What are the freestyle races, and what are the rules?
B · Beginner · The stroke · 1 of 6In a freestyle race a swimmer may use any style, and almost everyone swims front crawl. The Olympic distances run from 50 m to 1500 m. The start is a dive. The swimmer must touch the wall at every turn and at the finish, and may stay under water for no more than 15 m after the start and each turn.
How it works
- The distances: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m for men and for women.
- The style: any. Front crawl is used because it is the fastest.
- The start: a dive from the starting platform.
- Under water: no more than 15 m after the start and after each turn. The head must be up by the 15 m mark.
- The wall: some part of the body must touch it at the end of every length and at the finish.
- The lane: the swimmer starts, stays and finishes in their own lane.
- The winner: the fastest time, recorded to a hundredth of a second by touch panels on the wall.
- Distance races: in the 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m, officials count the laps and signal the last two.
Tricky cases
Could a swimmer win a freestyle race swimming butterfly?
Yes. In a freestyle race any style may be swum.
Is the 800 m freestyle for women only and the 1500 m for men only?
No. Both distances are on the programme for men and for women.
Does a freestyle swimmer have to touch the wall with a hand?
No. Any part of the body will do, which is why swimmers touch with their feet in a tumble turn.
Why the rule exists
Freestyle is the open event: the rules do not tell the swimmer how to swim, only what every race needs. A touch at each wall proves the distance was covered, and the 15 m limit keeps it a swimming race on the surface.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Aquatics rules | As above | SW 1.2; SW 5 |
| World Championships in 25 m pools | The same six distances | SW 1.4 |
| Junior and other events | The programme is set in the same article for each championship | SW 1.5 |
| Medley races | Freestyle means any style except the other three strokes | SW 5.1 |
From the rule book
World Aquatics, Competition Regulations, Part Two: Swimming Rules (in force as from February 2026), Articles 1.2 to 1.5 and 5. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Aquatics Competition Regulations (PDF).