There are different levels of swimming. These levels are divided by age and skill. Age group swimming, senior, and elite are the common levels of swimming. Age Group Swimming Young swimmers who are interested in competing get their start by joining a neighborhood swim team, local recreational team, school team, or a USA Swimming club [...]
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Synchronized Swimming
Synchronized swimming is a graceful aquatic sport that combines swimming, gymnastics, and dance. The sport is a synchronized choreographed routine set to music. Synchronized swimmers have to be very strong. Swimmers are not allowed to touch the bottom of the pool, so all the power for the lifts must come from the legs. Breath control [...]
Water Polo
Water polo is a team aquatic sport and is played in the Olympics. Each team has seven players. Three players are defenders, three are forwards, and one is the goalie. Each team can have six other players for substitution purposes. Players tread water and swim during the game. To win, teams must score the most [...]
Doping – Suffer The Consequences If You’re Caught
Swimmers who are caught doping may face serious consequences. To make all competitions fair, FINA has established anti-doping rules. FINA has the goal of keeping aquatic sports “pure.” Healthy athletes compete against other healthy athletes. In order to participate in FINA-approved events, all competitors must follow the anti-doping rules, including being available for testing. Countries that [...]
Olympic Swimmer
To represent your country as and Olympic swimmer at the Olympic Games is a tremendous honor. How does an athlete become an Olympian? Many athletes begin training when they are children, but some do not start until high school or college. The road to the Olympics is difficult for any athlete, but the rewards are worth [...]
Swimming Junior Nationals
For swimmers 18 years old and under, the United States has a National Junior Team that competes nationally and internationally. The qualifying criteria are similar to the National Team. Swimmers must be members of USA Swimming in good standing, be a citizen of the United States, must not violate any rules or regulations, including doping [...]
International Swimming Competitions
In addition to the Summer Olympic Games, there are other international competitions for swimmers. Some of the major international swimming competitions are: Pan American Games – Held every four years before the Summer Olympic Games, the Pan American Games are a major sporting event in the Americas. Athletes from North, South, and Central America come together [...]
Olympic Trials
To select our Olympic swim team, our country holds United States Olympic Trials. According to FINA, a country can only have a swim team of 52 members (26 men and 26 women). A country also, can only have two competitors in each of the 26 individual events. In order to make the United States Olympic swimming [...]
FINA
Founded in 1908, FINA is the governing body of aquatic sports. FINA stands for Federation Internationale de Natation, which is French for International Swimming Federation. The headquarters for the organization is located in Lausanne, Switzerland. FINA’s motto is “Water is Our World.” The International Olympic Committee recognizes FINA as the organization for administering the rules [...]
Summer Olympic Events
Olympic Swimming The modern Olympic Games started in 1896. Swimming and other aquatic events are part of the Summer Olympic Games, and the first Summer Olympic Games were held in 1904. There are four aquatic events: swimming, diving, water polo and synchronized swimming. Swimming has been a part of the Olympics since 1896. Freestyle and [...]