Freestyle swimming

Category of swimming competition

This article is about the general unregulated swimming style. For the most common freestyle stroke, see Front crawl.

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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 World Aquatics, 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]

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

## Technique

[edit]

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, cannot push off the bottom in the direction of the race, and cannot 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

[edit]

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 Bay of Zea, 1900 – the Seine river, 1904 – an artificial lake in Forest Park, 1906 – Neo Faliro). 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

[edit]

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:[7]

* Freestyle means that in an event so designated the swimmer may swim any style, except that in individual medley or medley relay events, freestyle means any style other than backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly.
* Some part of the swimmer must touch the wall upon completion of each length and at the finish.
* Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except it shall be permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 meters after the start and each turn. By that point the head must have broken the surface.[8]

## Competitions

[edit]

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.

* 50 m freestyle (50 yards for short time yards)
* 100 m freestyle (100 yards for short time yards)
* 200 m freestyle (200 yards for short time yards)
* 400 m freestyle (500 yards for short time yards)
* 800 m freestyle (1000 yards for short time yards)
* 1500 m freestyle (1650 yards for short time yards)
* 4 × 50 m freestyle relay (4 x 50 yards for short time yards)
* 4 × 100 m freestyle relay (4 × 100 yards for short time yards)
* 4 × 200 m freestyle relay (4 × 200 yards for short time yards)

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:

* 100 m individual medley (short 25 m pool only)
* 200 m individual medley (200 yard individual medley in short time yards)
* 400 m individual medley (400 yards individual medley in short time yards)
* 4 × 100 m medley relay (4 × 100 yard medley relay in short time yards)
* 4 × 200 m medley relay (4 × 200 yard medley relay in short time yards)

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.[9]

## Olympic or long course world champions in freestyle

[edit]

### Men

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in men's 50 m freestyle

50 yards|

* 1904:  Zoltán Halmay (HUN)

50 metres|

* 1988:  Matt Biondi (USA)
* 1992:  Alexander Popov (EUN)
* 1996:  Alexander Popov (RUS)
* 2000:  Anthony Ervin / Gary Hall Jr. (USA)
* 2004:  Gary Hall Jr. (USA)
* 2008:  César Cielo (BRA)
* 2012:  Florent Manaudou (FRA)
* 2016:  Anthony Ervin (USA)
* 2020:  Caeleb Dressel (USA)
* 2024:  Cameron McEvoy (AUS)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in men's 100 m freestyle

100 yards|

* 1904:  Zoltán Halmay (HUN)

100 metres|

* 1896:  Alfréd Hajós (HUN)
* 1908:  Charles Daniels (USA)
* 1912:  Duke Kahanamoku (USA)
* 1920:  Duke Kahanamoku (USA)
* 1924:  Johnny Weissmuller (USA)
* 1928:  Johnny Weissmuller (USA)
* 1932:  Yasuji Miyazaki (JPN)
* 1936:  Ferenc Csík (HUN)
* 1948:  Wally Ris (USA)
* 1952:  Clarke Scholes (USA)
* 1956:  Jon Henricks (AUS)
* 1960:  John Devitt (AUS)
* 1964:  Don Schollander (USA)
* 1968:  Michael Wenden (AUS)
* 1972:  Mark Spitz (USA)
* 1976:  Jim Montgomery (USA)
* 1980:  Jörg Woithe (GDR)
* 1984:  Rowdy Gaines (USA)
* 1988:  Matt Biondi (USA)
* 1992:  Alexander Popov (EUN)
* 1996:  Alexander Popov (RUS)
* 2000:  Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED)
* 2004:  Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED)
* 2008:  Alain Bernard (FRA)
* 2012:  Nathan Adrian (USA)
* 2016:  Kyle Chalmers (AUS)
* 2020:  Caeleb Dressel (USA)
* 2024:  Pan Zhanle (CHN)

Intercalated Games|

* 1906:  Charles Daniels (USA)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in men's 200 m freestyle

220 yards|

* 1904:  Charles Daniels (USA)

200 metres|

* 1900:  Frederick Lane (AUS)
* 1968:  Michael Wenden (AUS)
* 1972:  Mark Spitz (USA)
* 1976:  Bruce Furniss (USA)
* 1980:  Sergey Koplyakov (URS)
* 1984:  Michael Gross (FRG)
* 1988:  Duncan Armstrong (AUS)
* 1992:  Yevgeny Sadovyi (EUN)
* 1996:  Danyon Loader (NZL)
* 2000:  Pieter van den Hoogenband (NED)
* 2004:  Ian Thorpe (AUS)
* 2008:  Michael Phelps (USA)
* 2012:  Yannick Agnel (FRA)
* 2016:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2020:  Tom Dean (GBR)
* 2024:  David Popovici (ROU)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in men's 400 m freestyle

