of stroke watch that swimmers use the correct style, and finish judges decide the order in which swimmers finish.

If an official sees a swimmer break a rule about their stroke, they tell the referee. The referee can disqualify a swimmer for any rule broken, whether they saw it themselves or someone reported it to them. Disqualified swimmers can appeal, and a group of officials looks at the appeal instead of the referee or stroke judges who made the first decision.

Swimwear and equipment

Main article: Competitive swimwear

Swimsuit

Competitive swimwear is made to help swimmers go faster. In 2009, FINA banned suits made with polyurethane because they made swimmers float higher in the water. FINA also limited how much of the body a suit could cover. Swimmers wear a swim cap to keep their hair out of the way. They wear goggles to keep water and chlorine out of their eyes. For training, swimmers use tools such as swim fins, hand paddles, a kickboard, a pull buoy, and a snorkel. Some training tools, like drag suits, make practice harder. These tools are not used in races.

Popular everyday swimwear brands include Arena, Speedo, and TYR. Men often practice in briefs or jammers. After the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, many records were broken. Swimmers were wearing suits that covered their legs, so the rules were changed. Since 1 January 2010, men may only wear suits that go from the waist to the knees. Women may not wear suits in competition that go past the shoulders or knees.

Elite and international swimming

Elite and international swimming is the highest level of competition for swimmers. It includes events such as the Olympic Games and the World Aquatics Championships.

Swimmers can be fully professional, semi-professional, or amateur. Fully professional swimmers usually earn a salary from their national governing body and from outside sponsors. Semi-professional swimmers get a small payment from their national governing body. Amateur swimmers get no funding. Outside the major championships, prize money is low. For example, in the 2015 FINA World Cup series, the top three swimmers shared $3,000 per race. At the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, the top eight swimmers shared $60,000 per race.

Open-water swimming

Open water swimming is swimming outside a pool, usually in a lake or sometimes in the ocean. The sport has become more popular in recent years. A 10 km open water race was added to the Olympics in 2005. It was first held at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

New technology has made swimsuits much faster. Full body suits are banned, but top swimmers still wear suits that are joined together with lasers, because stitching creates drag. These suits can feel uncomfortable and tight, and they can tear easily if they are not handled carefully. Australia has some of the biggest ocean swims, with many people taking part. These include the Pier to Pub, Cole Classic and Melbourne Swim Classic, each with about 5000 swimmers.

Changes to the sport

Swimming times have dropped over the years. Better training and new technology helped swimmers go faster. The first four Olympics were not held in pools. They took place in open water: the Mediterranean in 1896, the Seine river in 1900, an artificial lake in 1904, and the Mediterranean again in 1906. The 1904 Olympics freestyle race was the only one ever measured at 100 yards instead of the usual 100 meters. A 100-meter pool was built for the 1908 Olympics in the middle of the main stadium's track and field area. The 1912 Olympics, held in the Stockholm harbor, marked the start of electronic timing.

Male swimmers wore full-body suits until the 1940s. These suits created more drag in the water than modern swimwear does. Today's competition suits use special fabrics and designs to reduce drag and help swimmers stay less tired. Pools have also changed to lower resistance. Pools now have the right depth, no currents, wider lanes, and lane lines that absorb energy. Starting blocks have become bigger and wider. They now have a raised "wedge" that lets swimmers crouch and push off faster. The 1924 Summer Olympics were the first to use the standard 50-meter pool with marked lanes. At first, swimmers dove from the pool walls. Diving blocks were added at the 1936 Summer Olympics. The tumble turn was developed by the 1950s. Goggles were first used at the 1976 Olympics. Rules have changed too. Breaststrokers may now glide with their heads under water. Backstrokers may turn onto their stomachs before the wall to do a "flip-turn."

Records

FINA was founded in 1908, and this is when official world records in swimming began to be recorded. At first, a record could be set in any pool at least 25 yards long. Today, world records only count when times are measured by automatic timing equipment. Semi-automatic equipment can be used if the automatic system fails. Over the years, some events were taken off the record lists. In 1956, the Congress decided to keep only records set in 50 metre pools. Records set in short-course (25 m) pools were called "world best times" until 1991. Times in some events were added to the official lists in 1994.

FINA now recognises world records for both men and women in many events. These include freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, individual medley, and several relay races.

Health benefits

Swimming is a healthy activity that most people can enjoy their whole lives. It is easy on the body and helps both the mind and the body. It is also a fun way to be active. Swimming builds endurance, muscle strength, and heart fitness. It can help people lose weight. It is also a safer way to exercise for someone who is hurt or for women who are pregnant. Swimming often takes less effort than many other sports, but it still gives similar benefits.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that two and a half hours a week of aerobic activity, such as swimming, can help lower the risk of long-term illnesses. It can also help the body make healthy cells. Swimming is linked to better thinking skills and a lower risk of Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. It can make the lungs and heart stronger and tone muscles all over the body. People can often exercise longer in water than on land without much extra effort or joint and muscle pain. Because the body is under less stress in water, there is less pressure on the joints. Swimming can also help lower stress, depression, and anxiety. It can help people with dementia feel calmer, enjoy being with others, and feel better about themselves.

Common injuries

Main article: Swimming injuries

The most common injury for swimmers is strain on the rotator cuff, a group of tendons in the shoulder. The shoulder is more likely to get hurt when the arm moves over and over above the level of the body. Each of the four swimming strokes does this with every arm movement. Of the four rotator cuff tendons, the supraspinatus is the most likely to tear. Rotator cuff impingement happens when part of the shoulder blade presses on the rotator cuff as the arm is lifted.

The best way to prevent injury is to catch problems early. Poor technique and overusing the muscles are usually the main causes. Swimmers, coaches, parents, and doctors can work together to find problems before they become serious. Swimmers should also warm up, stretch, and do strength exercises before hard training. Healing time is very important for a rotator cuff injury. The shoulder must heal fully, or the injury may come back. Returning to swimming too soon can weaken a tendon and may cause it to tear. Recovery should focus on making the rotator cuff and shoulder blade stronger. Another common injury is breaststroke knee, also called swimmer's knee. It is caused by the kicking movement used in the breaststroke, which wears down the knee and can lead to ongoing pain.