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So as the name implies, this page focuses on swimming's history and development over the centuries. That's right, centuries. In fact, swimming's one of the oldest sports around. It's supposedly dated back to even the prehistoric times!
The First Pools
Swimming, as we know it today, has evolved hundreds of times, so many, I can't even list all of them. However, we do know that competitive swimming probably started around 1830 in England. In 1837, the National Swimming Society was holding regular swimming competitions in six artificial pools, built around London. Then, in 1880, the Amateur Swimming Society was founded nationally and held over 300 pools. This was the foundation of hundreds of years worth of swim meets.
The Strokes
Many of the early civilizations had their own methods of moving across the water as quickly and efficiently as possible. The strokes we use now, however, were established sometime in the range of 1844-1873. It all started at one meet where 2 native american men pulled their hands in a circular fashion as they kicked their legs while they swam. Almost 30 years later, Sir John Arthur Trudgen swam this exact stroke at a similar competition, won, and the stroke we now call "freestyle" was born. In a short span of about 50 years, all the strokes (as well as the IM) were fully established and used in swim meets.
Competitions
At this very moment, there are tens of hundreds of meets going on. But in swimming's early years, this wasn't the case. In fact, swim meets were rare events! The theory of swim meets was never really founded until years after competitive swimming started. The first officially recorded swim meet was in around 1835. It was held in London, England, which back then, was the center of the "swim world." However, within about 10 years, swim meets were much more common. They continued to grow and grow until the early 20th century it became an Olympic sport.
The First Pools
Swimming, as we know it today, has evolved hundreds of times, so many, I can't even list all of them. However, we do know that competitive swimming probably started around 1830 in England. In 1837, the National Swimming Society was holding regular swimming competitions in six artificial pools, built around London. Then, in 1880, the Amateur Swimming Society was founded nationally and held over 300 pools. This was the foundation of hundreds of years worth of swim meets.
The Strokes
Many of the early civilizations had their own methods of moving across the water as quickly and efficiently as possible. The strokes we use now, however, were established sometime in the range of 1844-1873. It all started at one meet where 2 native american men pulled their hands in a circular fashion as they kicked their legs while they swam. Almost 30 years later, Sir John Arthur Trudgen swam this exact stroke at a similar competition, won, and the stroke we now call "freestyle" was born. In a short span of about 50 years, all the strokes (as well as the IM) were fully established and used in swim meets.
Competitions
At this very moment, there are tens of hundreds of meets going on. But in swimming's early years, this wasn't the case. In fact, swim meets were rare events! The theory of swim meets was never really founded until years after competitive swimming started. The first officially recorded swim meet was in around 1835. It was held in London, England, which back then, was the center of the "swim world." However, within about 10 years, swim meets were much more common. They continued to grow and grow until the early 20th century it became an Olympic sport.
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