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).

Events

Men's

Current program
Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
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 × 100 metre freestyle relay X X X X X X X X X X X X X 13
4 × 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 × 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
Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
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 × 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

Current program
Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
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 × 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 × 200 metre freestyle relay X X X X X X X 7
4 × 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
Events235555556781414131314151516161617171718

Mixed

Current program
Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
4 × 100 metre medley relay X 1
Events1

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

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States (USA)246172135553
2 Australia (AUS)606464188
3 East Germany (GDR)38322292
4 Hungary (HUN)28252073
5 Japan (JPN)22263280
6 Netherlands (NED)22181959
7 Great Britain (GBR)16283074
8 Germany (GER)13192961
9 China (CHN)13191143
10 Soviet Union (URS)12212659
11 Sweden (SWE)9151438
12 Canada (CAN)8152649
13 France (FRA)8152043
14 South Africa (RSA)66618
15 Unified Team (EUN)63110
16 Russia (RUS)59923
17 Italy (ITA)551222
18 Ukraine (UKR)4217
19 West Germany (FRG)351422
20 Denmark (DEN)35614
21 Romania (ROU)3249
22 Ireland (IRL)3014
23 Zimbabwe (ZIM)2417
24 Australasia (ANZ)2338
25 Spain (ESP)2248
26 New Zealand (NZL)2136
27 Tunisia (TUN)2013
28 Austria (AUT)16512
29 United Team of Germany (EUA)15612
30 Brazil (BRA)14914
31 Greece (GRE)1438
32 Poland (POL)1326
33 South Korea (KOR)1304
34 Belgium (BEL)1225
35 Costa Rica (CRC)1124
36 Argentina (ARG)1113
 Bulgaria (BUL)1113
38 Yugoslavia (YUG)1102
39 Mexico (MEX)1012
 Suriname (SUR)1012
41 Kazakhstan (KAZ)1001
 Lithuania (LTU)1001
 Singapore (SIN)1001
44 Belarus (BLR)0213
45 Slovakia (SVK)0202
46 Finland (FIN)0134
47 Cuba (CUB)0112
 Norway (NOR)0112
49 Croatia (CRO)0101
 Serbia (SRB)0101
 Slovenia (SLO)0101
52 Philippines (PHI)0022
53 Switzerland (SUI)0011
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)0011
 Venezuela (VEN)0011
Totals (55 nations)5595575581674

Long course swimming

Last updated after the 2016 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States (USA)246171135552
2 Australia (AUS)606464188
3 East Germany (GDR)38322292
4 Hungary (HUN)27252072
5 Japan (JPN)22263280
6 Netherlands (NED)19181956
7 Great Britain (GBR)16262971
8 China (CHN)13191143
9 Germany (GER)13182859
10 Soviet Union (URS)12212659
11 Sweden (SWE)9151438
12 Canada (CAN)8152548
13 France (FRA)8151942
14 South Africa (RSA)66618
15 Unified Team (EUN)63110
16 Italy (ITA)541120
17 Russia (RUS)49922
18 Ukraine (UKR)4217
19 West Germany (FRG)351422
20 Denmark (DEN)35614
21 Romania (ROU)3249
22 Ireland (IRL)3014
23 Zimbabwe (ZIM)2417
24 Australasia (ANZ)2338
25 Spain (ESP)2248
26 New Zealand (NZL)2136
27 Austria (AUT)16512
28 United Team of Germany (EUA)15612
29 Brazil (BRA)14813
30 Greece (GRE)1337
31 Poland (POL)1326
32 South Korea (KOR)1304
33 Belgium (BEL)1225
34 Costa Rica (CRC)1124
35 Argentina (ARG)1113
 Bulgaria (BUL)1113
37 Yugoslavia (YUG)1102
38 Mexico (MEX)1012
 Suriname (SUR)1012
 Tunisia (TUN)1012
41 Kazakhstan (KAZ)1001
 Lithuania (LTU)1001
 Singapore (SIN)1001
44 Belarus (BLR)0213
45 Slovakia (SVK)0202
46 Finland (FIN)0134
47 Cuba (CUB)0112
 Norway (NOR)0112
49 Croatia (CRO)0101
 Serbia (SRB)0101
 Slovenia (SLO)0101
52 Philippines (PHI)0022
53 Switzerland (SUI)0011
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)0011
 Venezuela (VEN)0011
Totals (55 nations)5535515521656

