Freestyle swimming

Last updated
Start of the women's 400 m freestyle at the 2008 European Championships 2008 LEN European Championships Final 400m Freestyle Women.JPG
Start of the women's 400 m freestyle at the 2008 European Championships

Freestyle is a category of swimming competition, defined by the rules of the International Swimming Federation (FINA), in which competitors are subject to only a few limited restrictions [1] on their swimming stroke. Freestyle races are the most common of all swimming competitions, with distances beginning with 50 meters (55 yards) and reaching 1,500 meters (1,600 yards), [2] also known as the mile. The term 'freestyle stroke' is sometimes used as a synonym for 'front crawl', [3] as front crawl is the fastest surface swimming stroke. [4] It is now the most common stroke used in freestyle competitions. [5]

Contents

The first Olympics held open water swimming events, but after a few Olympics, closed water swimming was introduced. The front crawl or freestyle was the first event that was introduced.

Technique

Freestyle swimming implies the use of legs and arms for competitive swimming, except in the case of the individual medley or medley relay events. The front crawl is most commonly chosen by swimmers, as this provides the greatest speed. During a race, the competitor circles the arms forward in alternation, kicking the feet up and down (flutter kick). Individual freestyle events can also be swum using one of the officially regulated strokes (breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke). For the freestyle part of medley swimming competitions, however, one cannot use breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke. Front crawl is based on the Trudgen that was improved by Richmond Cavill from Sydney, Australia. Cavill developed the stroke by observing a young boy from the Solomon Islands, Alick Wickham. Cavill and his brothers spread the Australian crawl to England, New Zealand and America, creating the freestyle used worldwide today. During the Olympic Games, front crawl is swum almost exclusively during freestyle. Some of the few rules state that swimmers must touch the end of the pool during each length and cannot push off the bottom, hang on the wall, or pull on the lane lines during the course of the race. However, other than this any form or variation of strokes is considered legal with the race. As with all competitive events, false starts can lead to disqualification of the swimmer. [6]

New developments in the sport

Times have consistently dropped over the years due to better training techniques and to new developments in the sport.

In the first four Olympics, swimming competitions were not held in pools, but in open water (1896 – the Mediterranean, 1900 – the Seine river, 1904 – an artificial lake, 1906 – the Mediterranean). The 1904 Olympics freestyle race was the only one ever measured at 100 yards, instead of the usual 100 meters. A 100-meter pool was built for the 1908 Olympics and sat in the center of the main stadium's track and field oval. The 1912 Olympics, held in the Stockholm harbor, marked the beginning of electronic timing.

Male swimmers wore full body suits up until the 1940s, which caused more drag in the water than their modern swimwear counterparts. Also, over the years, some design considerations have reduced swimming resistance, making the pool faster, namely: proper pool depth, elimination of currents, increased lane width, energy-absorbing racing lane lines and gutters, and the use of other innovative hydraulic, acoustic, and illumination designs.

The 1924 Olympics was the first to use the standard 50 meter pool with marked lanes. In freestyle events, swimmers originally dove from the pool walls, but diving blocks were eventually incorporated at the 1936 Olympics. The flip turn was developed in the 1950s, resulting in faster times. Lane design created in the early 1970s has also cut down turbulence in water, aiding in the more dynamic pool used today.

Rules and regulation

Freestyle means "any style" for individual swims and any style but breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke for both the individual medley, and medley relay competitions. The wall has to be touched at every turn and upon completion. Some part of the swimmer must be above water at any time, except for the first 15 meters after the start and every turn. This rule was introduced (see History of swimming) to prevent swimmers from using the faster underwater swimming, such as the fish kick, to their advantage, or even swimming entire laps underwater. The exact FINA rules are:

Competitions

Men's 100 m freestyle at the 2006 Euros EK Zwemmen 2006 100m vrij mannen.jpg
Men's 100 m freestyle at the 2006 Euros

There are nine competitions used in freestyle swimming, both using either a long time (50 meter) or a short time (25 meter) pool. The United States also employs short time yards (25 yard pool). In the United States, it is common for swimmers to compete in a 25-yard pool during the Fall, Winter, and Spring, and then switch over to a 50-meter pool format during the Summer.

Young swimmers (typically 8 years old and younger) have the option to swim a 25 yard/meter freestyle event.

