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Swimming at the Summer Olympics facts for kids

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Swimming at the Summer Olympics
Swimming pictogram.svg
Governing body FINA
Events 37 (men: 18; women: 18; mixed: 1)
Games
  • 1896
  • 1900
  • 1904
  • 1908
  • 1912
  • 1920
  • 1924
  • 1928
  • 1932
  • 1936
  • 1948
  • 1952
  • 1956
  • 1960
  • 1964
  • 1968
  • 1972
  • 1976
  • 1980
  • 1984
  • 1988
  • 1992
  • 1996
  • 2000
  • 2004
  • 2008
  • 2012
  • 2016
  • 2020
  • Medalists

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  Hungary
2 1900 7  Great Britain
3 1904 9  Germany
4 1908 6  Great Britain
5 1912 9  Germany
6
7 1920 10  United States
8 1924 11  United States
9 1928 11  United States
10 1932 11  Japan
11 1936 11  Japan
12
13
14 1948 11  United States
15 1952 11  United States
16 1956 13  Australia
Games Year Events Best Nation
17 1960 15  United States
18 1964 18  United States
19 1968 29  United States
20 1972 29  United States
21 1976 26  United States
22 1980 26  East Germany
23 1984 29  United States
24 1988 31  East Germany
25 1992 31  United States
26 1996 32  United States
27 2000 32  United States
28 2004 32  United States
29 2008 34  United States
30 2012 34  United States
31 2016 34  United States
32 2020 37  United States

Long-course swimming

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 24 Years
50 metres freestyle X X X X X X X X X X X 11
100 metres 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 X X X X 29
200 metres freestyle (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 17
400 metres 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 X X X 28
800 metre freestyle X X X 3
1500 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 X X X 28
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 X X X X 27
200 metre backstroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 17
100 metre breaststroke 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 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
200 metre butterfly X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 18
200 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X X 13
400 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 16
4 × 100 metre freestyle relay 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 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 17
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 24 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 X X 3
4 × 50 yard freestyle relay X 1
200 metre team swimming X 1
200 metre obstacle event X 1
Underwater swimming X 1
100 metre freestyle for sailors X 1
Events 4 7 9 6 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 8 10 15 15 13 13 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 17

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 24 Years
50 metre freestyle X X X X X X X X X X 10
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 X 26
200 metre freestyle (details) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
400 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
800 metre freestyle X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
1500 metre freestyle X X 2
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 X 24
200 metre backstroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
100 metre breaststroke X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
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 24
100 metre butterfly X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 18
200 metre butterfly X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
200 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X X 13
400 metre individual medley X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 16
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 X 26
4 × 200 metre freestyle relay X X X X X X X X 8
4 × 100 metre medley relay 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 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 24 Years
4 × 100 metre medley relay X X 2
Events 1 1

