SWIMMING OVERVIEW

WHAT IS SWIMMING?

• SWIMMING IS THE ACT OF DRIVING OUR BODY THROUGH WATER AND RESISTING
DROWNING BY MOVING OUR HANDS AND FEET. SWIMMING AS A RECREATIONAL
ACTIVITY HAS BEEN RECORDED IN PREHISTORIC CAVE PAINTINGS OF STONE AGE. IT
WAS MENTIONED IN HOLY TEXTS OF VARIOUS CIVILIZATIONS.
WHAT IS SWIMMING?
• IT EVOLVED AS A COMPETITIVE SPORT IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AFTER THE
CONSTRUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS. ST GEORGE'S BATHS, THE
FIRST PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL, WAS CONSTRUCTED IN ENGLAND IN 1828 AND IT
EMERGED AS A COMPETITIVE SPORT IN ENGLAND IN 1830S. BRITISH SWIMMING
ORGANIZATION WAS SET UP AS NATIONAL SWIMMING SOCIETY AND WAS CONDUCTING
COMPETITIONS IN ENGLAND IN 1837.
WHAT IS SWIMMING?
•COMPETITIVE SWIMMING AS A RACE WAS HELD AMONG
SWIMMERS AND THE GOAL IS TO SWIM FASTER THAN OTHER
PARTICIPANTS. VARIOUS COUNTRIES STARTED PARTICIPATING
IN THESE COMPETITIONS. SWIMMERS LEARNT ABOUT
INDIGENOUS STYLES OF OTHER COUNTRIES.
WHAT IS SWIMMING?
•THE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AMONG SWIMMERS GAVE
BIRTH TO MANY FUSION STYLES. SWIMMING CAN BE
BOTH AN INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM ACTIVITY THAT HELPS
IN TESTING ONES ENDURANCE, AGILITY, BREATH
CONTROL, AND FLEXIBILITY.
FINA
•THE ADMINISTERING BODY RECOGNIZED BY INTERNATIONAL
OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) FOR COMPETITIONS IN AQUATICS
IS FINA OR FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE NATATION.
APART FROM SWIMMING, IT ALSO ADMINISTERS
COMPETITIONS IN OTHER AQUATIC SPORTS.
FINA
•THIS BODY IS BASED IN LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND. IT
NOT ONLY FORMULATES RULES FOR INTERNATIONAL
SWIMMING RECORDS AND COMPETITIONS BUT ALSO
ORGANIZES WORLD SWIMMING AND WORLD AQUATIC
CHAMPIONSHIPS.
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES
• MORE THAN 200 NATIONS HAVE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AFFILIATED TO
FINA. IT IS A WIDE SPORT PLAYED ACROSS ALL NATIONS AND CONTINENTS.
THE COUNTRIES THAT TAKE PART IN SWIMMING TOURNAMENTS ARE USA,
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, CHINA, KOREA, TUNISIA, GREAT BRITTAN, JAPAN,
RUSSIA, AUSTRIA, ROMANIA, NORWAY, HUNGARY, SERBIA, UKRAINE,
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, NETHERLANDS, ITALY, GERMANY, AND FRANCE.
SWIMMING PLAYING ENVIRONMENT
SWIMMING POOLS
• FINA HAS SET RULES ON THE LENGTH, BREADTH, AND DEPTH OF SWIMMING POOLS
USED FOR COMPETITIONS. SWIMMING POOLS SHOULD BE AT LEAST TWO METERS
DEEP. THEY CAN BE FIFTY OR TWENTY FIVE METERS LONG. THE FIFTY METER LONG
ONES ARE USED FOR LONG COURSE RACES AND THE TWENTY FIVE METER LONG ONES
ARE USED FOR SHORT COURSE RACES. WORLD RECORDS CANNOT BE COMPARED
ACROSS POOLS OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS BECAUSE IT MAY BE AN ADVANTAGE OR
