Swimming competitions are organised events in which athletes compete in competitive swimming, including pool swimming, open water swimming, masters swimming, and related aquatic disciplines. Competitions take place at local, national, continental and global levels and are organised by bodies including World Aquatics, the International Olympic Committee, continental aquatic organisations and national swimming federations.

The major international swimming competitions include the Olympic Games, World Aquatics Championships, World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m), World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, World Aquatics Masters Championships and World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships. Continental championships, national championships, university competitions, age-group events, para swimming competitions and specialist open water races also form an important part of the competitive swimming calendar.

Swimming competitions are conducted in several formats, including long course metres (50 metre pools), short course metres (25 metre pools), short course yards (25 yard pools), and open water environments such as lakes, rivers and oceans.

Competition formats

Pool swimming Pool swimming competitions are normally conducted in either: Long course metres (LCM) – conducted in 50 metre pools and used for the Olympic Games and World Aquatics Championships. Short course metres (SCM) – conducted in 25 metre pools and used for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25 m). Short course yards (SCY) – primarily used in the United States collegiate and scholastic swimming systems.

Open water swimming Open water swimming competitions are held outside swimming pools, commonly in lakes, rivers, seas and coastal waters. Major international open water events include Olympic marathon swimming, World Aquatics Championships open water events, marathon swimming circuits and international open water races.

Other competitive swimming disciplines Swimming is also included within: Para swimming Masters swimming Finswimming Lifesaving (sport) University and school competitions Multi-sport competitions

Major international swimming competitions

Swimming competitions are organised at several levels. The Olympic Games represent the highest-profile global sporting event, while World Aquatics championships and circuits provide the principal international swimming competitions outside the Olympics.

+Major international swimming competitions Level Competition Organiser Frequency Notes Global multi-sport Olympic Games International Olympic Committee Every 4 years The highest-profile international swimming competition; pool swimming has featured since 1896 and open water swimming since 2008 Global World Aquatics Championships World Aquatics Usually biennial Senior long-course world championships including pool and open water swimming Global short course World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) World Aquatics Biennial Senior world championship for 25 metre pool swimming Global circuit World Aquatics Swimming World Cup World Aquatics Annual International elite swimming circuit Global masters World Aquatics Masters Championships World Aquatics Usually biennial World championship event for masters athletes aged 25 and older Global junior World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships World Aquatics Biennial Global championship for junior swimmers Continental European Aquatics Championships European Aquatics Usually biennial Major European championship event Continental masters European Aquatics Masters Championships European Aquatics Usually biennial Major continental masters championship Multi-sport continental Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Sport Every 4 years Major multi-sport event featuring swimming

World Aquatics competitions

World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA until 2022, is the international governing body responsible for aquatic sports including swimming, open water swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming and related disciplines.

World Aquatics championships

World Aquatics Championships (50 m pool and open water), first held in 1973. World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m), first held in 1993. World Aquatics Masters Championships, first held in 1986 and previously known as the FINA World Masters Championships. World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, first held in 2006.

World Aquatics international circuits

World Aquatics Swimming World Cup World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup World Aquatics Marathon Swim World Series World Aquatics Champions Swim Series (2019–2021)

Continental swimming competitions

Continental swimming competitions are organised by regional aquatic governing bodies and form the main championship pathway between national competitions and global championships. These include senior, junior, masters and open water competitions.

African competitions

Swimming competitions in Africa are organised primarily by Confederation of African Aquatics and its member federations.

Competition Level Notes African Aquatics Championships Continental senior Main African aquatic championships African Swimming Championships Continental senior Established in 1974 African Junior Swimming Championships Junior Established in 1988 African Juniors Aquatics Championships Junior Multi-discipline aquatic championships African Masters Aquatics Championships Masters Continental masters championship

American competitions

Swimming competitions in the Americas are organised by continental and regional bodies including Panam Aquatics and national swimming federations.

