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History & Development of Swimming

Swimming originated as a leisure sport in ancient Egypt around 2500 BCE and later saw competitive races in Japan in the 1st century. It evolved further into an organized competitive sport with the establishment of the first swimming organization in London in 1837. The first modern Olympic Games in 1896 marked swimming's debut as an Olympic sport, though women were not allowed to compete until 1912. Following World War II, improvements in training, facilities, and rules helped advance the sport and saw the addition of new strokes and events.

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Sheena Mari Uy Ellevera
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695 views12 pages

History & Development of Swimming

Swimming originated as a leisure sport in ancient Egypt around 2500 BCE and later saw competitive races in Japan in the 1st century. It evolved further into an organized competitive sport with the establishment of the first swimming organization in London in 1837. The first modern Olympic Games in 1896 marked swimming's debut as an Olympic sport, though women were not allowed to compete until 1912. Following World War II, improvements in training, facilities, and rules helped advance the sport and saw the addition of new strokes and events.

Uploaded by

Sheena Mari Uy Ellevera
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EARLY ORIGINS

Swimming had its origins in Egypt as a leisure


sport around 2500 BCE.

Evidence of a few races taking place in Japan


around the 1st Century.
EARLY ORIGINS

Swimming had its origins in Egypt as a leisure


sport around 2500 BCE.

Evidence of a few races taking place in Japan


around the 1st Century.
FROM LEISURE TO
COMPETITION
The sport quickly evolved into a competition
even before the first Olympic Games in 1896.

In 1837, the first swimming organization was


created in London and became known as
England’s National Swimming Society.
FROM LEISURE TO
COMPETITION
The name would later be changed to the
Swimming Association of Great Britain in 1874.

In 1846, Australia held the first swimming


championships.
FROM LEISURE TO
COMPETITION
In the following years, various nations would
host their own championship meets; the United
States got their chance in 1877.
THE FIRST
OLYMPIC GAMES
The first modern Olympic Games were held in
Athens in 1896.

Until 1912, only male swimmers were allowed to


compete in the Olympics.
THE FIRST
OLYMPIC GAMES
It was not until the Stockholm Olympics that
women were able to compete, and even when
they were finally allowed in the water, they were
only given two events in which to compete—the
100 free and 400 free relay.
POST WORLD WAR
II TO MODERN DAY
Advanced training techniques and facilities such
as hydrodynamic swimsuits and better drainage
systems in the pools allowed athletes to swim
much faster than those of the past.
POST WORLD WAR
II TO MODERN DAY
By 1924, marked lanes and guidelines for pool
depths leveled the playing field and allowed for a
more fair competition.
POST WORLD WAR
II TO MODERN DAY

The 1950s and 1960s were full of advancement


within the swimming world as new strokes and
events made their debut over the following
years.
POST WORLD WAR
II TO MODERN DAY

The butterfly stroke was first raced in 1956 at the


Melbourne Olympics.

In 1968, the number of events jumped from


eight to 14 for women and 10 to 15 for men.
POST WORLD WAR
II TO MODERN DAY
The 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of
superhuman swimmers such as Mark Spitz, Matt
Biondi, Michael Gross and Kristen Otto.

Their achievements are remembered and


honored as they serve to motivate the top
athletes of today, such as Katie Ledecky and, of
course, Michael Phelps.

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