Swimming at the Summer Olympics

Swimming at the Summer Olympics
Governing body FINA
Events 34 (men: 17; women: 17)
Games

Swimming has been a sport at every modern Summer Olympics. It has been open to women since 1912. Along with track & field athletics and gymnastics, it is one of the most popular spectator sports at the Games. Swimming has the second largest number of events (after Athletics).

Men's events

Current program
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 Years
50 metres freestyle X[1] X X X X X X X X X 10
100 metres freestyle X X[1] X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 28
200 metres freestyle X X[1] X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
400 metres freestyle X[1] X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 27
800 metre freestyle X[1] X 2
1500 metre freestyle X[1] X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 27
100 metre backstroke X[1] X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
200 metre backstroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 16
100 metre breaststroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
200 metre breaststroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
100 metre butterfly X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
200 metre butterfly X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 17
200 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X 12
400 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
4 Γ— 100 metre freestyle relay X X X X X X X X X X X X X 13
4 Γ— 200 metre freestyle relay X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 26
4 Γ— 100 metre medley relay X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 16
Marathon 10 km X X X X 4
Past events
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 Years
500 metre freestyle X 1
1000 metre freestyle X 1
1200 metre freestyle X 1
4000 metre freestyle X 1
400 metre breaststroke X[1] X X 3
4 Γ— 50 yard freestyle relay X[1] 1
200 metre team swimming X 1
200 metre obstacle event X 1
Underwater swimming X 1
100 metre freestyle for sailors X 1
Events47967766666678101515131315161616161617171718

Women's events

Current program
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 Years
50 metre freestyle X X X X X X X X X 9
100 metre freestyle X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 25
200 metre freestyle X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
400 metre freestyle X[2] X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 24
800 metre freestyle X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
1500 metre freestyle X 1
100 metre backstroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 23
200 metre backstroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
100 metre breaststroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
200 metre breaststroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 23
100 metre butterfly X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 17
200 metre butterfly X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14
200 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X 12
400 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
4 Γ— 100 metre freestyle relay X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 25
4 Γ— 200 metre freestyle relay X X X X X X X 7
4 Γ— 100 metre medley relay X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 16
Marathon 10 km X X X X 4
Events 235555556781414131314151516161617171718

Mixed event

Current program
Event 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 20 Years
4 Γ— 100 metre medley relay X 1
Events 1

Olympic records

The International Olympic Committee recognise the best performances in all 32 current (35 from 2020 on) pool-based swimming events at the Games as Olympic records.

Medal table

Total

Last updated after the 2016 Summer Olympics

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  United States (USA) 246 172 135 553
2  Australia (AUS) 60 64 64 188
3  East Germany (GDR) 38 32 22 92
4  Hungary (HUN) 28 25 20 73
5  Japan (JPN) 22 26 32 80
6  Netherlands (NED) 21 18 19 58
7  Great Britain (GBR) 16 28 30 74
8  China (CHN) 13 19 11 43
9  Germany (GER) 13 18 28 59
10  Soviet Union (URS) 12 21 26 61
11  Sweden (SWE) 9 15 14 38
12  Canada (CAN) 8 15 25 48
13  France (FRA) 8 15 20 43
14  South Africa (RSA) 6 6 6 18
15  Unified Team (EUN) 6 3 1 10
16  Russia (RUS) 5 9 9 23
17  Italy (ITA) 5 5 11 21
18  Ukraine (UKR) 4 5 1 10
19  West Germany (FRG) 3 5 14 22
20  Denmark (DEN) 3 5 6 14
21  Romania (ROU) 3 2 4 9
22  Ireland (IRL) 3 0 1 4
23  Zimbabwe (ZIM) 2 4 1 7
24  Australasia (ANZ) 2 3 3 8
25  Spain (ESP) 2 2 4 8
26  New Zealand (NZL) 2 1 3 6
27  Tunisia (TUN) 2 0 1 3
28  Austria (AUT) 1 6 4 11
29  United Team of Germany (EUA) 1 5 6 12
30  Brazil (BRA) 1 4 9 14
31  Greece (GRE) 1 4 3 8
32  Poland (POL) 1 3 2 6
33  South Korea (KOR) 1 3 0 4
34  Belgium (BEL) 1 2 2 5
35  Costa Rica (CRC) 1 1 2 4
36  Argentina (ARG) 1 1 1 3
 Bulgaria (BUL) 1 1 1 3
38  Yugoslavia (YUG) 1 1 0 2
39  Mexico (MEX) 1 0 1 2
 Suriname (SUR) 1 0 1 2
41  Kazakhstan (KAZ) 1 0 0 1
 Lithuania (LTU) 1 0 0 1
 Singapore (SIN) 1 0 0 1
44  Belarus (BLR) 0 2 1 3
45  Slovakia (SVK) 0 2 0 2
46  Finland (FIN) 0 1 3 4
47  Cuba (CUB) 0 1 1 2
 Norway (NOR) 0 1 1 2
49  Croatia (CRO) 0 1 0 1
 Serbia (SRB) 0 1 0 1
 Slovenia (SLO) 0 1 0 1
52  Philippines (PHI) 0 0 2 2
53  Switzerland (SUI) 0 0 1 1
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) 0 0 1 1
 Venezuela (VEN) 0 0 1 1
Total 557 554 555 1666

