Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, usually while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.
Speedo International Limited is an Australian-British distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories based in Nottingham, England, known for its swim briefs. The company has roots in Australia but is not based there anymore. Founded in Sydney in 1914 by Alexander MacRae, a Scottish emigrant, the industry-leading company is now a subsidiary of the British Pentland Group. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wristwatches. The Speedo brand was previously manufactured for and marketed in North America as Speedo USA by PVH, under an exclusive perpetual licence, which had acquired prior licensee Warnaco Group in 2013. As of January 2020, the Pentland Group purchased back the rights from PVH for $170 million in cash, subject to regulatory approval.
World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in water sports. It is one of several international federations which administer a given sport or discipline for both the IOC and the international community. It is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Swim Ireland is the national governing body of swimming, diving, water polo, open water swimming and synchronised swimming in the island of Ireland. Competitors from Northern Ireland can opt to compete for British Swimming in international competitions, with the exception of the Commonwealth Games where they can compete for Northern Ireland.
The European Aquatics Championships is the continental Aquatics championship for Europe, which is organised by LEN—the governing body for aquatics in Europe. The Championships are currently held every two years ; and since 2022, they have included 5 aquatics disciplines: Swimming, Diving, Synchronised swimming, Open water swimming and High diving. Prior to 1999, the championships also included Water polo, which beginning in 1999 LEN split-off into a separate championships. The open water events are not held during the Olympic year.
LEN is the European governing body for aquatic sports affiliated to World Aquatics — it is the Continental Association for Europe. It was formally organized in 1927 in Bologna, and since 2015 is headquartered in Nyon.
Competitive swimwear refers to the swimsuit, clothing, equipment, and accessories used in the aquatic sports of swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, triathlon, and water polo.
Finswimming is an underwater sport consisting of four techniques involving swimming with the use of fins either on the water's surface using a snorkel with either monofins or bifins or underwater with monofin either by holding one's breath or using open circuit scuba diving equipment. Events exist over distances similar to swimming competitions for both swimming pool and open water venues. Competition at world and continental level is organised by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS). The sport's first world championship was held in 1976. It also has been featured at the World Games as a trend sport since 1981 and was demonstrated at the 2015 European Games in June 2015.
Scottish Swimming, also known as the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association (SASA), is the national governing body for swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming in Scotland. The SASA and the English and Welsh swimming associations form British Swimming, which is responsible for British teams at the Olympics, and other events in which the United Kingdom sends a combined team.
The history of water polo as a team sport began in mid 19th-century England and Scotland, where water sports were a feature of county fairs and festivals.
The Irish Amateur Swimming Association (IASA) was the national governing body of swimming in Ireland. The organisation was founded in 1893 and held responsibility for the various aquatic disciplines until it was dissolved in January 1999 following a series of sexual abuse scandals.
Swim England is the national governing body for swimming, diving, water polo, open water swimming, and synchronised swimming in England. It forms part of British Swimming, a federation of the national governing bodies of England, Scotland, and Wales. These three are collectively known as the Home Country National Governing Bodies.
The Oceania Swimming Association is the continental governing body recognised by FINA, for the national governing bodies of swimming, open water swimming, diving, water polo, synchronised swimming and masters swimming in Oceania.
Underwater sports is a group of competitive sports using one or a combination of the following underwater diving techniques - breath-hold, snorkelling or scuba, usually including the use of equipment such as diving masks and fins. These sports are conducted in the natural environment at sites such as open water and sheltered or confined water such as lakes and in artificial aquatic environments such as swimming pools. Underwater sports include the following - aquathlon, finswimming, freediving, spearfishing, sport diving, underwater football, underwater hockey, underwater ice hockey, underwater orienteering, underwater photography, underwater rugby, underwater target shooting and underwater video.
Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water. Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports, with varied distance events in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle, and individual medley. In addition to these individual events, four swimmers can take part in either a freestyle or medley relay. A medley relay consists of four swimmers who will each swim a different stroke, ordered as backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
Swim Wales (WASA) is the national governing body of diving, swimming and water polo, in Wales. It is responsible for establishing the laws of the sport, for organising certification and education programmes for coaches, officials and teachers, and for recreational swimming, aiming to ensure that everybody in Wales has the opportunity to learn to swim.
Arena X-Glide is a swimsuit from the Arena brand, made of pure polyurethane that causes a swimmer to slide through water faster when swimming. One notable example of the efficacy of this suit design is that of Paul Biedermann of Germany who wore the suit in the 2009 World Championships, breaking two world records. The design of the suit covers basically the whole torso and the legs with the impermeable polyurethane, thereby exposing less skin to the water and improving the swimmer's buoyancy and streamlined shape. This significantly reduces the drag on the swimmer as they move through the water.
The West London Penguin Swimming and Water Polo Club, also known as the West London Penguins, is a British water polo and masters swimming club with history dating back to 1916. It was formed in 1976 as the Hammersmith Penguin Swimming Club by the merger of the Hammersmith Ladies Swimming Club and Penguin Swimming Club (1921). It states its date of foundation as 1921.
Nottingham Leander Swimming Club is a volunteer-run competitive swimming club in Nottingham.
Singapore Aquatics is the national governing body for competitive swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, water polo and open water swimming in Singapore. SAQ is also charged with selecting the Singapore Olympic Swimming team and any other teams that officially represent Singapore, as well as the overall organisation and operation of the sport within the country.
