Swimming at the Summer Olympics

Template:Short description Template:Infobox Olympic sport Swimming has been a sport at every modern Summer Olympics. It has been open to women since 1912. At the Olympics, swimming has the second-highest number of medal-contested events after athletics.

Summary

Games	Year	Events	Best nation
1	1896	4	Template:FlagIOC2 (1)
2	1900	7	Template:FlagIOC2 (1)
3	1904	9	Template:FlagIOC2 (1)
4	1908	6	Template:FlagIOC2 (2)
5	1912	9	Template:FlagIOC2 (2)
6
7	1920	10	Template:FlagIOC2 (1)
8	1924	11	Template:FlagIOC2 (2)
9	1928	11	Template:FlagIOC2 (3)
10	1932	11	Template:FlagIOC2 (1)
11	1936	11	Template:FlagIOC2 (2)
12
13
14	1948	11	Template:FlagIOC2 (4)
15	1952	11	Template:FlagIOC2 (5)
16	1956	13	Template:FlagIOC2 (1)
17	1960	15	Template:FlagIOC2 (6)
18	1964	18	Template:FlagIOC2 (7)
19	1968	29	Template:FlagIOC2 (8)
20	1972	29	Template:FlagIOC2 (9)
21	1976	26	Template:FlagIOC2 (10)
22	1980	26	Template:FlagIOC2 (1)
23	1984	29	Template:FlagIOC2 (11)
24	1988	31	Template:FlagIOC2 (2)
25	1992	31	Template:FlagIOC2 (12)
26	1996	32	Template:FlagIOC2 (13)
27	2000	32	Template:FlagIOC2 (14)
28	2004	32	Template:FlagIOC2 (15)
29	2008	34	Template:FlagIOC2 (16)
30	2012	34	Template:FlagIOC2 (17)
31	2016	34	Template:FlagIOC2 (18)
32	2020	37	Template:FlagIOC2 (19)
33	2024	37	Template:FlagIOC2 (20)

Long-course swimming

Men's events

Current programme

Event	96	1900	04	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	2000	04	08	12	16	20	24	Years
50 metres freestyle			X<ref name=1904Games>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.</ref>	colspan="17"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	11
100 metres freestyle	X		X<ref name=1904Games/>	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	X	29
200 metres freestyle (Template:Detailslink)		X	X<ref name=1904Games/>	colspan="12"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	17
400 metres freestyle			X<ref name=1904Games/>	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	X	28
800 metre freestyle			X<ref name=1904Games/>	colspan="25"Template:N/a	X	X	3
1500 metre freestyle			X<ref name=1904Games/>	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	X	28
100 metre backstroke			X<ref name=1904Games/>	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
200 metre backstroke		X	colspan="12"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	17
100 metre breaststroke	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	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	X	27
100 metre butterfly	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	15
200 metre butterfly	colspan="12"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	18
200 metre individual medley	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	13
400 metre individual medley	colspan="14"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	16
4 × 100 metre freestyle relay	colspan="14"Template:N/a	X	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	14
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	X	27
4 × 100 metre medley relay	colspan="13"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	17
Template:Tooltip	1	2	7	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	7	8	10	15	15	13	13	15	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	16	17	17

Past events Template:Columns-start

• 400 metre breaststroke: 1904,<ref name=1904Games/> 1912, 1920
• 4 × 50 yard freestyle relay:<ref name=1904Games/> 1904

Only at the 1896 Summer Olympics

• 500 metre freestyle
• 1200 metre freestyle
• 100 metre freestyle for sailors

Template:Column Only at the 1900 Summer Olympics

• 1000 metre freestyle
• 4000 metre freestyle
• 200 metre team swimming
• 200 metre obstacle event
• Underwater swimming

Women's events

Current programme

Event	96	1900	04	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	2000	04	08	12	16	20	24	Years
50 metre freestyle	colspan="20"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	10
100 metre freestyle	colspan="4"Template:N/a	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
200 metre freestyle (Template:Detailslink)	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	15
400 metre freestyle	colspan="5"Template:N/a	X<ref name=W300>In 1920, the women's event was 300 metres.</ref>	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
800 metre freestyle	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	15
1500 metre freestyle	colspan="28"Template:N/a	X	X	2
100 metre backstroke	colspan="6"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	24
200 metre backstroke	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	15
100 metre breaststroke	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	15
200 metre breaststroke	colspan="6"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	24
100 metre butterfly	colspan="12"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	18
200 metre butterfly	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	15
200 metre individual medley	colspan="15"Template:N/a	X	X			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	13
400 metre individual medley	colspan="14"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	16
4 × 100 metre freestyle relay	colspan="4"Template:N/a	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 × 200 metre freestyle relay	colspan="22"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	8
4 × 100 metre medley relay	colspan="13"Template:N/a	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	17
Events					2	3	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	7	8	14	14	13	13	14	15	15	16	16	16	16	16	16	17	17

Mixed events

Current programme

Event	96	1900	04	08	12	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	96	2000	04	08	12	16	20	24	Years
4 × 100 metre medley relay	colspan="28"Template:N/a	X	X	2
Events																													1	1

Marathon swimming

Events

Event	08	12	16	20	24	Years
Men's 10 km	X	X	X	X	X	5
Women's 10 km	X	X	X	X	X	5
Events	2	2	2	2	2

Medal table

Updated after the 2024 Summer Olympics<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Medals table

Nations

Template:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRowTemplate:OlympicNationRow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Nations	4	12	4	14	17	19	23	28	20	29	34	48	33	45	42	51	52	51	41	67	77	92	117	150	152	162	166	169	182	194
Swimmers	19	76	32	100	120	116	118	182	128	248	249	319	235	380	405	468	532	471	333	494	633	641	762	954	937	1026	950	950	1000	852

Olympic records

The International Olympic Committee recognize the best performances in all 35 current swimming events at the Games as Olympic records.

Notable changes to the sport

Times have consistently dropped over the years due to better training techniques and new developments within 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 harbor, 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 (a standard that remains to this day). In the freestyle, swimmers originally dove from the pool walls, but diving blocks were first incorporated 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.

The 800 m event was added to the women's programme in 1968; whilst longer, this event was not as far as the men's 1500 m event. This discrepancy was evened out in 2020: that year, the 1500 metres was included in the women's programme for the first time and the 800 metres freestyle was added to the men's programme.

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

The women's 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay race was added in 1996—a men's relay race at that distance had been held since 1912; interestingly, the winning time for the women's 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay in 1996 was more than two minutes faster than the men's 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay of 1912. At six Games, the men had two freestyle relay races, while the women had one. Starting with 1996, both genders 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 Games since then.

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

The mixed 4 × 100 metres medley relay (2 women and 2 men) was added to the programme in the 2020 Olympic Games.

the men’s and women’s 50 m backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly were added to the programme in the 2028 Olympic Games.

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• List of Olympic venues in swimming
• Major achievements in swimming by nation
• Swimming at the Summer Paralympics

References

• International Olympic Committee results database

External links

• Swim Rankings results

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