DISADVANTAGE TO SWIMMERS TO HAVE MORE OR LESS TURNS IN A RACE.
SWIMMING POOLS
• POOLS ARE DIVIDED INTO LANES. LANES ARE LABELLED FROM ZERO AND EACH LANE
SHOULD BE AT LEAST 2.5 METERS WIDE. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POOLS HAVE TEN
LANES. POOLS HOSTING OTHER EVENTS CAN HAVE EIGHT LANES. THEY ARE USUALLY
EQUIPPED WITH STARTING BLOCKS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE POOL. ACCORDING TO
FINA REGULATIONS, AUTOMATIC OFFICIATING EQUIPMENT WITH TOUCH PADS
SHOULD BE USED TO RECORD TIMES. SENSORS ARE USED TO MONITOR TAKEOVERS
IN A RELAY RACE.
SWIMMING POOLS
• THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR CHANGES IN STARTING BLOCKS OVER THE PAST
FEW YEARS. OF LATE, THE SURFACE OF THE BLOCK IS ANGLED TOWARDS
THE SWIMMING POOL AND STARTING BLOCKS NOW HAVE A RAISED, SLANT
PLATFORM AT THE END OF THE MAIN BLOCK CALLED A LIP. THIS ALLOWS THE
SWIMMER TO LAUNCH WITH GREATER SPEED BY TAKING A RIGHT ANGLED
CROUCHED POSITION AND PUSHING OFF WITH THE REAR LEG.
SWIMMING EQUIPMENTS
SWIM SUITS
•MEN'S SWIMWEAR INCLUDE BRIEFS AND JAMMERS. FINA HAS
FORMULATED SOME RULES TO PREVENT SWIMMERS FROM
TAKING ADVANTAGE BY WEARING AERODYNAMIC SWIM
SUITS. THEY CAN WEAR ONLY ONE PIECE OF SWIM SUIT FROM
THE WAIST TO JUST ABOVE THEIR KNEES.
SWIM SUITS
•WOMEN USUALLY WEAR ONE-PIECE SUITS OF VARIOUS
DESIGNS AT THE BACK. SOME OF THE POPULAR DESIGNS ARE
RACER BACK, AXEL BACK, CORSET, DIAMONDBACK, AND
BUTTERFLY-BACK/FLY-BACK. THE SUITS CAN BE OF VARIOUS
LENGTHS, HOWEVER THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR SUITS
THAT GO PAST THEIR KNEES OR SHOULDERS.
SWIM CAP
•SWAYING HAIR INDUCES DRAG AND SLOWS DOWN THE
SWIMMER. LONG HAIR MIGHT ALSO OBSTRUCT VISION.
A SWIM CAP IS USED TO LOCK HAIR AND REDUCE DRAG.
IT IS MADE OF STRETCHABLE MATERIALS LIKE, LATEX,
SILICONE, SPANDEX OR LYCRA.
GOGGLES
•SWIMMERS USE GOGGLES TO PREVENT WATER AND
CHLORINE FROM GETTING INTO THEIR EYES. WHILE
SWIMMING AT OPEN POOLS, SWIMMERS MIGHT CHOOSE
TINTED GOGGLES TO NEUTRALIZE GLARE. SOME GOGGLES ARE
ALSO MADE OF VISION CORRECTING LENSES.
HOW TO PLAY SWIMMING?
HOW TO PLAY?
•FOUR MAJOR STYLES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN COMPETITIVE
SWIMMING. THEY ARE:
• BUTTERFLY
• BACK STROKE
• BREAST STROKE
• FREESTYLE
BUTTERFLY
• IN THIS STYLE, SWIMMERS DIVE INTO THE POOL STRETCHING THEIR ARMS AND
SHOULDERS WIDTH APART. THEY ENTER THE POOL EITHER FLAT OR SLIGHTLY
DOWNWARDS. THEY ROTATE THEIR ARMS IN A SEMI CIRCLE TO RAISE THE BODY.
THE BODY PROPELS AS THEY PUSH WATER TOWARD THEIR FEET BY MOVING THEIR
HANDS SIMULTANEOUSLY. THEY PUSH WATER BACKWARDS BY SYNCHRONOUSLY
MOVING THEIR FEET UP AND DOWN. THEY CAN USE DOLPHIN OR BUTTERFLY KICK.
THIS STYLE WAS ORIGINATED FROM THE BREAST STROKE AND IS CONSIDERED TO
BE THE MOST DIFFICULT STYLE.
FINA, the international swimming regulating body, accepted this stroke and formed a set of rules in 1952.
BUTTERFLY RULES

