Swimming at the Olympic Games
Aquatics · International Olympic Committee, with World Aquatics
Swimming has been on the programme of every Summer Games since Athens 1896. Paris 2024 held 35 pool events: 17 for men, 17 for women and one mixed relay.
- Next
- Los Angeles 2028, 14 to 30 July
- Most golds (nation)
- United States, 265; then Australia, 74
- Most golds (swimmer)
- Michael Phelps (United States), 23 of his 28 medals, 2004 to 2016
- India
- No medal; Indian swimmers at 14 Games from 1928
- Cycle
- Every four years, with the Summer Games
India at the Olympic Games
India has no Olympic medal in swimming. D. D. Mulji was entered in 1928 but did not start; Nalin Malik swam the 400 m and 1500 m freestyle in 1932. Dolly Nazir and Arati Saha were India's first women swimmers at the Games, in 1952. At Paris 2024 India entered two swimmers: Srihari Nataraj (100 m backstroke) and Dhinidhi Desinghu (200 m freestyle).
More about this tournament
Paris 2024 champions (individual events)
| Event | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 50 m freestyle | Cameron McEvoy (Australia) | Sarah Sjöström (Sweden) |
| 100 m freestyle | Pan Zhanle (China) | Sarah Sjöström (Sweden) |
| 200 m freestyle | David Popovici (Romania) | Mollie O'Callaghan (Australia) |
| 400 m freestyle | Lukas Märtens (Germany) | Ariarne Titmus (Australia) |
| 800 m freestyle | Daniel Wiffen (Ireland) | Katie Ledecky (United States) |
| 1500 m freestyle | Bobby Finke (United States) | Katie Ledecky (United States) |
| 100 m backstroke | Thomas Ceccon (Italy) | Kaylee McKeown (Australia) |
| 200 m backstroke | Hubert Kós (Hungary) | Kaylee McKeown (Australia) |
| 100 m breaststroke | Nicolò Martinenghi (Italy) | Tatjana Smith (South Africa) |
| 200 m breaststroke | Léon Marchand (France) | Kate Douglass (United States) |
| 100 m butterfly | Kristóf Milák (Hungary) | Torri Huske (United States) |
| 200 m butterfly | Léon Marchand (France) | Summer McIntosh (Canada) |
| 200 m individual medley | Léon Marchand (France) | Summer McIntosh (Canada) |
| 400 m individual medley | Léon Marchand (France) | Summer McIntosh (Canada) |
Léon Marchand won four individual golds at his home Games.
Medal table (1896 to 2024, top 10)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 265 | 194 | 152 | 611 |
| 2 | Australia | 74 | 75 | 75 | 224 |
| 3 | East Germany | 38 | 32 | 22 | 92 |
| 4 | Hungary | 30 | 27 | 20 | 77 |
| 5 | Japan | 24 | 28 | 32 | 84 |
| 6 | Great Britain | 23 | 33 | 30 | 86 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 19 | 20 | 21 | 60 |
| 8 | China | 18 | 24 | 19 | 61 |
| 9 | Germany | 14 | 18 | 31 | 63 |
| 10 | Soviet Union | 12 | 21 | 26 | 59 |
Pool events only. Germany here is the team of 1900 to 1936, of 1952 and from 1992; West Germany and the United Team of Germany are counted on their own.
Most golds (swimmers)
| Swimmer | Nation | Years | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Phelps | United States | 2004 to 2016 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 28 |
| Katie Ledecky | United States | 2012 to 2024 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 14 |
| Mark Spitz | United States | 1968 to 1972 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| Caeleb Dressel | United States | 2016 to 2024 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Jenny Thompson | United States | 1992 to 2004 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Matt Biondi | United States | 1984 to 1992 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
Relay medals count for every swimmer named, heat swimmers included.
History
How it began
Athens 1896 held four men's events, among them a 100 m race for sailors of the Greek navy. Women's events began at Stockholm 1912. The programme grew from 18 events in 1964 to 29 in 1968, and to 35 at Tokyo 2020 with the mixed medley relay and the men's 800 m and women's 1500 m freestyle.
Champions by era
The United States has led the table at most Games. East Germany won 38 golds from 1968 to 1988. Michael Phelps won 8 golds at Beijing 2008, the most at one Games.
Firsts and facts
- First Games: Athens 1896, four events.
- Women's events: from Stockholm 1912.
- Mixed relay: from Tokyo 2020.
- St. Louis 1904 swam some races in yards.