At the 1904 Summer Olympics, nine swimming events were contested. The 1904 swimming competition was the only time in Olympic history that racing distances were measured in yards. The competition was held September 4–6, 1904. There was a total of 32 participants from 5 countries competing. The 10 events at the swimming competitions were held at a man-made lake that was used for life-saving exhibitions by the coast guard.
Frederick Claude Vivian Lane was an Australian swimmer who competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics.
George Ritchie Hodgson was a Canadian competition swimmer of the early 20th century, and considered by many to be the greatest swimmer in Canadian history. Hodgson won the two longer freestyle swimming gold medals at the 1912 Olympics, the only categories in which he competed. He also competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics.
Peter William Vanderkaay is an American former competition swimmer who specialized in middle-distance freestyle events and is a four-time Olympic medalist. He was a member of the United States Olympic team in 2004, 2008, and 2012, and won bronze medals in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 400-meter freestyle at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Chad Robb Carvin is an American former competition swimmer and Sydney 2000 Olympic Silver medalist in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. He was part of a team that set a world record in the 4x200 relay on March 17, 2000 in Athens, Greece.
Otto Wahle was an Austrian-American swimmer who took part in two Summer Olympic Games and won a total of three medals. Wahle coached the men's US swim team at the 1912 Olympics, and the men's US water polo team at the 1920 and 1924 Olympics.
Robert Steven Genter is an American former competition swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist. He was a freestyle specialist who earned a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. He also won silver medals at the Munich Olympics in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle events.
Thomas Sydney Battersby was an English competition swimmer who represented Great Britain in freestyle events at two consecutive Olympic Games.
George Thomas DiCarlo is an American former competition swimmer who was a two-time 1984 Olympic medalist in the 400 and 1500-meter freestyle, where he set American records in both events. At the University of Arizona, he broke the American record for the 500-yard freestyle as well.
Francis "Frank" Gailey was an Australian-born American competition swimmer who swam in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri.
Jerome Alan Heidenreich was an American competition swimmer for Southern Methodist University, a 1972 Munich Olympic champion, and a former world record-holder. He set six world records during his swimming career, all as a relay team member.
David Holmes "Dave" Edgar is an American former swimmer, 1972 Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. In a period of seven years, he lost only one 50-yard race, due to a faulty starting block. Excelling in the efficiency of his flip turn technique under the mentorship of Coach Ray Bussard at the University of Tennessee, many consider Edgar one of the greatest short course 50 and 100-yard sprinters of the 1970's.
Irene Catherine Pirie-Milton, née Irene Catherine Pirie, was a Canadian champion swimmer who competed internationally in freestyle events.
William Tripp Woolsey was an American competition swimmer for McKinley High School and Indiana University, who captured an Olympic gold medal in Helsinki in 1952, and a silver medal in Melbourne in 1956.
Michael MacKay Austin is a retired American swimmer. He represented the United States at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay with teammates Steve Clark, Gary Ilman and Don Schollander, setting a new world record of 3:33.2. Individually, he placed sixth in the 100 m freestyle with a time of 54.5 seconds.
David Thomas Gaul was an American competition swimmer. He represented the United States as a 17-year-old at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, where he finished in fourth place in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events. Gaul died in Pennsylvania at the age of 76.
Matthew McLean is an American competition swimmer who has been a member of several winning U.S. teams in freestyle relay events. He was a member of the 2012 United States Olympic team, and earned a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
David "Dave" Charles Johnson is an American former competition swimmer and 1968 Mexico City Olympic competitor. He graduated Yale Medical School and became an orthopaedic surgeon, specializing in sports medicine.
Leah Grace Smith is an American competition swimmer who specializes in freestyle events. Smith is a member of the 2016 US Women's Olympic Swimming team, and won a bronze medal in the 400 m freestyle and a gold medal in the 4 × 200 m relay at those games.
Gerald S. "Gerry" McNamee was a Canadian swimmer. He competed in three events at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
