Understanding Competitive Swimming: Championships, Organization, and Officials

Posted on Sep 2, 2024 in Physical Education

Organization of Championships

Championships with Heats: All swimmers compete in heats, and the fastest times advance to the final.
Championships with Heats, Semifinals, and Finals: All swimmers compete in heats. The fastest times advance to the semifinals, and the fastest times from the semifinals advance to the final.
Championships Against Time: All swimmers compete, and the winner is determined by the fastest time.

The fastest qualifying time swims in lane 3 or 4, depending on pool size.
The second fastest time swims in the lane to the left of the fastest qualifier.
The third fastest time swims in the lane to the right of the fastest qualifier, and so on.

FINA (International Federation of Swimming): Responsible for organizing the Olympic Games and World Championships. Tournaments are held every four years: World Championships in odd years and Olympics in even years.
UANA (American Union of Swimming): Represents national federations of North, Central, and South America (42).
CONSANAT (South American Swimming Confederation): Represents federations of South America (11) and organizes youth and adult South American Championships every two years.

FEDACHI (Chilean Water Sports Federation): Represents associations across the country, develops competitive swimming, organizes national championships (spring, summer, winter), and manages the formation of national teams.

Director of Competition/General Referee: The highest authority of the event, intervenes at any stage, decides disputes, ensures proper officiating, and manages disqualifications.
Starter: Controls the competitors, starts the races, and uses a whistle or buzzer.
Officer or Deputy: Meets swimmers before each race and issues lane assignments.
Chief Inspector of Turns: Supervises the turn judges and reports to the general referee.
Turn Judges: Ensure compliance with rules for each stroke and count laps for the 800m and 1500m. They also ensure proper takeovers in relays.
Stroke Judges: Ensure compliance with rules for each stroke and assist turn judges.
Chief Timekeeper: Assigns timekeepers to lanes (three per lane) and manages the timing process.
Judge of Arrival: Determines the finishing order if there are discrepancies in timing.
Control Table: Reviews results, manages scoring, records results, and establishes competition series.
Awards Manager: Organizes and presents awards promptly after each race.
Scorekeeper: Displays and updates scores for each participating team.
Announcer: Announces the race number, lane, and swimmer’s name.

Freestyle (Crawl): 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m
Backstroke: 50m, 100m, 200m
Breaststroke: 50m, 100m, 200m
Butterfly: 50m, 100m, 200m
Individual Medley: 200m, 400m (Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle)
Relays: 4 x 100m Medley (Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle), 4 x 100m Freestyle, 4 x 200m Freestyle