Medal table

Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  United States (USA) 257 178 144 579
2  Australia (AUS) 69 70 73 212
3  East Germany (GDR) 38 32 22 92
4  Hungary (HUN) 28 26 20 74
5  Japan (JPN) 24 27 32 83
6  Great Britain (GBR) 20 29 30 79
7  Netherlands (NED) 19 20 19 58
8  China (CHN) 16 21 12 49
9  Germany (GER) 13 18 30 61
10  Soviet Union (URS) 12 21 26 59
11  Canada (CAN) 9 18 27 54
12  Sweden (SWE) 9 16 14 39
13  France (FRA) 8 16 19 43
14  South Africa (RSA) 7 7 6 20
15  Unified Team (EUN) 6 3 1 10
16  Italy (ITA) 5 6 15 26
17  Russia (RUS) 4 9 9 22
18  Ukraine (UKR) 4 3 2 9
19  West Germany (FRG) 3 5 14 22
20  Denmark (DEN) 3 5 7 15
21  Romania (ROU) 3 2 4 9
22  Ireland (IRL) 3 0 1 4
 Tunisia (TUN) 3 0 1 4
24  Zimbabwe (ZIM) 2 4 1 7
25  Australasia (ANZ) 2 3 3 8
26  Spain (ESP) 2 2 4 8
27  ROC 2 2 1 5
28  New Zealand (NZL) 2 1 3 6
29  Austria (AUT) 1 6 5 12
30  United Team of Germany (EUA) 1 5 6 12
31  Brazil (BRA) 1 4 10 15
32  Greece (GRE) 1 3 2 6
 Poland (POL) 1 3 2 6
34  South Korea (KOR) 1 3 0 4
35  Belgium (BEL) 1 2 2 5
36  Costa Rica (CRC) 1 1 2 4
37  Argentina (ARG) 1 1 1 3
 Bulgaria (BUL) 1 1 1 3
39  Yugoslavia (YUG) 1 1 0 2
40  Mexico (MEX) 1 0 1 2
 Suriname (SUR) 1 0 1 2
42  Kazakhstan (KAZ) 1 0 0 1
 Lithuania (LTU) 1 0 0 1
 Singapore (SIN) 1 0 0 1
45  Belarus (BLR) 0 2 1 3
46  Hong Kong (HKG) 0 2 0 2
 Slovakia (SVK) 0 2 0 2
48  Finland (FIN) 0 1 4 5
49  Cuba (CUB) 0 1 1 2
 Norway (NOR) 0 1 1 2
51  Croatia (CRO) 0 1 0 1
 Serbia (SRB) 0 1 0 1
 Slovenia (SLO) 0 1 0 1
54  Switzerland (SUI) 0 0 3 3
55  Philippines (PHI) 0 0 2 2
56  Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) 0 0 1 1
 Venezuela (VEN) 0 0 1 1
Totals (57 nations) 589 586 587 1762

Marathon swimming

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
Men's 10 km X X X X 4
Women's 10 km X X X X 4
Events 2 2 2 2

Medal table

Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  Netherlands (NED) 3 1 0 4
2  Germany (GER) 1 1 1 3
3  Hungary (HUN) 1 1 0 2
4  Brazil (BRA) 1 0 1 2
5  Russia (RUS) 1 0 0 1
 Tunisia (TUN) 1 0 0 1
7  Great Britain (GBR) 0 2 1 3
8  Italy (ITA) 0 1 2 3
9  Greece (GRE) 0 1 0 1
 United States (USA) 0 1 0 1
11  Australia (AUS) 0 0 1 1
 Canada (CAN) 0 0 1 1
 France (FRA) 0 0 1 1
Totals (13 nations) 8 8 8 24

Overall medal table

Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1  United States 257 179 144 580
2  Australia 69 70 74 213
3  East Germany (GDR) 38 32 22 92
4  Hungary 29 27 20 76
5  Japan 24 27 32 83
6  Netherlands 22 21 19 62
7  Great Britain 20 31 31 82
8  China 16 21 12 49
9  Germany 14 19 31 64
10  Soviet Union (URS) 12 21 26 59
11  Canada 9 18 28 55
12  Sweden 9 16 14 39
13  France 8 16 20 44
14  South Africa 7 7 6 20
15  Unified Team (EUN) 6 3 1 10
16  Russia 5 9 9 23
17  Italy 5 7 17 29
18  Ukraine 4 3 2 9
19  West Germany (FRG) 3 5 14 22
20  Denmark 3 5 7 15
21  Romania 3 2 4 9
22  Ireland 3 0 1 4
 Tunisia 3 0 1 4
24  Brazil 2 4 11 17
25  Zimbabwe 2 4 1 7
26  Australasia (ANZ) 2 3 3 8
27  Spain 2 2 4 8
28  ROC 2 2 1 5
29  New Zealand 2 1 3 6
30  Austria 1 6 5 12
31  United Team of Germany (EUA) 1 5 6 12
32  Greece 1 4 2 7
33  Poland 1 3 2 6
34  South Korea 1 3 0 4
35  Belgium 1 2 2 5
36  Costa Rica 1 1 2 4
37  Argentina 1 1 1 3
 Bulgaria 1 1 1 3
39  Yugoslavia (YUG) 1 1 0 2
40  Mexico 1 0 1 2
 Suriname 1 0 1 2
42  Kazakhstan 1 0 0 1
 Lithuania 1 0 0 1
 Singapore 1 0 0 1
45  Belarus 0 2 1 3
46  Hong Kong 0 2 0 2
 Slovakia 0 2 0 2
48  Finland 0 1 4 5
49  Cuba 0 1 1 2
 Norway 0 1 1 2
51  Croatia 0 1 0 1
 Serbia 0 1 0 1
 Slovenia 0 1 0 1
54  Switzerland 0 0 3 3
55  Philippines 0 0 2 2
56  Trinidad and Tobago 0 0 1 1
 Venezuela 0 0 1 1
Totals (57 nations) 596 594 595 1785

