Swimming history

Sports History Swimming can be dated back to the Stone Age, but did not truly become an organised sport until the early 19th century. An ancient discipline Prehistoric man learnt to swim in order to cross rivers and lakes — we know this because cave paintings from the Stone Age depicting swimmers have been found in Egypt.

Drawings from the Stone Age were found in "the cave of swimmers" near Wadi Sora or Sura in the southwestern part of Egypt. Written references date from B.

In Nicolas Wynman, German professor of languages, wrote the first swimming book, "Colymbetes". Competitive swimming in Europe started aroundmostly using breaststroke.

The front crawl, then called the trudgen, was introduced in by John Arthur Trudgen, copying it from Native Americans. Swimming was part of the first modern Olympic games in in Athens. In the trudgen was improved by Richard Cavill, using the flutter kick.

Butterfly was first a variant of breaststroke, until it was accepted as a separate style in These pictures seem to show breaststroke or dog paddle, although it may also be possible that the movements have a ritual meaning unrelated to swimming.

This cave is also featured in the movie The English Patient. An Egyptian clay seal dated between B. More references to swimming are found in Babylonian bas-reliefs and Assyrian wall drawings, depicting a variant of the breaststroke.

The most famous drawings were found in the Kebir desert and are estimated to be from around B. The Nagoda bas-relief also shows swimmers dating back from B.

The Indian palace Mohenjo Daro from B.

A brief history of Swimming

The Minoan palace Minos of Knossos in Crete also featured baths. An Egyptian tomb from B. Depictions of swimmers were also found from the Hittites, Minoans, and other Middle Eastern civilizations, the Incas in the Tepantitla House at Teotihuacan, and in mosaics in Pompeii.

Written references date back to B. There are also many mentions of swimmers in the Vatican, Borgian and Bourbon codices. The Greeks did not include swimming in the ancient Olympic Games, but practiced the sport, often building swimming pools as part of their baths.

The Etruscans at Tarquinia Italy show pictures of swimmers in B. After learning about an impending attack on the Greek navy, he stole a knife and jumped overboard. During the night and using a snorkel made from reed, he swam back to the ships and cut them loose. It was also said that the ability to swim saved the Greeks at the Battle of Salamis, while the Persians all drowned when their ships were destroyed.

Julius Caesar was also known to be a good swimmer. A series of reliefs from B.

The History of Swimming – From Ancient Times to Modern Olympic Games

In Japan swimming was one of the noble skills of the Samurai, and historic records describe swimming competitions in 36 B. The Germanic folklore describes swimming, which was used successfully in wars against the Romans. Swimming competitions are also known from that time. Middle Ages to Swimming was initially one of the seven agilities of knights during the Middle Ages, including swimming with armour.

However, as swimming was done in a state of undress, it became less popular as society became more conservative, and it was opposed by the church at the end of the middle ages.

For example, in the 16th century, a German court document in the Vechta prohibited the naked public swimming of children.USA Swimming is the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States. We are a ,member service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and .

Swimming pools have a long history in the cultures of Greece, Rome, Assyria and Egypt dating back to B.C. Their modern era popularity took off in the s with swimming clubs, and continued to grow with the start of the modern Olympics in , which included swimming competitions. History of Swimming Although humans have been swimming for thousands of years, swimming only became a competitive sport in the early s.

Today, swimming is the third most-watched sport in . History of Swimming Although humans have been swimming for thousands of years, swimming only became a competitive sport in the early s.

Today, swimming is the third most-watched sport in . Swimming is an individual or team sport that requires the use of one's arms and legs to move the body through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake).

History. Leander swimming across the Hellespont. Detail from a painting by. History. Swimming can be dated back to the Stone Age, but did not truly become an organised sport until the early 19th century.