| Swimming Pool
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The
following are the specifications of a swimming pool for Olympic
Games:
(a)
Length: 50 m.
(b)
Width: 21 m minimum, with two spaces for each of 50 cm between the
outside lane and the bath side walls. Lane width 2.5 m, total 8
lanes.
(c)
Depth: 1.8 m overall, which allows water polo matches to be played
in the same bath.
(d)
Floats on lane ropes: Circumference 0.05 to 0. 11 m.
(e)
Lane markings of a contrasting dark colour are set on the floor of
the pool in the centre of each lane to guide competitors.
(f)
Starting platform: It may be from 0.5 to 0.75 m above the surface of
water. The surface area of each platform must be 0.5 x 0.5 m with a
maximum slope of not more than 10 degree. Surface of each
block must be covered with non-slip material with back stroke hand
grip facility.
(g)
Minimum water temperature must be 24 degree Centigrade
(75 degree F). |
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| Dress
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| Men have to wear
swimming trunks and women one-piece non-transparent swimming trunks
with no open work except at the back. Caps and goggles may be worn,
if desired. |
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| Competition
Judges |
|
The
regulations for international competitions for judges are as
follows:-
(a) Referee
(b) Two starters
(c) Chief time-keeper
(d) Three time-keepers per lane
(e) Chief Judge
(f)
Three finish judges per lane
(g) Inspector of turns (one at each
end of the lane)
(h) Four stroke judges
(i) Recorder
(j)
Clerk-of-course. |
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The
referee has complete control of the races. He may even
disqualify a competitor for an infringement.
It is
obligatory to use electronic equipment for timekeeping at the
Olympic Games. |
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| Types of
Strokes |
| Freestyle :
Freestyle means that the swimmer may use any style he wishes
to. In modern days, the competitors use the "front crawl". In front
crawl the arms are carried through the air, one at a time, elbow
relaxed and the hand turning palm downwards, ready to catch the
water as the other arm is pulled under the water. The legs are kept
constantly fluttering all this while; left leg with right arm and
vice versa to maintain balance. Breathing is done by turning the
face and inhaling/ exhaling. Breathing is generally done once in one
arm cycle. |
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| Back Stroke
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| Back stroke is
front crawl done on the back. Since the nose is in air all the time,
there is no breathing problem. This makes the style very easy to
perform. The arms are lifted from beside the legs, palm turned
outwards, to an easy position behind the head. As the leading hand
takes hold of the water to pull, the other one begins to lift from
the side. This cycle is repeated while the legs are fluttered all
along. Some swimmers raise and pull with both arms
together. |
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| Breast Stroke:
This is the oldest and the slowest stroke and is defined by
the FINA in the following manner:- |
| 1. The body
shall be kept perfectly on the breast and both the shoulders shall
be in line with the water surface. |
| 2. All movements
of arms and legs must be simultaneous in the same horizontal plane.
|
| 3. The hands
shall be pushed forward together from the breast and must be brought
back on or under the water surface. |
| 4. In the leg
kick, the feet must be turned outward in the backward movement (frog
kick). A dolphin kick is not permitted. |
| 5. At the turn/
end of the race, both arms must touch the wall simultaneously.
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| 6. During each
complete arm cycle some part of the head shall break the surface of
the water except during the starting dive and during each turn.
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|
| Butterfly: It was developed from the breaststroke and
was declared the fourth stroke in 1952. The style, once again
clearly defined by the FINA, is as follows: |
| 1. The arms must
be brought forward over the water and brought backwards in water
simultaneously. |
| 2.The body must
be kept perfectly on the breast and both the shoulders in line with
the surface of the water from the beginning till the end.
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| 3. All movements
of the feet must be executed simultaneously. Dolphin kick is
permitted. At the turn or at the finish the wall must be touched by
both hands at the same level. |
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4. At
the start and at turns, a swimmer is permitted one leg kick and one
arm pull under the water which must bring him to the surface.
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| Medley:
This is an event where all four strokes are to be executed by
one swimmer. The order of strokes for individual medley is
butterfly, backstroke, breast stroke and freestyle. In team relays,
the order is backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle. In
both types of medley event, the distance to be swum in each style
(known as leg) is equally divided. For relay, it is 4 x 100 m, while
there are individual events over 200 and 400 m, i.e., for swimmer
covering either 50 or 100 m in each style. |
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| Relays:
These are quite similar to athletic relays and are obviously team
events. They are generally freestyle. At the change over, the
previous competitors must have touched the wall before the next one
leaves the diving block. Only the first swimmer can set an
individual record in a relay, if officially informed earlier. In
medley relay each of the four swimmers executes one stroke whereas
in individual medley the same swimmer executes all four strokes. The
following are the rules for turning at the end of bath:
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| 1. In freestyle
(front crawl), the touch on the wall may be made with any part of
the body. |
| 2. In back
stroke, the swimmer must stay on his back till his head or the
foremost part of the hand touches the wall. He may now turn beyond
vertical but must come back onto his back before his feet leave the
wall. |
| 3. In
breaststroke, the touch should be made with both hands
simultaneously. |
| 4. In butterfly,
the breaststroke rule applies. |
5. In medley,
he/she has to comply with the rule of the stroke he/she is doing at
the particular moment. Long distance swimming takes place in open
water for distance over 1,500 m.
(Courtesy - The Hinduja
Sports Foundation)
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