440 yards|

* 1904:  Charles Daniels (USA)

400 metres|

* 1908:  Henry Taylor (GBR)
* 1912:  George Hodgson (CAN)
* 1920:  Norman Ross (USA)
* 1924:  Johnny Weissmuller (USA)
* 1928:  Alberto Zorrilla (ARG)
* 1932:  Buster Crabbe (USA)
* 1936:  Jack Medica (USA)
* 1948:  Bill Smith (USA)
* 1952:  Jean Boiteux (FRA)
* 1956:  Murray Rose (AUS)
* 1960:  Murray Rose (AUS)
* 1964:  Don Schollander (USA)
* 1968:  Mike Burton (USA)
* 1972:  Brad Cooper (AUS)
* 1976:  Brian Goodell (USA)
* 1980:  Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
* 1984:  George DiCarlo (USA)
* 1988:  Uwe Dassler (GDR)
* 1992:  Yevgeny Sadovyi (EUN)
* 1996:  Danyon Loader (NZL)
* 2000:  Ian Thorpe (AUS)
* 2004:  Ian Thorpe (AUS)
* 2008:  Park Tae-hwan (KOR)
* 2012:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2016:  Mack Horton (AUS)
* 2020:  Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN)
* 2024:  Lukas Märtens (GER)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in men's 1500 m freestyle

1 mile|

* 1904:  Emil Rausch (GER)

Intercalated Games|

* 1906:  Henry Taylor (GBR)

1500 metres|

* 1908:  Henry Taylor (GBR)
* 1912:  George Hodgson (CAN)
* 1920:  Norman Ross (USA)
* 1924:  Boy Charlton (AUS)
* 1928:  Arne Borg (SWE)
* 1932:  Kusuo Kitamura (JPN)
* 1936:  Noboru Terada (JPN)
* 1948:  Jimmy McLane (USA)
* 1952:  Ford Konno (USA)
* 1956:  Murray Rose (AUS)
* 1960:  John Konrads (AUS)
* 1964:  Bob Windle (AUS)
* 1968:  Mike Burton (USA)
* 1972:  Mike Burton (USA)
* 1976:  Brian Goodell (USA)
* 1980:  Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
* 1984:  Mike O'Brien (USA)
* 1988:  Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
* 1992:  Kieren Perkins (AUS)
* 1996:  Kieren Perkins (AUS)
* 2000:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2004:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2008:  Oussama Mellouli (TUN)
* 2012:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2016:  Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)
* 2020:  Robert Finke (USA)
* 2024:  Robert Finke (USA)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in men's 50 m freestyle

* 1986:  Tom Jager (USA)
* 1991:  Tom Jager (USA)
* 1994:  Aleksandr Popov (RUS)
* 1998:  Bill Pilczuk (USA)
* 2001:  Anthony Ervin (USA)
* 2003:  Aleksandr Popov (RUS)
* 2005:  Roland Schoeman (RSA)
* 2007:  Ben Wildman-Tobriner (USA)
* 2009:  César Cielo (BRA)
* 2011:  César Cielo (BRA)
* 2013:  César Cielo (BRA)
* 2015:  Florent Manaudou (FRA)
* 2017:  Caeleb Dressel (USA)
* 2019:  Caeleb Dressel (USA)
* 2022:  Ben Proud (GBR)
* 2023:  Cameron McEvoy (AUS)
* 2024:  Vladyslav Bukhov (UKR)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in men's 100 m freestyle

* 1973:  Jim Montgomery (USA)
* 1975:  Andy Coan (USA)
* 1978:  David McCagg (USA)
* 1982:  Jörg Woithe (GDR)
* 1986:  Matt Biondi (USA)
* 1991:  Matt Biondi (USA)
* 1994:  Aleksandr Popov (RUS)
* 1998:  Aleksandr Popov (RUS)
* 2001:  Anthony Ervin (USA)
* 2003:  Aleksandr Popov (RUS)
* 2005:  Filippo Magnini (ITA)
* 2007:  Brent Hayden (CAN) /  Filippo Magnini (ITA)
* 2009:  César Cielo (BRA)
* 2011:  James Magnussen (AUS)
* 2013:  James Magnussen (AUS)
* 2015:  Ning Zetao (CHN)
* 2017:  Caeleb Dressel (USA)
* 2019:  Caeleb Dressel (USA)
* 2022:  David Popovici (ROU)
* 2023:  Kyle Chalmers (AUS)
* 2024:  Pan Zhanle (CHN)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in men's 400 m freestyle

