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450
The Begining
Prehistoric man learned how to swim in the Stone Ages in order to cross rivers and lakes. This was understood from the cave arts according to historians. -
Period: 450 to
No Swimming Sport?
Large gap of history of swimming. The swimming was not an organized sport yet. -
Developing
In the 1800's the Native South Americans used a swimming skill called scissor kicking. This was discovered by Englishman Federick Cavill who defined this swimming skill as a crawl with a flutter.He then settled in Austalia teaching this swim skill now famously know as the Australian crawl. -
The Creation
Before the begining of the 1900's, swimming was not practiced as an organized sport. The National Swimming Society of Great Britian was where competions were first held. Most of the swimmers of the time used the breast stroke or some form of it. -
Breaststroke
The breaststroke was added in 1904. -
Women Rights
Women were finally allowed to compete in swimming for the Olympics in 1912 at the Stockholms Games. Now women ever since are part of the swimmming portion of the Olympics. -
No Olympic?
Due to the war, there was no Olympics. -
New Moves
In the 1940's , it was discovered that by swimming with both arms foward you will move faster. This move was the birth as the butterfly and is now used as one of the four stokes in the competion. -
Period: to
Break from Games?
No Olympic games for the second time because of WWII. -
Butterfly Swimming
In Melbourne the first Olympic game the butterfly swimming technique was used. -
Welcome Japan!
Tokyo was finally invited to the Olympics. -
USA gold!
In the Sydney Olympics USA women swim team won 3 gold metals. -
Ancient Greece (2000 BC)
In Acient Greece people were athletes how trained for just somethiing similar to the Olympics, but in Ancient Greece. These people did this to honor the Greek Gods. -
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps won 4 gold metals and 2 silver metals. This made him the most successful swimmer of all time. -
How long?
Swimming has been part of the Olympics since 1896. The first games were free style (crawl or the breaststroke.