•SWIMMERS SHOULD KEEP THEIR BODY ON THE

BREAST AT THE START OF THE RACE AND AT EACH
TURN.
BUTTERFLY RULES

•THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ROLL ONTO THEIR BACK

AT ANY POINT DURING THE RACE.
BUTTERFLY RULES

•THEY SHOULD SYNCHRONOUSLY MOVE THEIR ARMS.

BUTTERFLY RULES

•THEY SHOULD MOVE THEIR LEGS SIMULTANEOUSLY,

THOUGH NEED NOT BE AT THE SAME LEVEL, BUT THEY
ARE NOT PERMITTED TO MOVE THEM ALTERNATIVELY.
BUTTERFLY RULES

•THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED TO USE BREAST

STROKING LEG KICK.
BUTTERFLY RULES

•AT EACH TURN AND WHEN THE RACE FINISHES, THEY

SHOULD TOUCH THE BOARD WITH BOTH THEIR
HANDS AND AT THE SAME TIME.
BUTTERFLY RULES
•THEY CAN USE ONE OR MORE LEG KICKS AND ONE ARM PULL,
BUT CANNOT REMAIN IN WATER FOR MORE THAN 15 METERS,
AT THE START OF THE RACE AND AT THE TURNS. THEY SHOULD
REMAIN ON THE WATER SURFACE UNLESS THEY HAVE TO
TURN AGAIN OR THEY ARE ABOUT TO FINISH THE RACE.
BACK STROKE
•IN THIS STYLE, SWIMMERS SWIM ON THEIR BACK. THEY CAN
BREATHE EASILY AS THEIR HEAD WILL BE ABOVE WATER
THROUGHOUT THE STROKE. HOWEVER, SWIMMERS CANNOT
SEE WHERE THEY ARE HEADING. IN SWIMMING POOLS WITH
ARTIFICIAL LANES, MOST SWIMMERS KNOW HOW MANY
STROKES THEY TAKE TO REACH THE END.
BACK STROKE
•SWIMMERS ARE ALLOWED TO TURN THEIR HEADS TO SEE WHERE
THEY ARE HEADING, BUT IT SLOWS THEM DOWN. THIS STROKE
LOOKS LIKE AN INVERTED FRONT CRAWL. SWIMMERS MOVE THEIR
ARMS IN SEMI CIRCULAR MOTION, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, TO PUSH
WATER TOWARDS THEIR LEGS. WHILE THEY CATCH WATER WITH
ONE ARM THE OTHER ARM RECOVERS.
BACK STROKE
•THEY KICK WATER WITH POINTED TOES AND TRY TO REDUCE
DRAG BY KEEPING THEIR LEGS AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
THEIR SEMI CIRCULAR ARM MOVEMENT PROVIDES THEM THE
REQUIRED PUSH. THE AXIS IS LONGER AND IS ALONG THE
SWIMMERS BODY FROM HEAD TO TOE.
BACK STROKE
• AT THE START OF THE RACE, SWIMMERS PLACE THEIR LEGS SHOULDER
WIDTH APART, FACING THE WALL AND CLINGING TO THE START BLOCK.
THEY USUALLY BEND THEIR KNEES AT RIGHT ANGLE AND GET READY FOR
THE RACE. ONCE THEY HEAR THE START SIGNAL THEY PUSH THEMSELVES
AWAY FROM THE START BLOCK WITH THEIR FEET. THEY SWING THEIR
HANDS AND DIVE INTO THE WATER ON THEIR BACK.
BACK STROKE RULES
•AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RACE, SWIMMERS ARE
NOT ALLOWED TO STAND IN OR ON THE GUTTER.
THEY ALSO CANNOT BEND THEIR TOES OVER THE LIP
OF THE GUTTER.
BACK STROKE RULES

