Competitive swimming
Competitive swimming is racing in water over set distances using recognized strokes and rules. Events take place in pools or open water.
Freestyle swimming: A swimming race category in which competitors may use any stroke, though front crawl is standard. Most pool races called freestyle are won with front crawl.
Long course swimming: Pool racing in a 50-metre course, the Olympic standard. Its longer pool changes turn frequency and race tactics.
World Aquatics: The international governing body for aquatic sports, including swimming and open-water swimming. Its rules and championships shape international competition.
Michael Phelps: An American swimmer who won 23 Olympic gold medals, more than any other athlete. His Olympic dominance made him the sport's most decorated competitor.
Synchronized swimming: A judged aquatic sport combining swimming, choreography, and coordinated team or solo routines. It emphasizes judged performance rather than racing to a finish.
Backstroke: A competitive stroke swum on the back, with alternating arm movements and a flutter kick. Its back-facing position changes starts, turns, and stroke technique.
Short course swimming: Pool racing in a 25-metre course, with more turns than long-course competition. More frequent walls make turns and underwater phases especially consequential.
Swimming pool: A constructed basin designed for swimming, often divided into marked lanes. Pool dimensions determine course length and the number of turns.
Katie Ledecky: An American distance swimmer and multiple-time Olympic champion and world-record holder. Her performances transformed expectations in women's distance freestyle.
Water polo: A team ball sport played in water, combining swimming, passing, and shooting. Its swimming supports possession and play rather than individual timed races.