The History of the Sport of Swimming

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Swimming by definition is “to move along in water by means of movements of the body or parts of the body, especially the arms and legs, or (in the case of fish) tail and fins” (Swimming). The sport of swimming has a long history, from the beginning with the Egyptians and Hittites, through the competitive athletes of this century. While the history of competitive swimming is more in depth and has more information about it, the ancient history has a more solid background (MLA 7th Edition).
In Egyptian history, swimming was used for combat and a way to escape from the enemy. Ramesses the Second and his troops escaped from the Hittites in the Battle of Kadesh. This story is also shown on hieroglyphics, which also provides evidence of early swimming efforts. “The Pharaoh, Ramesses the Second, is said to have enjoyed swimming contests (MLA 7th Edition).” In addition to the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans used swimming for recreation and a way to relax. The Romans built “baths’ or what is now a model for a swimming pool (MLA 7th Edition).
Swimming has taken on many forms since that time period some reasons include recreationally, utilitarian, combat, scuba diving, swimming races, marathon swimming, and water polo and diving. Recreational swimming has been around since the Greeks and Romans. Young children often learn to swim in a recreational setting with instructors. The water is an unsafe place for some. Swimming in open water occasionally ends in drowning. Since the nineteenth century, swimmers have turned to a supervised area for a safer environment. When learning to swim in North America, younger kids are usually taught “freestyle” or the crawl, while breaststroke is taught in Europe and Asia (MLA 7th Edition).
Competitive swimm...

... middle of paper ...

...lo, open water swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming. Over 200 programs from around the world belong to it. There are many levels to FINA competitions. Competitions are offered at the regional, state, intercollegiate, national, and international level. These competitions come in different formats and at different age-group levels (MLA 7th Edition).
In conclusion, swimming has a long history and is up and coming to the world. Swimming is a challenging sport that requires time and effort. With many events, the athletes have an array of events from that may suit their individual talents. The sport is still evolving so the world will continue to be amazed. While its more popular in Europe and Australia, swimmers like Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, and Mark Spitz are helping to grow the sport in the USA by inspiring a new generation of kids may become an Olympian.

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