Freestyle is also part of the medley over the following distances:

In the long-distance races of the 800 and 1,500 meters (870 and 1,640 yards), some meets hosted by FINA (including the Olympics) only have the 800 meters (870 yards) distance for women and the 1,500 meters (1,600 yards) distance for men. However, FINA does keep records in the 1,500 meters (1,600 yards) distance for women and the 800 meters (870 yards) distance for men, and the FINA World Championships, as well as many other meets, have both distances for both sexes. [8]

Olympic or long course world champions in freestyle

Men

Women

Further reading

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breaststroke</span> Swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate

Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and that it can be swum comfortably at slow speeds. In most swimming classes, beginners learn either the breaststroke or the freestyle first. However, at the competitive level, swimming breaststroke at speed requires endurance and strength comparable to other strokes. Some people refer to breaststroke as the "frog" stroke, as the arms and legs move somewhat like a frog swimming in the water. The stroke itself is the slowest of any competitive strokes and is thought to be the oldest of all swimming strokes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backstroke</span> Swimming style in which one swims on ones back

Backstroke or back crawl is one of the four swimming styles used in competitive events regulated by FINA, and the only one of these styles swum on the back. This swimming style has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It also has a different start from the other three competition swimming styles. The swimming style is similar to an upside down front crawl or freestyle. Both backstroke and front crawl are long-axis strokes. In individual medley backstroke is the second style swum; in the medley relay it is the first style swum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medley swimming</span> Combination of four swimming styles into one race

Medley Swimming is a combination of four different swimming styles—backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle—into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley (IM) or by four swimmers as a medley relay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swimming at the Summer Olympics</span> Competitive Sport at the Summer Olympics

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Caulkins</span> American swimmer

Tracy Anne Stockwell, OAM,, née Tracy Anne Caulkins, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time world champion, and former world record-holder in three events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Therese Alshammar</span> Swedish swimmer

Malin Therese Alshammar is a Swedish swimmer who has won three Olympic medals, 25 World Championship medals, and 43 European Championship medals. She is a specialist in short distances races in freestyle and butterfly. She is coached by former Swedish swimmer Johan Wallberg. She is the first female swimmer and the third overall to participate in six Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swimming (sport)</span> Water-based sport

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of swimming</span>

Swimming was part of the first modern Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. In 1908, the world swimming association, Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), was formed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics</span>

The swimming competitions at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London took place from 28 July to 4 August at the Aquatics Centre. The open-water competition took place from 9 to 10 August in Hyde Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I men's swimming and diving championships</span> Football tournament

The NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships are annual college championship events in the United States.

The swimming events of the 15th FINA World Aquatics Championships were held July 28 – August 4, 2013, in Barcelona, Spain. The competition was held in a long course pool inside the Palau Sant Jordi. It featured 40 LCM events, split evenly between males and females. Swimming was one of the five aquatic disciplines at the championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Andrew (swimmer)</span> American swimmer (born 1999)

Michael Charles Andrew is an American competitive swimmer and an Olympic gold medalist. He was the 2016 world champion in the 100 meter individual medley. At his first Olympic Games, the 2020 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal and set a world record as part of the 4x100 meter medley relay, placed fourth in the 100 meter breaststroke, fourth in the 50 meter freestyle, and fifth in the 200 meter individual medley. Andrew's swims in 2021 at the 2020 Olympics made him the first swimmer to represent the United States at an Olympic Games in an individual breaststroke event as well as another individual event other than an individual medley in the then-125-year-history of swimming at the Summer Olympics. He has won 78 medals at Swimming World Cup circuits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regan Smith (swimmer)</span> American swimmer

Regan Smith is an American competitive swimmer. As of 2022, Smith trains under Bob Bowman with the Arizona State University professional training group. She is the world junior record holder in the women's long course 100-meter backstroke and 200-meter backstroke and a former world record holder in the long course 100-meter backstroke and the 200-meter backstroke. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in three events representing the United States, winning a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke, a silver medal in the 200-meter butterfly, and a silver medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay. At the World Aquatics Championships, she won individual gold medals in the 200-meter backstroke in 2019 and the 100-meter backstroke in 2022 and a relay gold medal swimming the backstroke leg of the 4x100 medley relay in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anastasia Gorbenko</span> Israeli swimmer (born 2003)

