Aquatic Sports

Aquatic sports are some of the most anticipated and diverse competitions at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, combining elegance, raw power, and technical precision within the world's pools, lakes, and coastal waters. At the Olympic level, these sports encompass five distinct disciplines under the umbrella of aquatics: the speed and endurance of swimming, the precision dives of diving, the team dynamics of water polo, the strength of marathon swimming in open water, and the artistry of artistic swimming (formerly synchronized swimming). This variety ensures a constant stream of high-stakes action throughout the Games, with swimming events alone typically accounting for a large number of medal opportunities.

For the Paralympics, aquatic events focus primarily on Para swimming, which is one of the largest and most popular sports on the program. Athletes are classified based on the nature and extent of their impairment to ensure fair competition. The events showcase extraordinary determination and physical mastery, following many of the same rules as their Olympic counterparts regarding strokes and distances, but tailored to accommodate different abilities. The inclusion of open-water Para marathon swimming in certain games adds another challenging dimension to the program. These aquatic events consistently produce some of the most inspiring moments, highlighting the spirit of perseverance and the universal thrill of competition in the water.