Olympic Studies Centre
AQUATICS: History of Swimming at the Olympic Games
Reference document
Introduction, key stages and evolution in the number of events from this discipline’s
beginnings to the present time.
March 2015
© Getty
Reference document
Swimming
Introduction
Swimming has featured on the programme of all the Summer Olympic Games. In the first half of the
th
20 century, only the “freestyle”, “breaststroke” and “backstroke” styles were present. It was only in
1956 that “butterfly” was introduced. Women’s swimming made its debut in 1912 and has been on the
programme ever since. The women’s programme now has the same number of events as the men’s.
Key stages
Entry • 1894: At the Paris Congress held in June, the desire was expressed for water
sports (rowing, sailing and swimming) to be on the Olympic programme.
•
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Women’s 1910: In the minutes of the 13 IOC Session (Luxembourg), published in the
entry Olympic Review (June 1910), it was announced that women would
undoubtedly be accepted for swimming at the Games of the V Olympiad in
Stockholm in 1912.
•
th
1911: At the 14 IOC Session held in May in Budapest, a request was made
to add a 300m and 400m (team) race for women on the programme of the
Games of the V Olympiad in Stockholm in 1912. The Organising Committee
promised to do its utmost to fulfil this request.
•
th
1912: At the 15 IOC Session held in July in Stockholm, it was decided to
divide the sports on the programme into three categories: indispensable,
desirable and eligible. Swimming was among the first category.
•
rd
1934: At the 33 IOC Session held in May in Athens, women’s participation in
some sports was called into question. A vote was held, and women’s
participation in swimming was accepted unanimously.
•
th
Butterfly 1954: At the 50 IOC Session held in Athens in May, it was decided that, for
the Games of the XVI Olympiad in Melbourne in 1956, no new event would be
accepted, with the exception of men’s and women’s butterfly, which would be
added to the programme.
10km open • 2005: At the IOC Executive Board meeting in October in Lausanne, it was
water agreed to add the men’s and women’s 10km open water event for the
programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008.
Last update: March 2015
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Reference document
Evolution in the number of events
• 1896: 4 events (men’s)
• 1900: 7 events (men’s)
• 1904: 9 events (men’s)
• 1908: 6 events (men’s)
• 1912: 9 events (7 men’s and 2 women’s)
• 1920: 10 events (7 men’s and 3 women’s)
• 1924-1952: 11 events (6 men’s and 5 women’s)
• 1956: 13 events (7 men’s and 6 women’s)
• 1960: 15 events (8 men’s and 7 women’s)
• 1964: 18 events (10 men’s and 8 women’s)
• 1968-1972: 29 events (15 men’s and 14 women’s)
• 1976-1980: 26 events (13 men’s and 13 women’s)
• 1984: 29 events (15 men’s and 14 women’s)
• 1988-1992: 31 events (16 men’s and 15 women’s)
• 1996-2004: 32 events (16 men’s and 16 women’s)
• 2008-2016: 34 events (17 men’s and 17 women’s)
Find out more
Last update: March 2015
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Men’s events
Swimming men 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 Total
50y freestyle 1
50m freestyle 8
100m freestyle (1) 27
200m freestyle (2) 15
400m freestyle (3) 27
880y freestyle 1
1500m freestyle (4) 28
4000m freestyle 1
100m freestyle for sailors 1
Underwater swimming 1
200m obstacle event 1
200m team swimming 1
100m backstroke (5) 25
200m backstroke 15
Plunge for distance 1
440y breaststroke 1
100m breaststroke 13
200m breaststroke 25
400m breaststroke 2
100m butterfly 13
200m butterfly 16
200m medley 11
400m medley 14
4x100m freestyle relay 12
4x200m freestyle relay 25
4x100m medley relay 15
Marathon 10km 3
Number of events men 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 17 17 17 28
(1) The distance of the 100m freestyle event was 100 yards (91.44m) in 1904
(2) The distance of the 200m freestyle event was 220 yards (201.17m) in 1904
(3) The distance of the 400m freestyle event was 500m in 1896 and 440 yards (402.34m) in 1904
(4) The distance of the 1500m freestyle event was 1200m in 1896, 1000m in 1900 and 1 mile (1609.34m) in 1904
(5) The distance of the 100m backstroke was 100 yards (91.44m) in 1904
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Women’s events
Swimming women 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 Total
50m freestyle 8
100m freestyle 24
200m freestyle 13
400m freestyle (1) 23
800m freestyle 13
100m backstroke 22
200m backstroke 13
100m breaststroke 13
200m breaststroke 22
100m butterfly 16
200m butterfly 13
200m medley 11
400m medley 14
4x100m freestyle relay 24
4x200m freestyle relay 6
4x100m medley relay 15
Marathon 10km 3
Number of events women 0 0 0 0 2 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 7 8 14 14 13 13 14 15 15 16 16 16 17 17 17 24
(1) The distance of the 400m freestyle event was 300m in 1920
Total
Swimming 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 Total
Number of events 4 7 9 6 9 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 13 15 18 29 29 26 26 29 31 31 32 32 32 34 34 34 28
Grey column total = number of times on the programme
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