Winning a gold medal in the Olympics is among the most impressive and recognized accomplishments in sports. Avid sports fans and casual observers are both likely to follow competitions in the summer Olympics, which occur only once in every four years. Freestyle races for men and for women range from short sprints to longer endurance events.
Summer Olympics and Swimming
More than 200 nations worldwide have National Olympic Committees and are eligible to compete in the winter or summer Olympics. Sports in the summer Olympics include athletics, or track and field, the triathlon, the pentathlon, gymnastics and aquatic sports, which include diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and swimming. Swimming event distances are from 50 meters to 10 kilometers. Each event has a required stroke, such as butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle, or Australian crawl.
Individual Events
The lengths of the men’s freestyle events in Olympic swimming are 50 meters, 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, or about one-quarter of a mile, 1,500 meters and 10 kilometers, or 6.2 miles. The lengths of women’s freestyle events are mostly the same as the men’s lengths. However, women compete in an 800-meter freestyle race instead of a 1,500-meter event. The 400-meter men’s and women’s individual medley requires 100 meters each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle in that order, according to the International Federation of Swimming, or FINA.
Relays
Each relay team includes four men or four women. In the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay, each team member completes 100 meters for a total team distance of 400 meters. In the 800-meter, or 4 x 200-meter, freestyle relay, each team member swims 200 meters using freestyle. In the 4 x 100-meter medley relay, each team member completes 100 meters using a distinct stroke. Backstroke comes first, followed by breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle, according to the International Federation of Swimming, or FINA.
Considerations
More than 80 nations participate in swimming in the Paralympic Games for athletes with disabilities, according to the International Paralympic Committee. As in the Olympics, events include breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, freestyle and medley relays. Freestyle swimmers in the Olympics and Paralympic Games often compete in multiple swimming events. If you're interested in learning how to swim or becoming a faster freestyle swimmer, a local school or fitness center with a pool may offer swimming lessons or the opportunity to compete on a team.
Posted in: Swimming