Swimming at the Summer Olympics

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).

Swimming at the Summer Olympics
IOC Discipline CodeSWM, OWS (Marathon Swimming)
Governing bodyFINA
Events37 (men: 18; women: 18; mixed: 1)
Games

Summary

GamesYearEventsBest Nation
118964  Hungary
219007  Great Britain
319049  Germany
419086  Great Britain
519129  Germany
6
7192010  United States
8192411  United States
9192811  United States
10193211  Japan
11193611  Japan
12
13
14194811  United States
15195211  United States
16195613  Australia
GamesYearEventsBest Nation
17196015  United States
18196418  United States
19196829  United States
20197229  United States
21197626  United States
22198026  East Germany
23198429  United States
24198831  East Germany
25199231  United States
26199632  United States
27200032  United States
28200432  United States
29200834  United States
30201234  United States
31201634  United States
32202037  United States

Long-course swimming

Men's events

Current program
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
50 metres freestyleX[1]XXXXXXXXXX11
100 metres freestyleXX[1]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX29
200 metres freestyle (details)XX[1]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX17
400 metres freestyleX[1]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX28
800 metre freestyleX[1]XX3
1500 metre freestyleX[1]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX28
100 metre backstrokeX[1]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX27
200 metre backstrokeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX17
100 metre breaststrokeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX14
200 metre breaststrokeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX27
100 metre butterflyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX15
200 metre butterflyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX18
200 metre individual medleyXXXXXXXXXXXXX13
400 metre individual medleyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX16
4 × 100 metre freestyle relayXXXXXXXXXXXXXX14
4 × 200 metre freestyle relayXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX27
4 × 100 metre medley relayXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX17
Past events
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
500 metre freestyleX1
1000 metre freestyleX1
1200 metre freestyleX1
4000 metre freestyleX1
400 metre breaststrokeX[1]XX3
4 × 50 yard freestyle relayX[1]1
200 metre team swimmingX1
200 metre obstacle eventX1
Underwater swimmingX1
100 metre freestyle for sailorsX1
Events4796776666667810151513131516161616161616161717

Women's events

Current program
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
50 metre freestyleXXXXXXXXXX10
100 metre freestyleXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX26
200 metre freestyle (details)XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX15
400 metre freestyleX[2]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX25
800 metre freestyleXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX15
1500 metre freestyleXX2
100 metre backstrokeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX24
200 metre backstrokeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX15
100 metre breaststrokeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX15
200 metre breaststrokeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX24
100 metre butterflyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX18
200 metre butterflyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX15
200 metre individual medleyXXXXXXXXXXXXX13
400 metre individual medleyXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX16
4 × 100 metre freestyle relayXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX26
4 × 200 metre freestyle relayXXXXXXXX8
4 × 100 metre medley relayXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX17
Events23555555678141413131415151616161616161717

Mixed events

Current program
Event960004081220242832364852566064687276808488929600040812162024Years
4 × 100 metre medley relayXX2
Events11

Medal table

Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics[3]

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  United States (USA)257178144579
2  Australia (AUS)697073212
3  East Germany (GDR)38322292
4  Hungary (HUN)28262074
5  Japan (JPN)24273283
6  Great Britain (GBR)20293079
7  Netherlands (NED)19201958
8  China (CHN)16211249
9  Germany (GER)13183061
10  Soviet Union (URS)12212659
11  Canada (CAN)9182754
12  Sweden (SWE)9161439
13  France (FRA)8161943
14  South Africa (RSA)77620
15  Unified Team (EUN)63110
16  Italy (ITA)561526
17  Russia (RUS)49922
18  Ukraine (UKR)4329
19  West Germany (FRG)351422
20  Denmark (DEN)35715
21  Romania (ROU)3249
22  Ireland (IRL)3014
 Tunisia (TUN)3014
24  Zimbabwe (ZIM)2417
25  Australasia (ANZ)2338
26  Spain (ESP)2248
27  ROC2215
28  New Zealand (NZL)2136
29  Austria (AUT)16512
30  United Team of Germany (EUA)15612
31  Brazil (BRA)141015
32  Greece (GRE)1326
 Poland (POL)1326
34  South Korea (KOR)1304
35  Belgium (BEL)1225
36  Costa Rica (CRC)1124
37  Argentina (ARG)1113
 Bulgaria (BUL)1113
39  Yugoslavia (YUG)1102
40  Mexico (MEX)1012
 Suriname (SUR)1012
42  Kazakhstan (KAZ)1001
 Lithuania (LTU)1001
 Singapore (SIN)1001
45  Belarus (BLR)0213
46  Hong Kong (HKG)0202
 Slovakia (SVK)0202
48  Finland (FIN)0145
49  Cuba (CUB)0112
 Norway (NOR)0112
51  Croatia (CRO)0101
 Serbia (SRB)0101
 Slovenia (SLO)0101
54  Switzerland (SUI)0033
55  Philippines (PHI)0022
56  Trinidad and Tobago (TRI)0011
 Venezuela (VEN)0011
Totals (57 entries)5895865871762

Marathon swimming

Events

Event9600040812202428323648525660646872768084889296000408121620Years
Men's 10 kmXXXX4
Women's 10 kmXXXX4
Events2222

Medal table

Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics[4]

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Netherlands (NED)3104
2  Germany (GER)1113
3  Hungary (HUN)1102
4  Brazil (BRA)1012
5  Russia (RUS)1001
 Tunisia (TUN)1001
7  Great Britain (GBR)0213
8  Italy (ITA)0123
9  Greece (GRE)0101
 United States (USA)0101
11  Australia (AUS)0011
 Canada (CAN)0011
 France (FRA)0011
Totals (13 entries)88824

Overall medal table

Last updated after the 2020 Summer Olympics

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  United States257179144580
2  Australia697074213
3  East Germany (GDR)38322292
4  Hungary29272076
5  Japan24273283
6  Netherlands22211962
7  Great Britain20313182
8  China16211249
9  Germany14193164
10  Soviet Union (URS)12212659
11  Canada9182855
12  Sweden9161439
13  France8162044
14  South Africa77620
15  Unified Team (EUN)63110
16  Russia59923
17  Italy571729
18  Ukraine4329
19  West Germany (FRG)351422
20  Denmark35715
21  Romania3249
22  Ireland3014
 Tunisia3014
24  Brazil241117
25  Zimbabwe2417
26  Australasia (ANZ)2338
27  Spain2248
28  ROC2215
29  New Zealand2136
30  Austria16512
31  United Team of Germany (EUA)15612
32  Greece1427
33  Poland1326
34  South Korea1304
35  Belgium1225
36  Costa Rica1124
37  Argentina1113
 Bulgaria1113
39  Yugoslavia (YUG)1102
40  Mexico1012
 Suriname1012
42  Kazakhstan1001
 Lithuania1001
 Singapore1001
45  Belarus0213
46  Hong Kong0202
 Slovakia0202
48  Finland0145
49  Cuba0112
 Norway0112
51  Croatia0101
 Serbia0101
 Slovenia0101
54  Switzerland0033
55  Philippines0022
56  Trinidad and Tobago0011
 Venezuela0011
Totals (57 entries)5965945951785

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
 Republic of the 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)2861094668
 Luxembourg (LUX)243411411213241316
 North 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

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.

Notes

See also

References

External links