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 20 Years
 Albania (ALB) 1 2 2 2 2 5
 Algeria (ALG) 5 1 1 3 6 5 1 1 8
 American Samoa (ASA) 2 2 2
 Andorra (AND) 1 2 2 1 2 2 6
 Angola (ANG) 5 8 3 1 2 1 2 2 2 9
 Antigua and Barbuda (ANT) 2 1 2 3
 Argentina (ARG) 4 4 5 1 17 7 3 7 8 4 5 6 2 3 7 13 10 11 4 5 20
 Armenia (ARM) 1 2 1 1 2 2 6
 Aruba (ARU) 2 1 2 2 4
 Australasia (ANZ) 5 9 2
 Australia (AUS) 1 6 5 5 5 5 10 10 26 26 32 24 24 28 17 31 25 33 33 44 41 43 47 39 24
 Austria (AUT) 2 3 1 1 8 3 8 2 3 10 7 3 2 1 5 6 6 2 4 8 6 12 11 6 24
 Azerbaijan (AZE) 1 2 4 12 2 2 6
 Bahamas (BAH) 2 2 1 2 1 4 4 4 1 3 10
 Bahrain (BRN) 2 2 2 2 2 1 6
 Bangladesh (BAN) 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 8
 Barbados (BAR) 1 1 1 2 3 4 4 1 2 9
 Belarus (BLR) 10 9 9 8 8 8 6
 Belgium (BEL) 1 7 5 12 6 5 6 10 6 3 2 6 4 10 7 4 7 7 4 9 7 13 10 23
 Benin (BEN) 2 2 2 3
 Bermuda (BER) 5 5 2 1 1 6 1 1 2 1 2 11
 Bolivia (BOL) 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 7
 Botswana (BOT) 2 2 2
 Brazil (BRA) 2 8 16 13 12 4 5 4 4 12 9 9 7 15 9 10 13 23 25 19 36 21
 British Virgin Islands (IVB) 1 1
 Brunei (BRU) 1 1
 Bulgaria (BUL) 3 3 5 13 8 5 1 6 6 4 4 3 12
 Burkina Faso (BUR) 1 2 2 2 4
 Burundi (BDI) 2 1 2 2 4
 Cambodia (CAM) 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Cameroon (CMR) 1 2 2 3
 Canada (CAN) 1 1 3 2 6 14 14 9 9 8 8 12 15 38 38 37 31 29 27 39 20 27 33 30 24
 Cayman Islands (CAY) 3 2 2 2 4
 Central African Republic (CAF) 1 2 2
 Chile (CHI) 4 4 1 1 2 3 2 1 2 9
 China (CHN) 2 1 1 14 24 16 21 21 28 42 51 45 12
 Chinese Taipei (TPE) 1 4 3 5 8 8 13 13 5 3 2 11
 Colombia (COL) 2 3 1 9 4 5 2 1 1 1 5 5 3 5 3 4 16
 Comoros (COM) 1 1 2 3
 Republic of the Congo (CGO) 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 7
 Cook Islands (COK) 1 2 2 2
 Costa Rica (CRC) 1 1 2 1 8 1 3 2 1 2 2 1 12
 Croatia (CRO) 11 17 13 13 4 2 6
 Cuba (CUB) 2 2 2 1 3 2 3 7 2 2 1 11
 Cyprus (CYP) 4 2 2 7 5 2 1 2 8
 Czechoslovakia (TCH) 4 9 1 3 3 4 2 3 3 1 3 1 5 6 8 17
 Czech Republic (CZE) 10 6 12 10 6 8 6
 Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD) 1 1
 Denmark (DEN) 1 5 1 4 5 2 18 6 9 2 4 3 3 6 2 1 3 15 8 10 7 6 9 10 15 25
 Djibouti (DJI) 1 1 2
 Dominica (DMA) 1 2 2
 Dominican Republic (DOM) 1 1 2 2 4
 East Germany (GDR) 24 37 23 30 26 5
 Ecuador (ECU) 3 1 1 2 1 5 3 1 2 3 3 11