* 1973:  Rick DeMont (USA)
* 1975:  Tim Shaw (USA)
* 1978:  Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
* 1982:  Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
* 1986:  Rainer Henkel (FRG)
* 1991:  Jörg Hoffmann (GER)
* 1994:  Kieren Perkins (AUS)
* 1998:  Ian Thorpe (AUS)
* 2001:  Ian Thorpe (AUS)
* 2003:  Ian Thorpe (AUS)
* 2005:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2007:  Park Tae-hwan (KOR)
* 2009:  Paul Biedermann (GER)
* 2011:  Park Tae-hwan (KOR)
* 2013:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2015:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2017:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2019:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2022:  Elijah Winnington (AUS)
* 2023:  Samuel Short (AUS)
* 2024:  Kim Woo-min (KOR)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in men's 800 m freestyle

* 2001:  Ian Thorpe (AUS)
* 2003:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2005:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2007:  Przemysław Stańczyk (POL)
* 2009:  Zhang Lin (CHN)
* 2011:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2013:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2015:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2017:  Gabriele Detti (ITA)
* 2019:  Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)
* 2022:  Bobby Finke (USA)
* 2023:  Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN)
* 2024:  Daniel Wiffen (IRL)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in men's 1500 m freestyle

* 1973:  Stephen Holland (AUS)
* 1975:  Tim Shaw (USA)
* 1978:  Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
* 1982:  Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
* 1986:  Rainer Henkel (FRG)
* 1991:  Jörg Hoffmann (GER)
* 1994:  Kieren Perkins (AUS)
* 1998:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2001:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2003:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2005:  Grant Hackett (AUS)
* 2007:  Mateusz Sawrymowicz (POL)
* 2009:  Oussama Mellouli (TUN)
* 2011:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2013:  Sun Yang (CHN)
* 2015:  Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)
* 2017:  Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)
* 2019:  Florian Wellbrock (GER)
* 2022:  Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)
* 2023:  Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN)
* 2024:  Daniel Wiffen (IRL)

### Women

[edit]

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in women's 50 m freestyle

* 1988:  Kristin Otto (GDR)
* 1992:  Yang Wenyi (CHN)
* 1996:  Amy Van Dyken (USA)
* 2000:  Inge de Bruijn (NED)
* 2004:  Inge de Bruijn (NED)
* 2008:  Britta Steffen (GER)
* 2012:  Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)
* 2016:  Pernille Blume (DEN)
* 2020:  Emma McKeon (AUS)
* 2024:  Sarah Sjöström (SWE)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in women's 100 m freestyle

* 1912:  Fanny Durack (ANZ)
* 1920:  Ethelda Bleibtrey (USA)
* 1924:  Ethel Lackie (USA)
* 1928:  Albina Osipowich (USA)
* 1932:  Helene Madison (USA)
* 1936:  Rie Mastenbroek (NED)
* 1948:  Greta Andersen (DEN)
* 1952:  Katalin Szőke (HUN)
* 1956:  Dawn Fraser (AUS)
* 1960:  Dawn Fraser (AUS)
* 1964:  Dawn Fraser (AUS)
* 1968:  Jan Henne (USA)
* 1972:  Sandy Neilson (USA)
* 1976:  Kornelia Ender (GDR)
* 1980:  Barbara Krause (GDR)
* 1984:  Nancy Hogshead (USA)

* 1984:  Carrie Steinseifer (USA)

* 1988:  Kristin Otto (GDR)
* 1992:  Zhuang Yong (CHN)
* 1996:  Le Jingyi (CHN)
* 2000:  Inge de Bruijn (NED)
* 2004:  Jodie Henry (AUS)
* 2008:  Britta Steffen (GER)
* 2012:  Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)
* 2016:  Penny Oleksiak (CAN)

* 2016:  Simone Manuel (USA)

* 2020:  Emma McKeon (AUS)
* 2024:  Sarah Sjöström (SWE)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in women's 200 m freestyle

* 1968:  Debbie Meyer (USA)
* 1972:  Shane Gould (AUS)
* 1976:  Kornelia Ender (GDR)
* 1980:  Barbara Krause (GDR)
* 1984:  Mary Wayte (USA)
* 1988:  Heike Friedrich (GDR)
* 1992:  Nicole Haislett (USA)
* 1996:  Claudia Poll (CRC)
* 2000:  Susie O'Neill (AUS)
* 2004:  Camelia Potec (ROU)
* 2008:  Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
* 2012:  Allison Schmitt (USA)
* 2016:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2020:  Ariarne Titmus (AUS)
* 2024:  Mollie O'Callaghan (AUS)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in women's 400 m freestyle