•SWIMMERS CAN PUSH OFF AT THE START OF THE

RACE AND AFTER TURNING.
BACK STROKE RULES
•AT TURNS, SWIMMERS CAN TURN THEIR SHOULDERS OVER
THE VERTICAL TO THE BREAST. AFTER THAT THEY CAN USE A
CONTINUOUS SINGLE ARM PULL OR A CONTINUOUS DOUBLE
ARM PULL TO TAKE A TURN. THEY SHOULD GET BACK ON THEIR
BACKS AFTER LEAVING THE WALL.
BACK STROKE RULES
•SWIMMERS CAN SLIGHTLY ROLL THEIR BODIES
OVER THEIR BACKS BUT THEIR BODY SHOULD ONLY
MAKE AN ANGLE LESS THAN 90 DEGREES WITH THE
HORIZONTAL.
BACK STROKE RULES
•SWIMMERS SHOULD TAKE CARE TO SWIM WITH SOME PART
OF THEIR BODY OVER WATER SURFACE THROUGHOUT THE
RACE. HOWEVER, THEY CAN STAY COMPLETELY IN WATER AT
THE TURNS AND AT THE FINISH OF THE RACE FOR A DISTANCE
NOT MORE THAN 15 METERS.
BACK STROKE RULES

•WHILE TURNING, SWIMMERS SHOULD TOUCH THE

WALL WITH SOME PART OF THEIR BODY.
BREAST STROKE
• THIS STYLE IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE OLDEST. IN THIS STYLE, SWIMMERS
STRETCH THEIR ARMS FORWARD AND TILT THEIR HANDS SLIGHTLY
DOWNWARDS. WHILE PULLING THEIR HANDS TOWARDS THE WAIST, THEY
BRING THEIR FEET CLOSER TO THE HIPS AND FOLD THEIR LEGS AND KICK
WATER WITH THEIR FEET. THIS PROPELS THEIR BODY FORWARD AND GIVES
THEM SPEED. THE LEG MOVEMENT IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF A FROG, SO IT IS
ALSO KNOWN AS FROG KICK OR WHIP KICK.
BREAST STROKE
•IN THIS STROKE, THE GREATER ANGLE THE SWIMMERS’ BODY
MAKES WITH THE WATER SURFACE WHILE TRYING TO PUSH THE
WATER BACKWARDS, INDUCES DRAG AND SLOWS DOWN THE
SWIMMER. SWIMMERS MASTER THIS STROKE BY LEARNING TO
REDUCE DRAG AT THE START OF THE RACE BY KEEPING THEIR BODY,
FROM HEAD TO HIPS, AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE.
BREAST STROKE
• TO GAIN SPEED WHILE PUSHING WATER BACKWARDS DURING A FROG
KICK, SWIMMERS SHOULD TRY TO KEEP THEIR HEELS IMMERSED IN
WATER, BUT AS CLOSE TO THE WATER SURFACE AS POSSIBLE. THEY NEED
TO LEARN TO MANAGE THEIR BREATH, BY PULLING IN THEIR STOMACH AND
BRINGING THEIR FACE ABOVE THE WATER SURFACE, WHILE MOVING THEIR
HANDS TOWARDS THEIR HIPS.
BREAST STROKE
•MOST LONG DISTANCE SWIMMERS USE THIS STROKE. CAPTAIN
MATHEW WEBB WAS THE FIRST MAN TO SWIM ACROSS THE
ENGLISH CHANNEL IN 1875. HE MANAGED TO COVER THE HUGE
DISTANCE USING THIS STROKE. THE RELATIVELY SMALLER ARM
STROKE PUTS LESS PRESSURE ON SWIMMERS AND MAKES THIS
STROKE IDEAL FOR LONG DISTANCE SWIMMING.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY SHOULD START THE RACE BY SWIMMING ON

THEIR BREAST.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY SHOULD SEPARATE THEIR HANDS AND TAKE AN

ARM STROKE AT THE START OF THE RACE.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY SHOULD TAKE A LEG KICK AFTER AN ARM

STROKE. AN ARM STROKE AND A LEG KICK
TOGETHER MAKE A STROKE CYCLE.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•AT ANY POINT DURING THE RACE, THEY CANNOT

