As is the case in so many other sports, the Olympics is the pinnacle for swimmers worldwide. It’s not the most popular from a betting perspective throughout the year, but swimming attracts sizeable audiences at each Olympic Games.
Some of the biggest stars in modern Olympic history have starred in the pool. With numerous events and individuals able to collect more medals than in any other sport, the nations with strong swimming teams are bound to near the top of the medal table.
Adam Peaty and Rebecca Adlington are just two of the Brits to win Olympic medals over the last few Games, while Michael Phelps became one of the most famous Olympians of the 21st century thanks to his live betting heroics in Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro.
History Of Swimming At The Olympics
Swimming has been part of every modern Summer Olympics. Women have been able to compete in Olympic swimming since 1912.
The events available have fluctuated over the decades, with races like the 50-metre freestyle and 800-metre freestyle only becoming commonplace over the last few editions of the Games.
The 4x100-metre medley relay only arrived on the scene in the 1960s, but has been a stalwart of the Olympic schedule since.
Athletics is the only sport with more events than swimming. Just like athletics, technological advancements have made a massive difference to the times recorded in the pool.
It even took five Olympics before the Games were competed in the pool, as the first four Games were raced in open water. Only in 1912 did swimming start using electrical timings.
The standard 50-metre Olympic pool was first introduced for 1924. Marked lanes were also brought in for the 1924 Games, while diving blocks were only used for the first time in the 1936 Games. Speeds increased dramatically with the flip turn in the 1950s.
Male swimmers donned full-body swimsuits into the 1940s, which were remarkably inefficient.
Advancements in the design of pools have helped to enable swimmers to cut their times down, including energy-absorbing gutters and mechanisms to limit the amount of waves.
Butterfly wasn’t given its own races until 1956. Prior to the mid-1950s, swimmers could use butterfly in breaststroke events. From 1956 onwards, butterfly was given its own events and could no longer be used in breaststroke events.
Most Successful Countries in Olympic Swimming
The United States are by far the most successful country in Olympic swimming with a grand total of 580 medals. Their 257 gold medals are more than any other country’s total.
Australia are the only other nation in triple digits for swimming medals at the Olympics with 213. East Germany amassed 92 medals, putting them just ahead of Japan and Great Britain, who are on 83 and 82 medals respectively.
The United States have accumulated the most swimming medals in each of the last eight Games. Michael Phelps obviously played a big part in that run, but even without Phelps, the States have been utterly dominant in the pool.
Since 1956, East Germany are the only other nation to lead the swimming medal table at a Games. One of those occasions was 1980, when the USA boycotted the Games in Moscow.
Candidates In Swimming At 2024 Games
Competing in her fourth Games, Katie Ledecky is pursuing her eighth gold medal. Ledecky is one of the greatest swimmers of all-time already, and will be the favourite in the 800- and 1500-metre freestyle.
Look out for Ledecky’s younger challengers, Summer McIntosh and Ariarne Titmus. The trio delivered a spectacular race at the worlds 12 months ago, and all will be targeting individual glory in Paris this summer. Ledecky has experience on her side, but McIntosh and Titmus have made a habit of breaking records in recent years.
Australia’s team is stacked for this summer’s Games. Mollie O’Callaghan, Kaylee McKeown, and Titmus lead the way, and should be able to challenge the Americans all the way.
Brit Adam Peaty has been dealing with personal issues away from the pool, but it would be foolish to rule out a swimmer with his CV. Leon Marchand is widely tipped for a successful Games after collecting three gold medals in Fukuoka last year.
After collecting five medals at the 2023 World Championships, Qin Haiyang is going to be at the centre of a lot of previews. Haiyang and Peaty going head-to-head will be one of the races of the whole Games – it’s going to be must-watch stuff in the pool.
Most Successful Olympic Swimmers
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Michael Phelps – 28 medals (23 gold)
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Jenny Thompson – 12 medals (eight gold)
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Ryan Lochte – 12 medals (six gold)
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Dara Torres – 12 medals (four gold)
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Mark Spitz – 11 medals (nine gold)
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Matt Biondi – 11 medals (eight gold)
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Emma McKeon – 11 medals (five gold)
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Katie Ledecky – 10 medals (seven gold)
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Gary Hall Jr. – 10 medals (five gold)
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Allison Schmitt – 10 medals (four gold)
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Ian Thorpe – nine medals (five gold)
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Alexander Popov – nine medals (four gold)
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*
