Competitive swimming became popular in the 19th century. The goal of high level competitive swimming is to break personal or world records while beating competitors in any given event. Swimming in competition should create the least resistance in order to obtain maximum speed.

Competitive swimming’s purpose is the same as that of other sports: to showcase a competitor’s athletic skills and win events. A typical swimming event includes multiple competitions in which swimmers can earn points based on their placing in a meet. This means that players can win multiple swims and help their team win the overall competition.

Most professional swimmers shave their whole body before they compete. A space shuttle turbopump could empty an entire Olympic-sized pool in less than 25 seconds. Many swimmers have very flexible ankles and can touch the ground with their toes while laying on their backs. More than half of Americans can’t swim.