TURN ON THEIR BACK.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY SHOULD MOVE THEIR HANDS

SIMULTANEOUSLY
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY SHOULD KEEP THEIR HANDS AT THE SAME

HORIZONTAL LEVEL.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•WHILE PUSHING WATER FROM THE BREAST, THEIR

HANDS CAN STAY ON, UNDER OR OVER THE WATER
SURFACE.
BREAST STROKE RULES
•THEIR ELBOW SHOULD ALWAYS REMAIN IN WATER.
HOWEVER, IT CAN STAY ABOVE THE WATER SURFACE
AT THE FINAL STROKE BEFORE A TURN, DURING THE
TURN OR AT THE END OF THE RACE.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY CAN BRING BACK THEIR HANDS ON OR UNDER

THE SURFACE OF WATER.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY CANNOT BRING BACK THEIR HANDS BEYOND

THE HIP LINE, EXCEPT DURING THE FIRST STROKE
AND EACH TURN.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY SHOULD TURN THEIR FEET OUTWARDS

DURING THE PROPULSIVE PART OF THE KICK.
BREAST STROKE RULES

•THEY CAN BREAK THE SURFACE OF WATER WITH

THEIR FEET, BUT THEY CANNOT TAKE A DOWNWARD
BUTTERFLY KICK IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT.
BREAST STROKE RULES
•AT EACH TURN AND AT THE COMPLETION OF THE
RACE, SWIMMERS SHOULD TOUCH THE WALL WITH
BOTH THEIR HANDS SIMULTANEOUSLY ABOVE OR
BELOW THE WATER LEVEL.
BREAST STROKE RULES
•THEY CAN SUBMERGE THEIR HEAD AFTER THE LAST ARM
PULL JUST BEFORE THE TOUCH, BUT THEY SHOULD
BREAK THE WATER SURFACE AT SOME POINT DURING
THE LAST COMPLETE OR INCOMPLETE CYCLE PRECEDING
THE TOUCH.
FREE STYLE
• IN FREE STYLE RACES, VERY FEW RESTRICTIONS ARE PLACED ON THE
SWIMMER. THE SWIMMER CAN CHOOSE TO SWIM IN ANY STYLE.
HOWEVER, FRONT CRAWL AND FREE STYLE HAVE BECOME SYNONYMOUS AS
ALMOST ALL SWIMMERS ACROSS THE WORLD USE FRONT CRAWL IN FREE
STYLE COMPETITIONS. IN THIS STYLE, SWIMMERS MOVE THEIR ARMS
ALTERNATIVELY FORWARD, PULLING WATER BACKWARDS.
FREE STYLE
•THEY FLUTTER-KICK THEIR FEET SIMULTANEOUSLY. THEY
MOVE ONE OF THEIR ARMS IN A SEMI CIRCULAR MOTION IN
VERTICAL PLANE WHILE THEY CATCH WATER WITH THE OTHER
ARM AND PUSH IT BACKWARDS. THEY MIGHT ALSO CHOOSE
TO WHIP KICK THEIR FEET. THIS VARIANT IS CALLED THE
TRUDGEN.
FREE STYLE RULES

•FRONT CRAWL IS THE FASTEST OF THE FOUR MAJOR

STYLES. SINCE THIS STYLE IS NOT REGULATED, VARIOUS
VARIANTS OF FRONT CRAWL LIKE AUSTRALIAN CRAWL,
AMERICAN CRAWL CAN BE USED IN RACES.
FREE STYLE RULES

•IN FREE STYLE EVENTS SWIMMERS CAN SWIM IN ANY

STYLE. BUT, IN INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY AND MEDLEY RELAY
EVENTS, SWIMMERS CAN SWIM IN ANY STYLE OTHER
THAN BACK STROKE, BREAST STROKE OR BUTTERFLY.
FREE STYLE RULES

