Swimming began to develop as an organized sport in Ancient Greece and Rome, where it was part of military training. However, it was in Europe, in the 19th century, that modern swimming began to take shape, with the creation of swimming clubs and the start of official competitions. Today you’ll learn more about the sport and meet the best swimmers in the world today!
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Read on to find out about the best swimmers in the world today.
Swimming is one of the oldest and most popular water sports in the world.
Its practice dates back to prehistoric times, with evidence of humans swimming found in cave paintings dating back some 7,000 years.
In 1896, swimming was included in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, marking the beginning of its status as one of the pillars of the Olympic program.
Since then, swimming has evolved continuously, with the introduction of new swimming styles, improved training techniques and the construction of modern facilities.
Read on to find out about the best swimmers in the world today.
Best swimmers in the world today: rules, disciplines and curiosities
Basic rules
- Swimming pool: swimming competitions usually take place in 50-meter (Olympic) or 25-meter (short course) pools. Each pool is divided into eight lanes 2.5 meters wide.
- Swimming styles: there are four main swimming styles in swimming competitions: freestyle (usually crawl), backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Each style has its own specific rules, such as body position and the way the arms and legs move.
- Start: starts are made from starting blocks. In the backstroke events, swimmers start inside the pool, holding onto the edges.
- Touching the walls: in backstroke and breaststroke events, swimmers must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously during turns and at the finish.
- Disqualification: swimmers can be disqualified for various infractions, such as false starts, illegal turns, or not complying with the rules of each specific style.
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Modalities
- Individual events: held in freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly at distances ranging from 50 meters to 1500 meters.
- Relays: team competitions with four swimmers, held in freestyle or mixed styles (4×100 meters freestyle, 4×100 meters medley).
- Individual medley: a combination of all four styles (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) in a single event.
- Water Marathon: a long-distance race held in open water, such as rivers, lakes or seas, usually over a 10 km course.
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Curiosities
- Speed records: swimming is one of the sports where world records are frequently broken, due to advances in training techniques, suit design and pool engineering.
- Evolution of suits: swimming suits have evolved significantly over the years, from the full swimsuits of the 1900s to the technological polyurethane suits of the late 2000s, which were eventually banned due to the unfair advantages they provided.
- First Brazilian Olympic medalist: Brazilian swimmer Tetsuo Okamoto was the first to win an Olympic medal for Brazil at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.
- Michael Phelps: considered the greatest swimmer of all time, Phelps has won 23 Olympic gold medals, more than any other athlete in history.
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Best swimmers in the world today – Men
Caeleb Dressel (USA)
- History: Dressel started swimming competitively at a young age and quickly stood out for his explosive performances.
- Titles: Olympic champion at Tokyo 2020 with five gold medals; multiple medals at world championships.
- Fun facts: Known for his speed in the freestyle and butterfly, Dressel broke the world record for the 100-meter butterfly.
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Adam Peaty (United Kingdom)
- History: A breaststroke specialist, Peaty began swimming in local competitions before dominating the world stage.
- Titles: world record holder in the 100-meter breaststroke; multiple Olympic and world gold medals.
- Fun facts: Peaty is the first man to swim the 100-metre breaststroke in under 57 seconds.
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Kristóf Milák (Hungary)
- History: Milák stood out from an early age, dominating junior competitions and quickly making the transition to adult success.
- Titles: gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly at Tokyo 2020; world record holder in the 200-meter butterfly.
- Fun facts: Milák broke Michael Phelps’ record in the 200-meter butterfly, one of the oldest in the sport.
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Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia)
- History: A specialist in backstroke and freestyle, Kolesnikov emerged as one of the most promising swimmers in Russia.
- Titles: several medals at European and Olympic championships; junior world record holder.
- Fun facts: Kolesnikov is known for his versatility, competing in various distances and styles with equal success.
Best swimmers in the world today – Women
Katie Ledecky (USA)
- History: Ledecky first came to international prominence in 2012, when she won her first Olympic gold medal at the age of 15.
- Titles: one of the most decorated swimmers in history, with multiple Olympic and world medals.
- Fun facts: Known for her strength in long-distance races, Ledecky holds the world records for the 800 and 1500 metres freestyle.
Sarah Sjöström (Sweden)
- History: A specialist in butterfly and freestyle, Sjöström won his first gold medal at a world championship at the age of 15.
- Titles: multiple Olympic and world medals; world record holder in various butterfly and freestyle distances.
- Fun facts: Sjöström was the first woman to swim the 100-meter butterfly in under 56 seconds.
Emma McKeon (Australia)
- History: McKeon comes from a family of swimmers and began competing internationally in 2010.
- Titles: won seven medals at Tokyo 2020, including four golds; is one of Australia’s most successful swimmers.
- Fun facts: McKeon has set records at national championships and is known for her consistency in the freestyle and butterfly.
Ariarne Titmus (Australia)
- History: Titmus emerged as one of Katie Ledecky’s main rivals, especially in middle-distance races.
- Titles: two gold medals at Tokyo 2020; 400-meter freestyle world champion.
- Fun facts: Known as the “Terminator”, Titmus was the first to beat Ledecky in an Olympic 400-meter freestyle race.
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