Anastasia "Nastiya" Gorbenko is an Israeli competitive swimmer. She competes in the 100 m backstroke, 100 m breaststroke, 100 m freestyle, 200 m backstroke, 200 m breaststroke, 200 m medley, 50 m backstroke, 4 × 100 m freestyle, 4 × 100 m medley, 4 × 100 m freestyle mixed, and 4 × 200 m freestyle. She has won 4 World and European championships gold medals, competed at 2 Olympic finals, broken most of the Israeli national records for women and mixed relays, and is considered to be Israel's greatest swimmer of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandra Walsh</span> American swimmer (born 2001)

Alexandra Walsh is an American competitive swimmer. She is known for her versatility in all four strokes that has allowed her to have success in medley events. Growing up, Walsh was a phenom who started setting national age group records starting at 12 in 2014. She led her high school team to multiple state and national championships. At the 2019 Pan American Games, she won three gold medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claire Curzan</span> American swimmer (born 2004)

Claire Curzan is an American competitive swimmer and Olympian. Specialising in multiple events, she earned an Olympic silver medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay in the 2020 Summer Olympics by swimming the preliminary butterfly leg. She holds junior world records in the long course 50 meter freestyle and 100 meter butterfly and the short course 50 meter butterfly and 100 meter butterfly. She also holds American records in the short course 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter butterfly, and formerly held the American record in the 100 yard butterfly. She currently swims for the Virginia Cavaliers.

Shaine Casas is an American professional swimmer. He is an Americas record holder in the short course 4×50 meter medley relay, swimming the butterfly leg of the relay. At the 2021 World Short Course Championships, he won the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke, a silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke, and placed seventh in the 50-meter backstroke. In 2022, at the year's World Aquatics Championships, he won the bronze medal in the 200-metre backstroke. Later in the year, at the 2022 World Short Course Championships, he won the silver medal in the 200-metre backstroke and placed fourth in the finals of the 100-meter individual medley and 200-meter individual medley.

Trenton Jeffrey Julian is an American competitive swimmer. He is a world record holder in the short course 4×200 meter freestyle relay and 4×100 meter medley relay. He won a gold medal in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay at the 2019 World University Games. He followed up with gold medals in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay at the 2021 World Short Course Championships, 2022 World Aquatic Championships, and 2022 World Short Course Championships. In the 4×100 meter medley relay, he won a world title and gold medal at the 2022 World Short Course Championships, swimming butterfly on each the prelims and finals relay.

Gianluca Urlando is an American competitive swimmer. He is the American record holder in the men's 100 yard backstroke and a world junior record holder in the men's 4×200 meter freestyle relay and the 4×100 meter mixed freestyle relay. As a sophomore in the NCAA for the Georgia Bulldogs at the 2022 NCAA Division I Championships, he became the first person to swim the 100 yard backstroke and 100 yard butterfly each in less than 44 seconds. At the 2019 World Junior Championships, he won gold medals in the 200 meter freestyle, 200 meter butterfly, 4×100 meter freestyle relay, 4×200 meter freestyle relay, and 4×100 meter mixed freestyle relay.

References

  1. ↑ "FINA". Archived from the original on 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  2. ↑ Maglischo, Ernest W. Swimming fastest p. 95
  3. ↑ "Breaststroker fished from Games triathlon race". www.stuff.co.nz. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  4. ↑ Gonjo, Tomohiro; Narita, Kenzo; McCabe, Carla; Fernandes, Ricardo J.; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo; Takagi, Hideki; Sanders, Ross (2020). "Front Crawl Is More Efficient and Has Smaller Active Drag Than Backstroke Swimming: Kinematic and Kinetic Comparison Between the Two Techniques at the Same Swimming Speeds". Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 8: 570657. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.570657 . ISSN   2296-4185. PMC   7543982 . PMID   33072727.
  5. ↑ "Common Swim Strokes | Butterfly Strokes". www.swimmingpool.com. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  6. ↑ "FINA". Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  7. ↑ "FINA Swimming Rules 2013-2017" (PDF). www.fina.org. Federation Internationale de Natation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  8. ↑ The 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships had an 800 metre distance for men, and 1500 metre distance for women, and appear to have been conducted on this basis since 1989. The 2006 USA Swimming Summer Nationals have both events, as do the 2006 USA Swimming Summer Junior Nationals and the 2005 USMS Long Course Nationals.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.