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            Swimming

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            Olympic Aquatics Stadium
            One of the blue-riband sports, swimming has been part of the Paralympic Games since Rome 1960, the first edition. Swimmers use four strokes and in Rio there are 151 medal events for men, women and mixed relay teams
            Spectator's Guide - Swimming
            • Swimming

            About

            About

            Aim of the game

            The swimmer must complete a set distance inside the pool, in some cases using a specific swimming style, in the shortest possible time

            Why should you watch this?

            You will be amazed at how the Paralympic swimmers overcome their impairments to put on spectacular, inspiring displays

            Venues

            Olympic Aquatics Stadium

            International Federation

            IPC

            Paralympic debut

            Rome 1960

            Rules
            • Anchor

              Anchor

              The last member of a relay team to swim

            • Drafting

              Drafting

              When one swimmer is just behind another in an adjacent lane and uses the slipstream generated by their adversary to gain an advantage

            • Tapper

              Tapper

              Assistant who uses a pole with a cushioned end to warn visually impaired swimmers of an imminent turn or the end of the race

            Impress your friends

            • Swimming has featured in the Paralympic Games since their inception in Rome in 1960, when only athletes with spinal cord injuries competed

              Swimming has featured in the Paralympic Games since their inception in Rome in 1960, when only athletes with spinal cord injuries competed

            • At the Heidelberg 1972 Games, visually impaired swimmers competed for the first time in demonstration events

              At the Heidelberg 1972 Games, visually impaired swimmers competed for the first time in demonstration events

            • Gradually other impairment classes were introduced, and Paralympic swimming events are now open to athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments

              Gradually other impairment classes were introduced, and Paralympic swimming events are now open to athletes with physical, visual and intellectual impairments

            • Australia's Maddison Elliott won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the London 2012 Games, aged just 13 years old

              Australia's Maddison Elliott won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the London 2012 Games, aged just 13 years old

            • Also at London 2012, local favourite Ellie Simmonds, 17, rose to stardom by winning two gold medals and breaking two world records

              Also at London 2012, local favourite Ellie Simmonds, 17, rose to stardom by winning two gold medals and breaking two world records

            • Having learned to swim only a year before the Games, Rim Ju Song was the first ever athlete from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to compete in the Paralympic Games

              Having learned to swim only a year before the Games, Rim Ju Song was the first ever athlete from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to compete in the Paralympic Games

            • Australia's Matthew Cowdrey has won 23 Paralympic medals from Athens 2004 to London 2012

              Australia's Matthew Cowdrey has won 23 Paralympic medals from Athens 2004 to London 2012

            • Britain's Sarah Storey won five gold, eight silver and three bronze medals in swimming (1992-1996), before switching to cycling and winning six golds (2008-2012)

              Britain's Sarah Storey won five gold, eight silver and three bronze medals in swimming (1992-1996), before switching to cycling and winning six golds (2008-2012)

            • Belarus Ihar Boki has only competed in one Paralympic Games, London 2012, but it was enough for him to win five gold medals and one silver

              Belarus Ihar Boki has only competed in one Paralympic Games, London 2012, but it was enough for him to win five gold medals and one silver

            • The USA's Jessica Long (17 medals) and New Zealand's Sophie Pascoe (10 medals) are stars in women's Paralympic swimming

              The USA's Jessica Long (17 medals) and New Zealand's Sophie Pascoe (10 medals) are stars in women's Paralympic swimming

            • André Brasil and Daniel Dias are Brazil's greatest Paralympic swimmers, with 10 and 15 medals respectively, won at Beijing 2008 and London 2012

              André Brasil and Daniel Dias are Brazil's greatest Paralympic swimmers, with 10 and 15 medals respectively, won at Beijing 2008 and London 2012

            • Trischa Zorn (USA) is the most decorated Paralympian of all time – she won 55 medals (41 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze) over the seven Games from Arnhem 1980 to Athens 2004

              Trischa Zorn (USA) is the most decorated Paralympian of all time – she won 55 medals (41 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze) over the seven Games from Arnhem 1980 to Athens 2004

            • Athletes are only allowed to use their bodies to compete – orthotic and prosthetic devices are not allowed

              Athletes are only allowed to use their bodies to compete – orthotic and prosthetic devices are not allowed

            • Married couple Nyree and Sascha Kindred won silver medals for Great Britain at London 2012, her in the 100m backstroke and him in the 200m medley

              Married couple Nyree and Sascha Kindred won silver medals for Great Britain at London 2012, her in the 100m backstroke and him in the 200m medley

            • Class S11 competitors wear opaque goggles to ensure that all swimmers compete under the same conditions

              Class S11 competitors wear opaque goggles to ensure that all swimmers compete under the same conditions

            Stroke

            Freestyle: in freestyle events, swimmers can use any stroke they wish, but in practice they all opt for the crawl, which is the fastest style.

            Backstroke: lying on their backs, swimmers count their strokes to stay aware of where they are in the pool, and towards the end of the length glance over at flags positioned 5m from the end wall.

            Breaststroke: a slower swimming style in which an athlete's movements are similar to those of a frog.

            Butterfly: the swimmer rotates both arms simultaneously and flexes the body up and down in a manner reminiscent of a dolphin: indeed, the leg movement is known as a 'dolphin kick'.

            Relay and Medley

            In addition to individual events for each of the four swimming styles, there are relay events contested by teams of four swimmers.

            Medley events (individual and relay) which combine freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke and backstroke in a single race (medley events in the SM3 and SM4 classes do not include butterfly).

            Lanes

            The pool is divided into 10 lanes, each 2.5 m wide, with eight used in the finals.

            Electronic sensors

            Sensitive to the lightest touch, they are fixed onto the end walls of the pool and provide precision timing to within a hundredth of a second.

            Kit

            All swimmers wear a cap, goggles and a swimsuit – normally swimming trunks for men and swimming costumes for women.

            Stats

            Top Medalists

            Men
            aus
            Matthew Cowdrey             		13 7 3 23
            can
            Timothy McIsaac             		11 6 4 21
            nor
            Noel Pedersen             		9 9 3 21
            Women
            usa
            Trischa Zorn             		32 9 5 46
            ger
            Claudia Hengst             		13 4 8 25
            jpn
            Mayumi Narita             		15 3 2 20

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            Paralympic torch lit in Brasília: relay to start journey around Brazil on 1 September (Rio 2016)

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