Long course swimming

Last updated after the 2016 Summer Olympics

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  United States (USA) 246 171 135 552
2  Australia (AUS) 60 64 64 188
3  East Germany (GDR) 38 32 22 92
4  Hungary (HUN) 27 25 20 72
5  Japan (JPN) 22 26 32 80
6  Netherlands (NED) 18 18 19 55
7  Great Britain (GBR) 16 25 29 70
8  China (CHN) 13 19 11 43
9  Germany (GER) 13 17 27 57
10  Soviet Union (URS) 12 21 26 59
11  Sweden (SWE) 9 15 14 38
12  Canada (CAN) 8 15 24 47
13  France (FRA) 8 15 19 42
14  South Africa (RSA) 6 6 6 18
15  Unified Team (EUN) 6 3 1 10
16  Italy (ITA) 5 4 10 19
17  Russia (RUS) 4 9 9 22
18  Ukraine (UKR) 4 5 1 10
19  West Germany (FRG) 3 5 14 22
20  Denmark (DEN) 3 5 6 14
21  Romania (ROU) 3 2 4 9
22  Ireland (IRL) 3 0 1 4
23  Zimbabwe (ZIM) 2 4 1 7
24  Australasia (ANZ) 2 3 3 8
25  Spain (ESP) 2 2 4 8
26  New Zealand (NZL) 2 1 3 6
27  Austria (AUT) 1 6 4 11
28  United Team of Germany (EUA) 1 5 6 12
29  Brazil (BRA) 1 4 8 13
30  Greece (GRE) 1 3 3 7
31  Poland (POL) 1 3 2 6
32  South Korea (KOR) 1 3 0 4
33  Belgium (BEL) 1 2 2 5
34  Costa Rica (CRC) 1 1 2 4
35  Argentina (ARG) 1 1 1 3
 Bulgaria (BUL) 1 1 1 3
37  Yugoslavia (YUG) 1 1 0 2
38  Mexico (MEX) 1 0 1 2
 Suriname (SUR) 1 0 1 2
 Tunisia (TUN) 1 0 1 2
41  Kazakhstan (KAZ) 1 0 0 1
 Lithuania (LTU) 1 0 0 1
 Singapore (SIN) 1 0 0 1
44  Belarus (BLR) 0 2 1 3
45  Slovakia (SVK) 0 2 0 2
46  Finland (FIN) 0 1 3 4
47  Cuba (CUB) 0 1 1 2
 Norway (NOR) 0 1 1 2
49  Croatia (CRO) 0 1 0 1
 Serbia (SRB) 0 1 0 1
 Slovenia (SLO) 0 1 0 1
52  Philippines (PHI) 0 0 2 2
53  Switzerland (SUI) 0 0 1 1
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) 0 0 1 1
 Venezuela (VEN) 0 0 1 1
Total 551 548 549 1648

Marathon swimming

Last updated after the 2016 Summer Olympics

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  Netherlands (NED) 3 0 0 3
2  Hungary (HUN) 1 0 0 1
 Russia (RUS) 1 0 0 1
 Tunisia (TUN) 1 0 0 1
5  Great Britain (GBR) 0 2 1 3
6  Germany (GER) 0 1 1 2
 Italy (ITA) 0 1 1 2
8  Greece (GRE) 0 1 0 1
 United States (USA) 0 1 0 1
10  Brazil (BRA) 0 0 1 1
 Canada (CAN) 0 0 1 1
 France (FRA) 0 0 1 1
Total 6 6 6 18