Competition Level Notes Pan American Games Multi-sport continental Pool swimming since 1951 and open water swimming since 2007 Junior Pan American Games Junior multi-sport Established in 2021 South American Games Multi-sport continental Swimming included since 1978 South American Youth Games Youth Established in 2013 South American Aquatics Championships Continental South American Swimming Championships Continental senior Established in 1929 South American Masters Aquatics Championships Masters South American Juniors Aquatics Championships Junior South American Beach Games Open water Open water swimming included since 2009 Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championships Regional Established in 1960 Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships Regional Established in 1976 CAMEX Regional Established in 1986 CARIFTA Swimming Championships Junior regional Established in 1985 Bolivarian Games Multi-sport regional Swimming included since 1938 Bolivarian Beach Games Open water Established in 2012

Asian competitions

Swimming competitions in Asia are organised by Asia Aquatics and national aquatic federations.

Competition Level Notes Asian Games swimming Multi-sport continental Swimming has featured since the first Asian Games Asian Swimming Championships Continental senior Established in 1980 Asian Age Group Swimming Championships Age-group Asian Open Water Swimming Championships Open water South Asian Games Multi-sport regional Established in 1984 Southeast Asian Games Multi-sport regional Swimming included since 1959 Southeast Asian Swimming Championships Regional Established in 1977 West Asian Games Multi-sport regional Established in 1997 South Asian Swimming Championships Regional Central Asian Swimming Championships Regional West Asian Swimming Championships Regional Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Short course swimming Swimming included since 2005

European competitions

European swimming competitions are organised by European Aquatics, formerly known as LEN.

Competition Level Notes European Aquatics Championships Continental senior Pool swimming since 1926 and open water swimming since 1995 European Short Course Swimming Championships Continental short course 25 metre pool championship established in 1996 European Sprint Swimming Championships Short course Held from 1991 to 1994 before the European Short Course Championships European Open Water Swimming Championships Open water Held from 1989 to 2016 European Junior Open Water Swimming Championships Junior open water European Junior Swimming Championships Junior Established in 1967 European U-23 Swimming Championships U23 Championship for swimmers aged 19–23 European Aquatics Masters Championships Masters Established in 1987 European Youth Aquatics Championships Youth Junior development championship Baltic States Swimming Championships Regional Open de Paris de Natation Invitational Balkan Swimming Championship Regional Central Europe Swimming Cup Regional Mediterranean Swimming Cup Regional

Oceania competitions

Swimming competitions in Oceania are organised by Oceania Aquatics and national federations.

Competition Level Notes Pacific Games Multi-sport regional Swimming included from 1963 Oceania Swimming Championships Continental Established in 1993 Oceania Masters Championships Masters

Commonwealth swimming competitions

The Commonwealth Games and related competitions provide a major international pathway for swimmers from Commonwealth nations.

Competition Level Notes Swimming at the Commonwealth Games Senior multi-sport Swimming has featured since 1930 Commonwealth Youth Games Youth multi-sport Established in 2000 Commonwealth Junior Championships Junior Swimming competition for Commonwealth nations

Masters swimming competitions

Masters swimming competitions provide opportunities for swimmers aged 25 and over to compete internationally across different age groups. The highest level of masters swimming is the World Aquatics Masters Championships, organised by World Aquatics, with continental and national masters championships also held regularly.

Global masters competitions World Aquatics Masters Championships, formerly known as the FINA World Masters Championships, first held in 1986. World Masters Games swimming competitions.

Continental masters competitions European Aquatics Masters Championships European Masters Games African Masters Aquatics Championships South American Masters Aquatics Championships Oceania Masters Championships Pan American Masters Championships Asian Masters Swimming Championships

National masters competitions Many countries conduct national masters championships, including: United States Masters Swimming national championships British Masters Championships Australian Masters Championships European national masters championships

Junior, youth and age-group competitions

Junior and youth swimming competitions provide an international pathway for developing swimmers before senior competition.

Competition Level Organiser Notes World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships Global junior World Aquatics World championship for junior swimmers Youth Olympic Games Youth multi-sport International Olympic Committee International youth competition European Junior Swimming Championships Continental junior European Aquatics Established in 1967 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival Continental youth European Aquatics Commonwealth Youth Games Commonwealth youth multi-sport Commonwealth Sport Junior competition between Commonwealth nations Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships Regional junior Pan Pacific nations Established in 2005 African Junior Swimming Championships Continental junior African Aquatics Asian Age Group Swimming Championships Continental age-group Asia Aquatics CARIFTA Swimming Championships Regional junior Caribbean Established in 1985

Para swimming competitions

Para swimming is the competitive swimming discipline for athletes with physical, visual or intellectual impairments and is governed internationally by World Para Swimming.