300 m|

* 1920:  Ethelda Bleibtrey (USA)

400 m|

* 1924:  Martha Norelius (USA)
* 1928:  Martha Norelius (USA)
* 1932:  Helene Madison (USA)
* 1936:  Rie Mastenbroek (NED)
* 1948:  Ann Curtis (USA)
* 1952:  Valéria Gyenge (HUN)
* 1956:  Lorraine Crapp (AUS)
* 1960:  Chris von Saltza (USA)
* 1964:  Ginny Duenkel (USA)
* 1968:  Debbie Meyer (USA)
* 1972:  Shane Gould (AUS)
* 1976:  Petra Thümer (GDR)
* 1980:  Ines Diers (GDR)
* 1984:  Tiffany Cohen (USA)
* 1988:  Janet Evans (USA)
* 1992:  Dagmar Hase (GER)
* 1996:  Michelle Smith (IRL)
* 2000:  Brooke Bennett (USA)
* 2004:  Laure Manaudou (FRA)
* 2008:  Rebecca Adlington (GBR)
* 2012:  Camille Muffat (FRA)
* 2016:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2020:  Ariarne Titmus (AUS)
* 2024:  Ariarne Titmus (AUS)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in women's 800 m freestyle

* 1968:  Debbie Meyer (USA)
* 1972:  Keena Rothhammer (USA)
* 1976:  Petra Thümer (GDR)
* 1980:  Michelle Ford (AUS)
* 1984:  Tiffany Cohen (USA)
* 1988:  Janet Evans (USA)
* 1992:  Janet Evans (USA)
* 1996:  Brooke Bennett (USA)
* 2000:  Brooke Bennett (USA)
* 2004:  Ai Shibata (JPN)
* 2008:  Rebecca Adlington (GBR)
* 2012:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2016:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2020:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2024:  Katie Ledecky (USA)

* v
* t
* e

Olympic champions in women's 1500 m freestyle

* 2020:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2024:  Katie Ledecky (USA)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in women's 50 m freestyle

* 1986:  Tamara Costache (ROM)
* 1991:  Yong Zhouang (CHN)
* 1994:  Le Jingyi (CHN)
* 1998:  Amy Van Dyken (USA)
* 2001:  Inge de Bruijn (NED)
* 2003:  Inge de Bruijn (NED)
* 2005:  Libby Lenton (AUS)
* 2007:  Libby Lenton (AUS)
* 2009:  Britta Steffen (GER)
* 2011:  Therese Alshammar (SWE)
* 2013:  Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED)
* 2015:  Bronte Campbell (AUS)
* 2017:  Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
* 2019:  Simone Manuel (USA)
* 2022:  Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
* 2023:  Sarah Sjöström (SWE)
* 2024:  Sarah Sjöström (SWE)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in women's 100 m freestyle

* 1973:  Kornelia Ender (GDR)
* 1975:  Kornelia Ender (GDR)
* 1978:  Barbara Krause (GDR)
* 1982:  Birgit Meineke (GDR)
* 1986:  Kristin Otto (GDR)
* 1991:  Nicole Haislett (USA)
* 1994:  Le Jingyi (CHN)
* 1998:  Jenny Thompson (USA)
* 2001:  Inge de Bruijn (NED)
* 2003:  Hanna-Maria Seppälä (FIN)
* 2005:  Jodie Henry (AUS)
* 2007:  Libby Lenton (AUS)
* 2009:  Britta Steffen (GER)
* 2011:  Aliaksandra Herasimenia (BLR)

* 2011: Jeanette Ottesen (DEN)
* 2013:  Cate Campbell (AUS)
* 2015:  Bronte Campbell (AUS)
* 2017:  Simone Manuel (USA)
* 2019:  Simone Manuel (USA)
* 2022:  Mollie O'Callaghan (AUS)
* 2023:  Mollie O'Callaghan (AUS)
* 2024:  Marrit Steenbergen (NED)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in women's 200 m freestyle

* 1973:  Keena Rothhammer (USA)
* 1975:  Shirley Babashoff (USA)
* 1978:  Cynthia Woodhead (USA)
* 1982:  Annemarie Verstappen (NED)
* 1986:  Heike Friedrich (GDR)
* 1991:  Hayley Lewis (AUS)
* 1994:  Franziska van Almsick (GER)
* 1998:  Claudia Poll (CRC)
* 2001:  Giaan Rooney (AUS)
* 2003:  Alena Popchanka (BLR)
* 2005:  Solenne Figuès (FRA)
* 2007:  Laure Manaudou (FRA)
* 2009:  Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
* 2011:  Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
* 2013:  Missy Franklin (USA)
* 2015:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2017:  Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
* 2019:  Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
* 2022:  Yang Junxuan (CHN)
* 2023:  Mollie O'Callaghan (AUS)
* 2024:  Siobhán Haughey (HKG)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in women's 400 m freestyle

