Swimming Trivia: A 100-question quiz with answers, on professional swimming.

Swimming is one of the most popular participation sports in the world, but how much do you know about swimming as a professional sport? Test your swimming knowledge with our quiz, 100 questions with answers for your pub quiz, trivia night, or simply to test your swimming knowledge!

Round 1: The Modern Legends (1990s–Present)

1. Who is the most decorated Olympian of all time, in any sport? (Michael Phelps, 28 medals)

2. Which female swimmer has won the most Olympic medals in history? (Katie Ledecky, 14 medals, and counting as of 2024)

3. What is Katie Ledecky’s signature distance, in which she remains undefeated in Olympic competition? (800m Freestyle)

4. Who was the first swimmer to break the 47-second barrier in the 100m Freestyle? (Alain Bernard, 2008)

5. Which Australian legend won five Olympic gold medals, all in freestyle? (Ian Thorpe)

6. Who is known as the “Iron Lady” of swimming? (Katinka Hosszú)

7. Which swimmer famously beat Michael Phelps in the 200m Butterfly at the 2012 London Olympics? (Chad le Clos)

8. Who is the oldest male swimmer to win an individual Olympic gold medal? (Anthony Ervin, aged 35, 2016)

9. Which female swimmer was the first to win back-to-back Olympic golds in the 100m Breaststroke (1996 & 2000)? (Penny Heyns)

10. Caeleb Dressel tied the record for most gold medals at a single World Championships (2017) with how many? (7)

Round 2: Swimming Origins & The Olympics

11. In what year did swimming debut at the modern Olympic Games? (1896)

12. Where were the swimming events held in the first 1896 Olympics? (The Mediterranean Sea)

13. Which was the only swimming event open to women in the 1912 Olympics? (100m Freestyle)

14. In which year were the stroke regulations for the Butterfly officially established by FINA? (1953)

15. Which country has won the most Olympic swimming medals in history? (The United States)

16. Who was the first swimmer to break the 1-minute barrier for the 100m Freestyle? (Johnny Weissmuller, 1922)

17. Johnny Weissmuller (a 5-time Olympic champion) later became famous for playing what film role? (Tarzan)

18. Which city hosted the first-ever FINA World Aquatics Championships in 1973? (Belgrade, Yugoslavia)

19. Who was the first Japanese swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal (1932)? (Yasuji Miyazaki)

20. Before the butterfly stroke, what stroke did swimmers use when swimming ‘butterfly’? (Breaststroke)

Round 3: World Records & Historic Feats

21. Who is the only female swimmer to break the 24-second barrier in the 50m Freestyle? (Sarah Sjöström)

22. Sarah Sjöström (Sweden) has held the most simultaneous long-course world records (6). Name three of those strokes/events. (50m Free, 100m Free, 50m Fly, 100m Fly)

23. Which breaststroker broke the 58, 57, and 56-second barriers in the 100m Breaststroke? (Adam Peaty)

24. Who holds the long-course world record for the 200m Freestyle (set in 2009)? (Paul Biedermann)

25. The 2009 FINA World Championships are famous for which controversial equipment usage? (High-tech, full-body polyurethane “super-suits”)

26. Which American woman was the first to win five gold medals at a single Olympics (1992)? (Janet Evans)

27. Who is the only person to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the Men’s 1500m Freestyle (1988 & 1992)? (Kieren Perkins)

28. Who set the long-standing long-course world record in the Men’s 100m Butterfly (2009)? (Michael Phelps)

29. Which swimmer was the first person to swim the 200m IM in under 2 minutes (2001)? (Michael Phelps)

30. Ariarne Titmus broke the long-standing 400m Freestyle world record (held by Ledecky) in 2022. What is her nickname? (The Terminator)

Round 4: Strokes & Technical Specifications

31. What are the four competitive swimming strokes? (Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly)

32. In what order is a Medley Relay (4 swimmers)? (Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle)

33. In what order is an Individual Medley (IM) (1 swimmer)? (Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle)

34. What is the maximum allowed distance a swimmer can travel underwater (dolphin kick) after a start or turn? (15 meters)

35. Which is considered the slowest of the four competitive strokes? (Breaststroke)

36. Which stroke is the only one where the swimmer starts in the water? (Backstroke)

37. What are the flags hanging above the lane for? (Backstroke indicators, letting swimmers know they are 5m from the wall)

38. In backstroke, are swimmers allowed to flip onto their stomach during the turn? (Yes, only during the turn process)

39. What is a “scull” in swimming? (A movement of the hands through the water to create lift and maintain body position)

40. What is the standard width of a competitive swimming lane? (2.5 meters)

Round 5: “Firsts” & Milestones

41. Who was the first black swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal (1988)? (Anthony Nesty)

42. Who was the first female swimmer to swim the 100m Freestyle in under 1 minute (1962)? (Dawn Fraser)

43. Which country won the first-ever Olympic mixed-gender medley relay (2021)? (Great Britain)

44. Who was the first woman to break the 2-minute barrier for the 200m Freestyle? (Federica Pellegrini)

45. Which country was the first (and only) to ever use an indoor arena with a temporary pool for the Olympics (1996)? (USA – Atlanta)

46. Who was the first athlete (male or female) to win the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m Freestyle at a major international championship (2001)? (Ian Thorpe)

47. Who was the first swimmer to break the 8-minute barrier in the Women’s 800m Freestyle (2008)? (Rebecca Adlington)

48. Which woman was the first to achieve the “golden double” of winning the 100m and 200m Breaststroke at two consecutive Olympics (1996 & 2000)? (Penny Heyns)