•AFTER SWIMMING THROUGH A LANE LENGTH AND AT

THE FINISH OF THE RACE, SWIMMERS SHOULD
TOUCH THE WALL WITH ANY PART OF THEIR BODY.
FREE STYLE RULES
•SWIMMERS SHOULD SWIM WITH SOME PART OF THEIR
BODY ABOVE THE WATER SURFACE, THROUGHOUT THE
RACE. THEY CAN REMAIN SUBMERGED IN WATER WHILE
TAKING A TURN AND FOR A DISTANCE NOT MORE THAN
15 METERS AFTER THE START AND EACH TURN.
SWIMMING VARIANTS
SWIMMING VARIANTS
•SWIMMERS ARE BROADLY CLASSIFIED AS SPRINTERS,
MIDDLE SWIMMERS, AND DISTANCE SWIMMERS. THEY
PRACTICE DIFFERENTLY AND HAVE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
ABILITIES. SOME SWIMMERS ARE GOOD AT ALL THE THREE
FORMS WHILE SOME EXCEL IN ONLY ONE OR TWO KINDS.
SWIMMING VARIANTS
•SPRINTING IS INTENSE SWIMMING FOR A SHORTER
DISTANCE. SPRINTERS PRACTICE TO PUT IN MAXIMUM
EFFORT THROUGHOUT THE SWIM AND CONCENTRATE ON
MANAGING THEIR BREATH. THEY USUALLY PARTICIPATE
IN 50, 100 AND 200 METER RACES.
SWIMMING VARIANTS
• DISTANCE SWIMMERS ARE TRAINED TO SWIM FASTER FOR LARGER
DISTANCES. THEY NEED TO ENDURE GREATER STRAIN OVER A LONG
COURSE. A HIGH AVERAGE SPEED SHOULD BE MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT
THE RACE. THEY SHOULD ALSO LEARN TO RELAX WHILE NOT TOTALLY
DROPPING THEIR SPEED DURING THE LONG COURSE. THEY USUALLY
PARTICIPATE IN 800 OR 1500 METER RACES.
SWIMMING VARIANTS
•MIDDLE DISTANCE SWIMMERS DO NOT DROP THEIR SPEED
AS FAST AS A SPRINTER ON A LONG SWIMMING COURSE.
THEY ALSO TEND TO HAVE GREATER INITIAL SPEED THAN A
LONG DISTANCE SWIMMERS. THEY PERFORM WELL WHEN THE
TRACK LENGTH IS NOT TOO LONG AND IS BETWEEN 200
METERS AND 400 METERS.
SWIMMING TOURNAMENTS
SWIMMING TOURNAMENTS
•THE EVENTS IN ANY COMPETITION MAY HAVE ONLY
ONE OF THE FOUR MAJOR STYLES OR A
COMBINATION OF ALL THE FOUR STYLES IN A FIXED
ORDER.
INDIVIDUAL RACES
• COMPETITIONS ARE HELD IN EACH OF THE MAJOR FOUR SWIMMING
STYLES. AT THE OLYMPICS FIVE EVENTS ARE CONDUCTED UNDER FREE
STYLE. THEY ARE 50 METER, 100 METER, 200 METER, 400 METER, 1500
METER FOR MEN AND 50 METER, 100 METER, 200 METER, 400 METER, AND
800 METER FOR WOMEN. TWO EVENTS, 100 METER AND 400 METER ARE
ALSO CONDUCTED UNDER ALL THE OTHER THREE STYLES, BREASTSTROKE,
BUTTERFLY AND BACKSTROKE, FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.
INDIVIDUAL RACES
• INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY COMPETITIONS ARE ALSO HELD AT VARIOUS
TOURNAMENTS. IN THESE COMPETITIONS A SINGLE SWIMMER SWIMS A
QUARTER OF THE TRACK DISTANCE IN EACH OF THE FOUR STYLES IN THE
SAME RACE. AT THE OLYMPICS, 200 AND 400 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEYS
ARE CONDUCTED FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. THE SWIMMER SWIMS
BUTTERFLY, BACKSTROKE, BREASTSTROKE AND FINALLY FREESTYLE IN THE
SAME ORDER IN THESE MEDLEY EVENTS.
INDIVIDUAL RACES
•OTHER KINDS OF INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY RACES OF 100 METERS,
ARE CONDUCTED IN OTHER NON-OLYMPICS SWIMMING
CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE SWIMMER SHOULD SWIM AT LEAST
FOUR STROKES IN EACH OF THE STYLES. SO, THE COURSE
LENGTH CANNOT BE MADE ANY SHORTER.
RELAY EVENTS
• RELAY EVENTS ARE GROUP EVENTS. EACH COUNTRY OR TEAM
PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT FORMS A GROUP OF FOUR SWIMMERS. EACH
SWIMMER SWIMS A QUARTER OF THE TRACK DISTANCE. THE FASTEST
SWIMMER IS USUALLY PLACED AT THE END. THE TEAM SPIRIT IN A GROUP
EVENT USUALLY MAKES SWIMMERS SWIM FASTER THAN INDIVIDUAL
RACES. RELAY EVENTS CAN BE BOTH FREESTYLE AND MEDLEY.
RELAY EVENTS
• IN A FREESTYLE RELAY EACH SWIMMER SWIMS IN ANY STYLE OTHER THAN
BACKSTROKE, BREASTSTROKE AND BUTTERFLY. IN A MEDLEY RELAY EACH
SWIMMER SWIMS A QUARTER OF THE TOTAL COURSE LENGTH IN A
DIFFERENT STYLE IN THE ORDER BACKSTROKE, BREASTSTROKE, BUTTERFLY
AND FREESTYLE. A 4 × 100 METER FREESTYLE RELAY, A 4 × 200 METER
FREESTYLE RELAY AND A 4 × 100 METER MEDLEY RELAY EVENTS ARE PART
OF SWIMMING COMPETITIONS AT THE OLYMPICS.
OPEN POOL SWIMMING EVENTS
•LONG DISTANCE FREE STYLE MARATHONS ARE CONDUCTED IN
LARGE OPEN WATER BODIES LIKE LAKES, RIVERS AND
OCEANS. SWIMMERS ARE FREE TO USE ANY STYLE IN THESE
EVENTS. HOWEVER, MOST SWIMMERS ACROSS THE GLOBE
USE FRONT CRAWL IN THESE COMPETITIONS.
OPEN POOL SWIMMING EVENTS
•SINCE 2008, A 10 KM OPEN WATER SWIMMING
CHAMPIONSHIP IS A PART OF THE OLYMPICS. FINA ALSO
ORGANIZES OTHER OPEN MARATHON EVENTS OF 5KM, 10
KM AND 15 KM AT WORLD AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS,
HELD ONCE IN EVERY TWO YEARS.
SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•FOLLOWING ARE THE SWIMMING EVENTS HELD AT