Nations

Nation 96 00 04 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 00 04 08 12 16 Years
 Argentina (ARG) 4422
 Australasia (ANZ) 592
 Australia (AUS) 165522
 Austria (AUT) 23118325
 Belgium (BEL) 175126524
 Brazil (BRA) 22519
 Canada (CAN) 1132623
 Chile (CHI) 423
 Czechoslovakia (TCH) 49117
 Denmark (DEN) 1514523
 East Germany (GDR) 5
 Estonia (EST) 1414696
 Finland (FIN) 3612123
 France (FRA) 474313201324
 Germany (GER) 645171913
 Great Britain (GBR) 7251818262115223226223233273640324431283932372424
 Greece (GRE) 151122
 Hungary (HUN) 1121086825
 Ireland (IRL) 223
 Italy (ITA) 24246524
 Japan (JPN) 261019
 Latvia (LAT) 144525
 Lithuania (LTU) 28610946
 Luxembourg (LUX) 24321
 Netherlands (NED) 474121423
 New Zealand (NZL) 11420
 Norway (NOR) 5211
 Panama (PAN) 123
 Philippines (PHI) 223
 Poland (POL) 223
 Portugal (POR) 122
 Puerto Rico (PUR) 12X5367364
 Russia (RUS) 46
 South Africa (RSA) 11516
 Spain (ESP) 24511211823162320
 Sweden (SWE) 11224131492418171816151824
 Switzerland (SUI) 421
 Tunisia (TUN) 9
 Soviet Union (URS) X9
 United States (USA) 12258722262351X4344404448434325
 Yugoslavia (YUG) 622
Nations 4 12 4 14 17 19 23 28 33 45 42 51 52 51 41 67 77 92
Swimmers 19 76 32 100 120 116 118 182 235 380 405 468 532 471 333 494 633 641

Notable changes to the sport

Times have consistently dropped over the years due to better training techniques and new developments withinin the sport.

In the first four Olympics, competitions were not held in pools, but rather in open water (1896, the Mediterranean Sea; 1900, the Seine; 1904, an artificial lake; 1906, the Mediterranean). The 1904 Olympics' races were the only ones ever measured in yards, instead of the usual metres. A 100-metre pool was built for the 1908 Olympics and was located in the centre of the main stadium's track and field oval. The 1912 Olympics, held in the Stockholm harbour, marked the beginning of electrical timing.

Male swimmers wore full body swimsuits up until the 1940s, which caused more drag in the water than their modern swim-wear counterparts. Also, over the years, pool designs have lessened the drag. Some design considerations allow for the reduction of swimming resistance making the pool faster. Namely, proper pool depth, elimination of waves, elimination of currents, increased lane width, energy absorbing racing lane lines and gutters, and the use of other innovative hydraulic, acoustic, illumination, and swimwear designs.

The 1924 Olympics were the first to use the standard 50 metre pool with marked lanes. In the freestyle, swimmers originally dove from the pool walls, but diving blocks were incorporated starting at the 1936 Summer Olympics. The flip-turn was developed by the 1950s. Swimming goggles were first allowed in 1976.

The butterfly stroke events were not held until 1956. Previous rules permitted the butterfly stroke in breaststroke races. After 1956, when these rules were changed, butterfly became its own stroke entirely.

Women were first allowed the longer distance of 800 metres freestyle in 1968, which remains the longest distance for women. Up until then, women were considered to be too "delicate" to swim a race this long, even though the men had had the 1,500 metre freestyle from the very early years.

Both men and women were granted the 200 metre freestyle race in 1968, giving swimmers an intermediate distance race between 100 metres and 400 metres.

Women's teams were first granted the 800 metre freestyle relay race in 1996 - even though there had been a men's relay race at that distance since 1912. At six Olympiads, the men had two freestyle relay races, but the women only had one. Now, both sexes have two.

The medley relay races (4Γ—100 metres) were not held for men or for women until 1960, but they have continued in every Olympiad since then.

Starting in 2008, both men and women compete in 10 km open water marathon swim events.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Distances at the 1904 Olympics were measured in yards rather than metres. The 50 yard freestyle was 45.7 metres and the 100 yard freestyle and backstroke races were 91.4 metres. The 220, 440, and 880 yard freestyle races were 201, 402, and 805 metres, respectively. Instead of a 1500 metre race, there was a 1 mile race which made for 1609 metres. The 440 yard breaststroke, like the freestyle, was 402 metres. The relay, 4 Γ— 50 yards, was 4 Γ— 45.7 metres.
  2. ↑ In 1920, the women's event was 300 metres.

See also

References

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