Although swimming is very popular these days, its origins date back to prehistoric times, although it wasn't until the 19th century that the discipline became competitive.
Initially, breaststroke was the only stroke practised: since then, the discipline has grown to include four main strokes: butterfly, crawl, backstroke and breaststroke. The very first Olympic races were held in a natural environment, before taking place in a swimming pool for the very first time in 1908, at the London Olympic Games. In 1896, at the Athens Games, only the freestyle and breaststroke events were contested: in 1904, the backstroke was added, followed by the butterfly in 1956, at the Melbourne Olympic Games.
At the Summer Olympics, swimming must take place in a 50-meter-long Olympic pool. In total, there are nearly twenty formats, varied by distance or variety of swims (medley, freestyle, etc), it's a competition where athletes are real stars, multiplying records and number of medals.
For the Paris 2024 Olympics, the swimming events will take place from July 27 to August 4, 2024, at the Défense Arena.
Events on the program:
The rules
Swimming doesn't really have any rules, but rather guidelines for good manners and respect for other swimmers during pool training.
Records
Olympic swimming records are dominated by the USA, with over 250 gold medals. American swimmer Michael Phelps holds the medal record with 28 trophies, including 23 gold in the men's event, while swimmer Jenny Thompson has a total of 12 medals, including 8 gold.
Dates and Opening Time
From July 27th, 2024 to August 4th, 2024
Location
Paris La Défense Arena
99 Jardin de l'Arche
92000 Nanterre
Official website
www.paris2024.org