 Egypt (EGY) 1 6 3 2 8 5 2 2 6 2 3 3 7 13
 El Salvador (ESA) 14 7 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 10
 Equatorial Guinea (GEQ) 2 1
 Estonia (EST) 2 4 1 4 6 9 2 2 8
 Ethiopia (ETH) 2 2 2
 Fiji (FIJ) 3 5 3 2 2 1 1 2 2 9
 Finland (FIN) 3 6 1 2 1 1 2 1 13 1 5 6 3 1 1 1 2 1 12 12 7 7 5 7 8 25
 France (FRA) 47 4 3 13 20 13 5 8 17 16 16 19 9 16 18 16 13 16 25 25 25 19 21 35 31 30 26
 Gabon (GAB) 1 1
 The Gambia (GAM) 1 1
 Georgia (GEO) 1 1 2 1 2 5
 Germany (GER) 6 4 5 17 19 2 24 9 18 26 38 24 28 35 35 25 30 29 18
 Ghana (GHA) 2 1
 Great Britain (GBR) 7 25 18 18 26 21 15 22 32 26 22 32 33 27 36 40 32 33 31 28 39 32 37 24 44 28 26
 Greece (GRE) 15 1 1 5 2 2 5 2 2 3 4 2 8 14 28 18 14 15 18
 Grenada (GRN) 1 2 1 2 4
 Guam (GUM) 4 7 2 1 1 1 3 2 8
 Guatemala (GUA) 1 3 6 1 5 2 1 4 1 1 2 11
 Guinea (GUI) 2 1 2 1 2 5
 Guyana (GUY) 1 1 2 2 4
 Haiti (HAI) 1 2 2
 Honduras (HON) 6 3 4 1 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Hong Kong (HKG) 4 2 1 3 3 2 4 8 10 8 3 9 7 4 3 7 16
 Hungary (HUN) 1 1 2 10 8 6 8 5 13 15 15 16 18 19 14 16 8 13 13 13 21 18 25 28 32 35 26
 Iceland (ISL) 8 2 2 4 4 3 4 6 2 3 9 7 8 7 3 15
 Independent Olympic Participants (IOP) 4 1
 India (IND) 1 7 5 2 1 2 2 1 4 1 2 11
 Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA) 2 1
 Indonesia (INA) 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 6 3 2 1 2 12
 Iran (IRI) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7
 Iraq (IRQ) 2 1 1 1 4
 Ireland (IRL) 2 4 7 4 3 2 5 2 5 4 2 3 4 3 14
 Israel (ISR) 1 1 4 2 6 1 2 3 1 4 4 10 2 7 5 7 16
 Italy (ITA) 2 4 2 4 6 5 2 10 7 23 16 10 24 13 13 26 21 24 14 21 29 34 35 38 24
 Ivory Coast (CIV) 2 1 2 2 4
 Jamaica (JAM) 1 1 4 1 4 3 1 2 8
 Japan (JPN) 2 6 10 23 21 22 19 21 38 20 15 15 22 23 25 27 21 20 31 29 36 21
 Jordan (JOR) 2 2 2 2 2 2 6
 Kazakhstan (KAZ) 7 8 11 12 7 3 6
 Kenya (KEN) 1 2 2 2 2 2 6
 Kosovo (KOS) 2 1
 Kuwait (KUW) 2 3 5 2 3 3 2 1 2 9
 Kyrgyzstan (KGZ) 12 18 6 3 2 2 6
 Laos (LAO) 1 2 2 1 2 5
 Latvia (LAT) 1 4 4 5 2 2 2 7
 Lebanon (LIB) 1 2 2 4 4 1 2 5 2 2 2 11
 Lesotho (LES) 1 1
 Libya (LBA) 4 2 2 1 2 5
 Liechtenstein (LIE) 1 2 2
 Lithuania (LTU) 2 8 6 10 9 4 6 6 8
 Luxembourg (LUX) 2 4 3 4 1 1 4 1 1 2 1 3 2 4 1 3 16
 North Macedonia (MKD) 4 4 4 2 2 2 6
 Madagascar (MAD) 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 8
 Malawi (MAW) 2 2 1 2 4