* 1973:  Heather Greenwood (USA)
* 1975:  Shirley Babashoff (USA)
* 1978:  Tracey Wickham (AUS)
* 1982:  Carmela Schmidt (GDR)
* 1986:  Heike Friedrich (GDR)
* 1991:  Janet Evans (USA)
* 1994:  Yang Aihua (CHN)
* 1998:  Chen Yan (CHN)
* 2001:  Yana Klochkova (UKR)
* 2003:  Hannah Stockbauer (GER)
* 2005:  Laure Manaudou (FRA)
* 2007:  Laure Manaudou (FRA)
* 2009:  Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
* 2011:  Federica Pellegrini (ITA)
* 2013:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2015:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2017:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2019:  Ariarne Titmus (AUS)
* 2022:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2023:  Ariarne Titmus (AUS)
* 2024:  Erika Fairweather (NZL)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in women's 800 m freestyle

* 1973:  Novella Calligaris (ITA)
* 1975:  Jennifer Turrall (AUS)
* 1978:  Tracey Wickham (AUS)
* 1982:  Kim Linehan (USA)
* 1986:  Astrid Strauss (GDR)
* 1991:  Janet Evans (USA)
* 1994:  Janet Evans (USA)
* 1998:  Brooke Bennett (USA)
* 2001:  Hannah Stockbauer (GER)
* 2003:  Hannah Stockbauer (GER)
* 2005:  Kate Ziegler (USA)
* 2007:  Kate Ziegler (USA)
* 2009:  Lotte Friis (DEN)
* 2011:  Rebecca Adlington (GBR)
* 2013:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2015:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2017:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2019:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2022:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2023:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2024:  Simona Quadarella (ITA)

* v
* t
* e

World long-course champions in women's 1500 m freestyle

* 2001:  Hannah Stockbauer (GER)
* 2003:  Hannah Stockbauer (GER)
* 2005:  Kate Ziegler (USA)
* 2007:  Kate Ziegler (USA)
* 2009:  Alessia Filippi (ITA)
* 2011:  Lotte Friis (DEN)
* 2013:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2015:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2017:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2019:  Simona Quadarella (ITA)
* 2022:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2023:  Katie Ledecky (USA)
* 2024:  Simona Quadarella (ITA)

## Further reading

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* Hines, Emmett W. (1998). Fitness Swimming. Human Kinetics Publishers. ISBN 0-88011-656-0.
* Laughlin, Terry (2001). Swimming Made Easy: The Total Immersion Way for Any Swimmer to Achieve Fluency, Ease, and Speed in Any Stroke. Total Immersion Inc. ISBN 1-931009-01-5.
* Colwin, Cecil (2002). Breakthrough Swimming. Human Kinetics Publishers. ISBN 0-7360-3777-2.
* The Macquarie Dictionary Online. Macquarie Dictionary Publishers Pty Ltd. 2007.

## See also

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* 100 metre freestyle
* List of world records in swimming
* History of swimming
* Special Olympics
* Olympics

## References

[edit]

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. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
6. ^ "FINA". Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
7. ^ "FINA Swimming Rules: 2023-2025" (PDF). FINA. January 1, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
8. ^ "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.
9. ^ 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 Archived 2006-09-11 at the Wayback Machine have both events, as do the 2006 USA Swimming Summer Junior Nationals Archived 2006-08-19 at the Wayback Machine and the 2005 USMS Long Course Nationals.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Freestyle swimming.

* Swim.ee: Detailed discussion of swimming techniques and speeds
* How to learn efficient freestyle swimming
* FINA World records list
* Course Conversion Calculator at SwimCoachTools
* Freestyle Swimming Stroke Explained in Detail
* Swimming rules at FINA

* v
* t
* e

Styles of swimming

Competition strokes|

* Backstroke
* Breaststroke
* Butterfly
* Front crawl

Competition formats|

* Freestyle
* Medley
* Relay

Other|

* Colchian (Georgian)
* Dog paddle
* Sidestroke (Combat)
* Streamline
* Suijutsu
* Treading water
* Trudgen

Kicks|

* Backward kick
* Dolphin kick
* Eggbeater kick
* Fish kick
* Flicker kick
* Flutter kick
* Frog kick
* Scissors kick
* Whip kick

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