Marathon swimming

Last updated after the 2016 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Netherlands (NED)3003
2 Hungary (HUN)1001
 Russia (RUS)1001
 Tunisia (TUN)1001
5 Great Britain (GBR)0213
6 Germany (GER)0112
 Italy (ITA)0112
8 Greece (GRE)0101
 United States (USA)0101
10 Brazil (BRA)0011
 Canada (CAN)0011
 France (FRA)0011
Totals (12 nations)66618

Nations

Nation9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
 Albania (ALB)122225
 Algeria (ALG)511365118
 American Samoa (ASA)222
 Andorra (AND)1221226
 Angola (ANG)5831212229
 Antigua and Barbuda (ANT)2123
 Argentina (ARG)44511773784562371310114520
 Armenia (ARM)1211226
 Aruba (ARU)21224
 Australasia (ANZ)592
 Australia (AUS)16555510102626322424281731253333444143473924
 Austria (AUT)23118382310732156624861211624
 Azerbaijan (AZE)12412226
 Bahamas (BAH)221214441310
 Bahrain (BRN)2222216
 Bangladesh (BAN)211222128
 Barbados (BAR)1112344129
 Belarus (BLR)10998886
 Belgium (BEL)175126561063264107477497131023
 Benin (BEN)2223
 Bermuda (BER)5521161121211
 Bolivia (BOL)1122222229
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH)22211227
 Botswana (BOT)222
 Brazil (BRA)2816131245441299715910132325193621
 British Virgin Islands (IVB)11
 Brunei (BRU)11
 Bulgaria (BUL)335138516644312
 Burkina Faso (BUR)12224
 Burundi (BDI)21224
 Cambodia (CAM)42222227
 Cameroon (CMR)1223
 Canada (CAN)11326141499881215383837312927392027333024
 Cayman Islands (CAY)32224
 Central African Republic (CAF)122
 Chile (CHI)4411232129
 China (CHN)21114241621212842514512
 Chinese Taipei (TPE)143588131353211
 Colombia (COL)231945211155353416
 Comoros (COM)1123
 Congo (CGO)12221227
 Cook Islands (COK)1222
 Costa Rica (CRC)11218132122112
 Croatia (CRO)11171313426
 Cuba (CUB)2221323722111
 Cyprus (CYP)422752128
 Czechoslovakia (TCH)49133423313156817
 Czech Republic (CZE)1061210686
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD)11
 Denmark (DEN)15145218692433621315810769101525
 Djibouti (DJI)112
 Dominica (DMA)122
 Dominican Republic (DOM)11224
 East Germany (GDR)24372330265
 Ecuador (ECU)3112153123311
 Egypt (EGY)163285226233713
 El Salvador (ESA)1472121112210
 Equatorial Guinea (GEQ)21
 Estonia (EST)241469228
 Ethiopia (ETH)222
 Fiji (FIJ)3532211229
 Finland (FIN)361211211315631112112127757825
 France (FRA)4743132013581716161991618161316252525192135313026
 Gabon (GAB)11
 The Gambia (GAM)11
 Georgia (GEO)112125
 Germany (GER)645171922491826382428353525302918
 Ghana (GHA)21
 Great Britain (GBR)72518182621152232262232332736403233312839323724442826
 Greece (GRE)15115225223428142818141518
 Grenada (GRN)12124
 Guam (GUM)472111328
 Guatemala (GUA)1361521411211
 Guinea (GUI)212125
 Guyana (GUY)11224
 Haiti (HAI)122
 Honduras (HON)6341222229
 Hong Kong (HKG)4213324810839743716
 Hungary (HUN)1121086851315151618191416813131321182528323526
 Iceland (ISL)82244346239787315
 Independent Olympic Participants (IOP)41
 India (IND)1752122141211
 Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA)21
 Indonesia (INA)13211216321212
 Iran (IRI)11111117
 Iraq (IRQ)21114
 Ireland (IRL)2474325254234314
 Israel (ISR)1142612314410275716
 Italy (ITA)242465210723161024131326212414212934353824
 Ivory Coast (CIV)21224
 Jamaica (JAM)114143128
 Japan (JPN)261023212219213820151522232527212031293621
 Jordan (JOR)2222226
 Kazakhstan (KAZ)781112736
 Kenya (KEN)1222226
 Kosovo (KOS)21
 Kuwait (KUW)2352332129
 Kyrgyzstan (KGZ)121863226
 Laos (LAO)122125
