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Origins of Swimming
Swimming started in the mid 19th century, the first organization was formed in London in 1837. Ate first championship was held in Australia. This became an annual event. This was an early indicator for the success of competitive swimming. -
First Modern Olympic Swim Meet
The first modern Olympic swim meet was held in 1896 in Athens. This was the first Olympic swim meet that was modern in the way that they used lane ropes for one of the first times. This meet was held in open water. -
Women In Swimming
Women first got to swim at the 1912 Games in Stockholm. They competed in 2 events, the 100 meter freestyle and 4x100 meter freestyle relay. -
Rise of the Superstar Athlete
The first superstar athlete was USA’s Mark Spitz. He won seven gold medals at the Munich games in 1972. He became a household name as a result of his amazing accomplishments. -
Women Revolutionizing the Sport
At Seoul 1988, East Germany’s Kristin Otto became the first woman to get 6 gold medals in a single games, setting a new frontier for aspiring Olympic Swimmers. -
Most Decorated Olympian of All Time
These accomplishments have been achieved by only one man, Michael Phelps. Phelps claimed a grand total of eight gold medals 36 years after Spitz era, in Beijing 2008. Phelps later became the most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals over four games.