 Malaysia (MAS) 2 2 7 2 1 1 2 1 5 9 4 5 2 3 14
 Maldives (MDV) 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Mali (MLI) 2 2 2 2 2 5
 Malta (MLT) 1 2 2 2 2 2 6
 Marshall Islands (MHL) 2 2 2 3
 Mauritius (MRI) 6 2 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Mexico (MEX) 3 9 8 4 11 10 27 22 9 7 12 10 7 2 7 6 6 9 3 19
 Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) 2 2 2 2 2 5
 Moldova (MDA) 5 10 3 2 2 5
 Monaco (MON) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7
 Mongolia (MGL) 2 1 2 2 2 5
 Montenegro (MNE) 1 2 2
 Morocco (MAR) 1 1 1 1 2 5
 Mozambique (MOZ) 5 2 2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 10
 Myanmar (MYA) 1 1 1 1 1 5
 Namibia (NAM) 2 1 1 3
 Nepal (NEP) 2 2 2 2 2 2 6
 Netherlands (NED) 4 7 4 12 14 5 14 12 13 19 26 17 19 15 12 16 11 9 20 24 16 18 15 17 24
 Netherlands Antilles (AHO) 3 1 1 2 1 5
 New Zealand (NZL) 1 1 4 1 2 5 2 4 6 9 8 7 11 14 8 13 15 17 9 19
 Nicaragua (NCA) 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 8
 Niger (NIG) 2 1 2 1 2 5
 Nigeria (NGR) 2 2 2 2 2 5
 Norway (NOR) 5 2 1 1 1 1 3 1 4 7 3 2 6 5 1 4 3 2 18
 Oman (OMA) 1 1 4 3
 Pakistan (PAK) 4 2 3 1 1 2 2 2 2 9
 Palau (PLW) 2 1 1 1 2 5
 Palestine (PLE) 1 1 2 2 2 5
 Panama (PAN) 1 3 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 11
 Papua New Guinea (PNG) 2 1 2 2 1 5
 Paraguay (PAR) 3 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 8
 Peru (PER) 3 6 3 3 4 5 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 2 14
 Philippines (PHI) 2 3 5 3 1 8 8 2 7 7 3 4 4 5 2 4 5 5 2 2 20
 Poland (POL) 2 4 7 1 5 4 5 3 8 5 14 11 8 7 15 19 20 17
 Portugal (POR) 1 1 4 5 3 5 2 2 12 9 12 7 11 10 7 5 16
 Puerto Rico (PUR) 1 4 9 12 5 3 6 7 3 6 4 2 2 13
 Qatar (QAT) 1 1 1 2 2 5
 Rhodesia (RHO) 4 1
 Romania (ROU) 1 2 2 2 3 5 2 5 10 14 11 7 6 4 6 15
 Russia (RUS) 4 30 28 30 35 35 36 7
 Rwanda (RWA) 2 2 2 2 2 5
 Saar (SAA) 1 1
 Saint Lucia (LCA) 2 1 1 1 1 5
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VIN) 2 1 1 2 4
 Samoa (SAM) 2 1
 San Marino (SMR) 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 8
 Saudi Arabia (KSA) 2 1 1 1 4
 Senegal (SEN) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Serbia and Montenegro (SCG) 4 7 2
 Serbia (SRB) 9 8 6 3
 Seychelles (SEY) 4 1 2 2 2 2 2 7
 Sierra Leone (SLE) 1 2 2
 Singapore (SIN) 1 3 4 5 5 5 8 5 5 5 3 11
 Slovakia (SVK) 3 4 2 3 5 3 6
