For the swimming competitions at the 2008 Olympics the following qualification systems were in place.
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.
Gregorio Paltrinieri is an Italian competitive swimmer. He is a former world record holder in the short course 1500 metre freestyle. He holds the European record in the long course 800 metre and 1500 metre freestyle events with times of 7:39.27 and 14:32.80, respectively. In the 1500 metre freestyle, he is a 2016 Olympic, three-time world long course, two-time world short course, three-time European long course, and three-time European short course champion. In the 800 metre freestyle, he is a 2019 world long course, 2022 world short course, three-time European long course, and 2021 European short course champion. In the 10 kilometre open water swim, he is a 2022 world and 2020 European champion. In the 5 kilometre open water swim, he is a two-time European champion.
The swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro took place from 6 to 13 August at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. The women's open-water marathon was held on August 15, and the men's open water race on August 16 in Fort Copacabana.
Ana Marcela Jesus Soares da Cunha is a Brazilian swimmer who specializes in the open water swimming marathon. She is considered one of the best open water swimmers in history, having obtained 17 medals in FINA World Aquatics Championships. She has also received FINA’s Female World Open Water Swimmer Of The Year award six times. Her countless achievements are comparable only to those of Larisa Ilchenko, another multi-medalist in World Championships.
The swimming competitions at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo were due to take place from 25 July to 6 August 2020 at the Olympic Aquatics Centre. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the games were postponed to 2021. However, their official name remained 2020 Summer Olympics with swimming events set for 24 July–1 August 2021 and marathon swimming set for 4–5 August 2021.
The men's marathon swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro took place on 16 August at Fort Copacabana, over a distance of 10 kilometres.
The women's marathon swimming over a distance of 10 kilometres at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro took place on 15 August at Fort Copacabana.
Kristóf Rasovszky is a Hungarian Olympic swimmer. He represented his country at the 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics, winning the silver medal in the 10 kilometre open water swim in 2020 and the gold medal in the 10 kilometre open water swim in 2024.
Florian Wellbrock is a German swimmer. He is the world record holder in the short course 1500 metre freestyle. He is an Olympic champion, multiple World Champion and European champion, in both Long and Short Courses. At the 2020 Summer Olympics, he won gold in the 10 kilometre open water and bronze in the 1500 metre freestyle. In total, Wellbrock has won 28 medals at international competitions of which 20 are gold. This includes his gold medal at the Olympic games, six at the World Championships, six at the Swimming World Cup and six at the Open Water Swimming World Cup.
The men's marathon 10 kilometre event at the 2020 Summer Olympics was held on 5 August 2021 at the Odaiba Marine Park. It was the fourth appearance of the event, having first been held in 2008.
The women's marathon 10 kilometre event at the 2020 Summer Olympics was held on 4 August 2021 at the Odaiba Marine Park. It was the fourth appearance of the event, having first been held in 2008.
The swimming competitions at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima were held from 6 to 10 August at the Aquatic Centre. The open-water marathon was held on August 4 in Laguna Bujama.
Alice Georgina Nana Dearing is a British swimmer, specialising in open water events. In June 2021, Dearing qualified to represent Great Britain in the 2020 Olympics. Dearing co-founded the Black Swimming Association in 2020. The charity was founded to encourage swimming among BME communities in Britain, and has the support of Swim England.
Kathryn Eileen Grimes is an American competitive swimmer. At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, she won silver medals in the 1500 meter freestyle and the 400 meter individual medley. She placed fourth in the 800 meter freestyle at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where she was the youngest member of the US Olympic Team at 15 years of age.
Hector Pardoe is a British swimmer. Specialising in distance and open water events, he is the 2024 bronze medalist in the World Aquatics Championships 10 km open water race, the first British male swimmer to win a World Championship open water swimming medal in Olympic distance, 10km, since Welsh Compatriot, David Davies back in 2008.
Dávid Betlehem is a Hungarian competitive pool and open water swimmer. At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships, he won a silver medal in the open water 4×1500 metre team relay. At the 2020 European Aquatics Championships, he won a bronze medal in the 5 kilometre open water team relay. At the 2022 World Junior Open Water Championships, he won gold medals in the 10 kilometre open water swim and team relay. He won the silver medal in the 1500 metre freestyle at the 2021 European Junior Swimming Championships.
The swimming competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris were held from 27 July to 9 August 2024. Pool events took place at the Paris La Défense Arena, with the two-day marathon swimming staged at Pont Alexandre III through the Seine River.
This article details the qualifying phase for swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics. 852 swimmers will compete in thirty-five swimming pool events at the Games, with forty-four more racing through the 10-kilometre open water marathon. The qualification window for swimming pool events will occur between 1 March 2023 and 23 June 2024.
The men's marathon 10 kilometre event at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held on 9 August 2024 in the River Seine, Paris. It was the fifth appearance of the event, having first been held in 2008.