 Latvia (LAT)14452227
 Lebanon (LIB)1224412522211
 Lesotho (LES)11
 Libya (LBA)422125
 Liechtenstein (LIE)122
 Lithuania (LTU)286109467
 Luxembourg (LUX)243411411213241316
 Macedonia (MKD)4442226
 Madagascar (MAD)312222228
 Malawi (MAW)22124
 Malaysia (MAS)2272112159452314
 Maldives (MDV)21222227
 Mali (MLI)222225
 Malta (MLT)1222226
 Marshall Islands (MHL)2223
 Mauritius (MRI)62222227
 Mexico (MEX)398411102722971210727669319
 Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)222225
 Moldova (MDA)5103225
 Monaco (MON)11111117
 Mongolia (MGL)212225
 Montenegro (MNE)122
 Morocco (MAR)111125
 Mozambique (MOZ)522312222210
 Myanmar (MYA)111115
 Namibia (NAM)2113
 Nepal (NEP)2222226
 Netherlands (NED)474121451412131926171915121611920241618151724
 Netherlands Antilles (AHO)311215
 New Zealand (NZL)11412524698711148131517919
 Nicaragua (NCA)211222228
 Niger (NIG)212125
 Nigeria (NGR)222225
 Norway (NOR)52111131473265143218
 Oman (OMA)1143
 Pakistan (PAK)4231122229
 Palau (PLW)211125
 Palestine (PLE)112225
 Panama (PAN)1311122221211
 Papua New Guinea (PNG)212215
 Paraguay (PAR)322212228
 Peru (PER)3633452223223214
 Philippines (PHI)2353188277344524552220
 Poland (POL)247154538514118715192017
 Portugal (POR)1145352212912711107516
 Puerto Rico (PUR)1491253673642213
 Qatar (QAT)111225
 Rhodesia (RHO)41
 Romania (ROU)12223525101411764615
 Russia (RUS)43028303535367
 Rwanda (RWA)222225
 Saar (SAA)11
 Saint Lucia (LCA)211115
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VIN)21124
 Samoa (SAM)21
 San Marino (SMR)22112218
 Saudi Arabia (KSA)21114
 Senegal (SEN)22222227
 Serbia and Montenegro (SCG)472
 Serbia (SRB)9863
 Seychelles (SEY)41222227
 Sierra Leone (SLE)122
 Singapore (SIN)1345558555311
 Slovakia (SVK)3423536
 Slovenia (SLO)556111012107
 South Africa (RSA)1151368310714824201315
 South Korea (KOR)41131542017191615812
 Soviet Union (URS)181023213126313927299
 Spain (ESP)24563101113914118112118231623142420
 Sri Lanka (SRI)111212222210
 Sudan (SUD)11224
 Suriname (SUR)2134222229
 Swaziland (SWZ)12121117
 Sweden (SWE)112241314925812515141615182424181718161518121126
 Switzerland (SUI)421488924102313104591377821
 Syria (SYR)11213227
 Tajikistan (TJK)22124
 Tanzania (TAN)2223
 Thailand (THA)2256862229
 Togo (TOG)122
 Tonga (TGA)122
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)111123331210
 Tunisia (TUN)211122428
 Turkey (TUR)22423479116411
 Turkmenistan (TKM)22224
 Uganda (UGA)1212226
 Ukraine (UKR)132527231476
 United Arab Emirates (UAE)651111128
 United States (USA)1225872226232728283028314852515143444044484343494727
 Uruguay (URU)2154121124432214
 Uzbekistan (UZB)610157226
 Venezuela (VEN)112412367541310613
 Vietnam (VIE)1232112222111213
 Virgin Islands (ISV)276311211210
 West Germany (FRG)27442224295
 Yemen (YEM)1223
 Yugoslavia (YUG)6463192654333922
 Zambia (ZAM)2222226
 Zimbabwe (ZIM)224413221210
Nations412414171923282029344833454251525141677792117150152162166169
Swimmers1976321001201161181821282482493192353804054685324713334946336417629549371026950950
Year9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620

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 in the swimming pool. 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 (4×100 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 × 50 yards, was 4 × 45.7 metres.
  2. In 1920, the women's event was 300 metres.

See also

References

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