 Slovenia (SLO) 5 5 6 11 10 12 10 7
 South Africa (RSA) 1 1 5 1 3 6 8 3 10 7 14 8 24 20 13 15
 South Korea (KOR) 4 1 1 3 15 4 20 17 19 16 15 8 12
 Soviet Union (URS) 18 10 23 21 31 26 31 39 27 29 9
 Spain (ESP) 2 4 5 6 3 10 11 13 9 14 11 8 11 21 18 23 16 23 14 24 20
 Sri Lanka (SRI) 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 10
 Sudan (SUD) 1 1 2 2 4
 Suriname (SUR) 2 1 3 4 2 2 2 2 2 9
 Eswatini (SWZ) 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 7
 Sweden (SWE) 1 12 24 13 14 9 2 5 8 12 5 15 14 16 15 18 24 24 18 17 18 16 15 18 12 11 26
 Switzerland (SUI) 4 2 1 4 8 8 9 2 4 10 2 3 13 10 4 5 9 13 7 7 8 21
 Syria (SYR) 1 1 2 1 3 2 2 7
 Tajikistan (TJK) 2 2 1 2 4
 Tanzania (TAN) 2 2 2 3
 Thailand (THA) 2 2 5 6 8 6 2 2 2 9
 Togo (TOG) 1 2 2
 Tonga (TGA) 1 2 2
 Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) 1 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 1 2 10
 Tunisia (TUN) 2 1 1 1 2 2 4 2 8
 Turkey (TUR) 2 2 4 2 3 4 7 9 11 6 4 11
 Turkmenistan (TKM) 2 2 2 2 4
 Uganda (UGA) 1 2 1 2 2 2 6
 Ukraine (UKR) 13 25 27 23 14 7 6
 United Arab Emirates (UAE) 6 5 1 1 1 1 1 2 8
 United States (USA) 1 2 25 8 7 22 26 23 27 28 28 30 28 31 48 52 51 51 43 44 40 44 48 43 43 49 47 27
 Uruguay (URU) 2 1 5 4 1 2 1 1 2 4 4 3 2 2 14
 Uzbekistan (UZB) 6 10 15 7 2 2 6
 Venezuela (VEN) 1 1 2 4 12 3 6 7 5 4 13 10 6 13
 Vietnam (VIE) 1 2 3 2 11 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 13
 Virgin Islands (ISV) 2 7 6 3 1 1 2 1 1 2 10
 West Germany (FRG) 27 44 22 24 29 5
 Yemen (YEM) 1 2 2 3
 Yugoslavia (YUG) 6 4 6 3 1 9 2 6 5 4 3 3 3 9 22
 Zambia (ZAM) 2 2 2 2 2 2 6
 Zimbabwe (ZIM) 2 2 4 4 1 3 2 2 1 2 10
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
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
Year 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

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 800m event was added to the women’s programme in 1968; whilst longer, this event was not as far as the men’s 1,500m event. This discrepancy was evened out in 2020: that year, the 1,500 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.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Natación en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños

  • 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
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