THE OLYMPICS 2012:
SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•50 METER FREESTYLE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•100 METER FREESTYLE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•200 METER FREESTYLE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•400 METER FREESTYLE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•1500 METER FREESTYLE FOR MEN AND 800 METER

FREESTYLE FOR WOMEN
SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•100 METER BACKSTROKE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•200 METER BACKSTROKE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•100 METER BREASTSTROKE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•200 METER BREASTSTROKE

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•100 METER BUTTERFLY

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•200 METER BUTTERFLY

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•200 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•400 METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•4 × 100 METER FREESTYLE RELAY

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•4 × 200 METER FREESTYLE RELAY

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•4 × 100 METER MEDLEY RELAY

SWIMMING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPICS 2012

•MARATHON 10 KM
SWIMMING CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
SWIMMING CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
•SWIMMING HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME AND NEW STYLES GAVE
BIRTH TO NEW EVENTS AND RULES. IT IS DIFFICULT TO
COMPARE CHAMPIONS ACROSS DECADES. SWIMMING AS A
SPORT IS ENJOYED AND MASTERED BY BOTH MEN AND
WOMEN. SOME OF THE FAMOUS SWIMMING CHAMPIONS ARE
LISTED BELOW.
KRISZTINA EGERSZEGI
•KRISZTINA IS A BACKSTROKE SWIMMING
CHAMPION FROM HUNGARY. SHE
PARTICIPATED IN THE SUMMER OLYMPICS AT
1988, 1992 AND 1996 AND WON THE 200
METER BACKSTROKE IN ALL THE THREE
OLYMPICS.
KRISZTINA EGERSZEGI
•AT AGE 14 SHE BECAME THE YOUNGEST ATHLETE EVER TO WIN
AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN SWIMMING WHEN SHE WON THE
200-METRE BACKSTROKE AT THE 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES IN
SEOUL. AFTER DAWN FRASER, SHE WAS THE SECOND WOMAN
TO SCORE A GOLD MEDAL IN ANY INDIVIDUAL SWIMMING
EVENT AT THREE CONSECUTIVE OLYMPICS.
MICHAEL PHELPS
•PHELPS IS AN AMERICAN SWIMMER.
HE WON 22 OLYMPIC MEDALS AND
HOLDS A RECORD FOR WINNING 18
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS.
MICHAEL PHELPS
•PHELPS HAS WON SIX GOLD MEDALS AT THE 2004
SUMMER OLYMPICS, EIGHT GOLD MEDALS AT THE
2008 SUMMER OLYMPICS AND FOUR GOLD MEDALS
AT THE 2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS.
MICHAEL PHELPS

•PHELPS IS THE WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN THE 100-

METER BUTTERFLY, 200-METER BUTTERFLY AND 400-
METER INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY. HE HAS WON A TOTAL OF 77
MEDALS IN MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS.
DAWN FRASER
• FRASER IS AN AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION SWIMMER
AND IS THE FIRST WOMAN SWIMMER TO GET GOLD
MEDALS IN ANY INDIVIDUAL SWIMMING EVENT IN
THREE CONSECUTIVE OLYMPICS. SHE WON THE 100-
METER FREESTYLE THREE TIMES IN 1956, 1960 AND
1964 SUMMER OLYMPICS.
DAWN FRASER
•FRASER WON EIGHT OLYMPIC MEDALS, INCLUDING FOUR
GOLD MEDALS, AND SIX COMMONWEALTH GAMES GOLD
MEDALS. IN OCTOBER 1962, SHE BECAME THE FIRST
WOMAN TO SWIM 100 METRES FREESTYLE IN LESS THAN
ONE MINUTE.
MARK SPITZ
• MARK SPITZ IS AN AMERICAN SWIMMING CHAMPION.
HE WON TWO GOLD MEDALS AT THE 1968 SUMMER
OLYMPICS. SPITZ SET A WORLD RECORD AT THE 1972
OLYMPIC GAMES, WHEN HE WON SEVEN GOLD MEDALS
ACROSS INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM EVENTS. HE WAS A
NINE-TIME OLYMPIC CHAMPION.
MARK SPITZ

•APART FROM WINNING GOLD MEDALS HE ALSO WON

A SILVER AND A BRONZE MEDAL ALONG WITH FIVE
PAN AMERICAN GOLD MEDALS.
TRACY CAULKINS
•TRACY IS AN AMERICAN FORMER COMPETITION
SWIMMER. SHE IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE
MOST VERSATILE SWIMMERS AND HAS SET U.S
RECORDS IN ALL THE FOUR STYLES. SHE COULD
NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE 1980 SUMMER
OLYMPICS BECAUSE THE U.S BOYCOTTED THEM.
TRACY CAULKINS
•TRACY WON THREE MEDALS AT THE 1984 SUMMER
OLYMPICS. SHE HAS SET 68 RECORDS OUT OF
WHICH FIVE ARE WORLD RECORDS AND 63 ARE
RECORDS MADE IN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.
IAN THORPE
• IAN THORPE IS AN AUSTRALIAN FREESTYLE SWIMMING
CHAMPION, WHO WON FIVE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS,
THREE AT THE 2000 SUMMER OLYMPICS AND TWO AT
THE 2004 SUMMER OLYMPICS. HE MADE HIS DEBUT IN
1997 THROUGH PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP AND GOT
FOURTH RANK IN 200 METER FREESTYLE.
IAN THORPE
•THORPE WON 400 METER FREESTYLE IN PERTH
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1998 AND BECAME THE
YOUNGEST CHAMPION. AFTER THIS HE WON THE
RACES IN OLYMPICS AND COMMON WEALTH GAMES.