Swimming has been a sport at every modern Summer Olympics. It has been open to women since 1912. At the Olympics, swimming has the second-highest number of medal-contested events after athletics.
Canada competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico, held from 12 to 27 October 1968. 139 competitors, 111 men and 28 women, took part in 124 events in 14 sports. It is the inaugural Summer Olympics where the Canadian team marched under the new Maple Leaf flag. The youngest competitor for Canada was gymnast Theresa McDonnell who was 14 years old. The oldest competitor was equestrian Zoltan Sztehlo who was 46 years old.
The 1972 Summer Olympics were held in Munich, West Germany. 29 events in swimming were contested. There were a total of 532 participants from 52 countries competing.
The swimming competitions at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City took place from 17 to 26 October at the Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez. Swimming featured a record total of 29 events. There was a total of 468 participants from 51 countries competing. The United States dominated the competition, winning 52 of 87 possible medals. 15-year-old American phenom Debbie Meyer from Maryland won three gold medals.
Vera Ivanovna Popkova was a Soviet track and field athlete who competed in the sprints. She had personal bests of 11.3 seconds for the 100 metres and 23.0 seconds for the 200 metres. Over her career, she won eight individual national titles in the sprints.
Poland competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. 177 competitors, 140 men and 37 women, took part in 112 events in 16 sports.
Catharine Ball Condon, née Catharine Northcutt Ball, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, she won a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. 4×100-meter medley relay team. Ball is a former world record holder in the 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke events, and is remembered as a teenage star who was the dominant female breaststroke swimmer of her generation.
Jan Margo Henne, also known by her married name Jan Hawkins, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.
Kaye Marie Hall, later known by her married name Kaye Greff, is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.
Jane Louise Barkman, also known by her married name Jane Brown, is an American former swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.
Linda Lee Gustavson, also known by her married name Linda McGuire, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic medalist, and surpassed world record-holder in two events. As an 18-year-old, she was on the United States Olympic team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, a medalist in the three events she competed in.
Susan "Sue" Jane Pedersen, also known by her married name Susan Pankey, is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in two events.
Lillian Debra Watson, commonly known by her nickname Pokey Watson, and later by her married name Lillian Richardson, is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events.
Catherine L. Carr, also known by her married name Cathy West, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.
The women's 100 metre breaststroke event at the 1968 Summer Olympics took place between 18 and 19 October in the Alberca Olímpica Francisco Márquez. This swimming event used the breaststroke. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, this race consisted of two lengths of the pool. This was the first appearance for this event in the Olympics for the women swimmers.
The women's 4×100 metre freestyle relay event at the 1968 Olympic Games took place October 26. The relay featured teams of four swimmers each swimming two lengths of the 50 m pool freestyle.
The women's 4×100 metre medley relay event at the 1968 Olympic Games took place on 17 October. This swimming event uses medley swimming as a relay. Because an Olympic size swimming pool is 50 metres long, each of the four swimmers completed two lengths of the pool, each using a different stroke. The first on each team used the backstroke, the second used the breaststroke, the third used the butterfly stroke, and the final swimmer used freestyle.
Susanne Jean Atwood is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in two events.
These are the official results of the men's 4 × 100 metres relay event at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico. The event was held on Saturday and Sunday, 19 and 20 October 1968. There were a total number of 19 nations competing. The race was won by the United States in world record time.
Kendis Marion Moore, also known by her married name Kendis Drake, is an American former competition swimmer, Pan American Games medalist, and former world record-holder.