49. In what year did FINA introduce lane ropes with wave-killing technology? (1976)

50. Who was the first African woman to win an individual swimming gold medal (1992)? (Penny Heyns)

Round 6: International Swimming League (ISL) & Professionalism

51. In what year did the International Swimming League (ISL) debut? (2019)

52. Who founded the ISL? (Konstantin Grigorishin)

53. Are ISL matches swam in Long Course (50m) or Short Course (25m)? (Short Course)

54. Which team won the inaugural ISL season in 2019? (Energy Standard)

55. Which Australian swimmer set multiple ISL records and was named the MVP of the inaugural season? (Sarah Sjöström)

56. The ISL featured a unique high-stakes finale event called “The Skins.” Describe what it is. (A series of eliminator sprint races)

57. Which team won the 2020 ISL season (held in a bubble in Budapest)? (Cali Condors)

58. Caeleb Dressel was the MVP of the 2020 ISL season. What team was he on? (Cali Condors)

59. Is the ISL currently sanctioned by World Aquatics (formerly FINA)? (No, it is a private league)

60. Which swimmer was one of the key vocal figures and legal plaintiffs challenging FINA’s monopoly, leading to the ISL’s creation? (Michael Andrew, Katinka Hosszú)

Round 7: Famous Duels & Rivalries

61. The “Race of the Century” (2004 Olympics) featured Ian Thorpe, Pieter van den Hoogenband, and Michael Phelps. Which distance was it? (200m Freestyle)

62. The 2008 Men’s 4x100m Free relay finish between Jason Lezak (USA) and Alain Bernard (France) is iconic. Which team won? (USA)

63. Katie Ledecky and Ariarne Titmus have defined modern distance swimming. What country is Titmus from? (Australia)

64. The rivalry between Michael Phelps and Lochte defined an era. What was Ryan Lochte’s middle distance signature event? (200m Individual Medley)

65. Adam Peaty’s rivalry in the 100m Breaststroke was primarily with a Dutch swimmer. Name him. (Arno Kamminga)

66. Which Australian backstroker holds the historic rivalry with Kaylee McKeown in the 100m and 200m distances? (Emily Seebohm – Note: Rivalry with Kaylee, Seebohm is the older rival).

67. The 100m Free final at the 2012 Olympics saw Nathan Adrian (USA) beat James Magnussen (AUS) by how much? (0.01 seconds)

68. Who was the German butterfly swimmer that famously “choked” (failed to breathe properly) in the 200m Fly final in 2000, allowing Phelps to pass him? (Note: Correction: It was Phelps who didn’t breathe and still won. The search results discuss Phelps’ 2000 performance).

69. Which swimmer was banned for life for anti-doping violations after a public altercation at the 2019 World Championships involving Mack Horton? (Sun Yang)

70. At the 2024 Olympic Trials, the rivalry between Lilly King and Lydia Jacoby in the 100m Breaststroke saw which defending gold medalist miss qualification? (Lydia Jacoby)

Round 8: Geography & National Teams

71. Which country hosted the 2023 World Aquatics Championships? (Japan, Fukuoka)

72. What city will host the swimming events for the 2028 Olympic Games? (Los Angeles)

73. Where is the “Home of Australian Swimming” located? (Brisbane – The Queensland Academy of Sport)

74. In the 1970s and 80s, which European nation was notorious for systematic, state-sponsored doping in swimming? (East Germany)

75. Which South American nation produced Olympic champions César Cielo and Thiago Pereira? (Brazil)

76. Which country has a national team known as “The Dolphins”? (Australia)

77. Who hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics, where backstroke lane lines were first used? (Melbourne, Australia)

78. What city is home to the International Swimming Hall of Fame? (Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA)

79. Before moving to Fukuoka, where were the 2022 World Aquatics Championships held? (Budapest, Hungary)

80. Which country won the most medals in swimming at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (excluding the USA)? (Russia)

Round 9: Equipment, Facilities & Trivia

81. What is the difference between a “tech suit” and a regular swimsuit? (Tech suits are compressed, made of advanced fabrics, designed to reduce drag and enhance muscle compression).

82. Are full-body suits currently allowed in pool competition? (No, they were banned by FINA in 2010).

83. A FINA-standard Olympic pool must be exactly how long? (50 meters)

84. How many lanes are required for a FINA-approved long-course championship final? (8)

85. Why are the outer lanes (Lanes 1 and 8) considered slightly slower in non-wave-killing pools? (More turbulence from wave reflections).

86. What is the standard water temperature range for a professional pool? (25 to 28 degrees Celsius / 77 to 82.4 Fahrenheit).

87. What is the primary function of swim caps for professional swimmers? (To reduce drag from hair).

88. Can swimmers use hand paddles, fins, or pull buoys in official races? (No, only for training).

89. What is the purpose of the starting blocks used in the pool? (They provide a sloped platform for a more powerful dive).

90. How long must the diving blocks be back from the pool’s edge? (30 cm – 75 cm).

Round 10: The Ultimate Challenge

91. What is World Aquatics formerly known as (pre-2023)? (FINA – Fédération Internationale de Natation)

92. Which swimmer holds the long-course world record in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley? (Ryan Lochte)

93. Who is the only person (male or female) to win the 100m, 200m, and 400m Freestyle at a single Olympic Games (1988)? (Kristin Otto – of East Germany)

94. Which woman broke the 2-minute barrier in the 200m Breaststroke (2022)? (Evgeniia Chikunova)

95. Who won the Golden Goggle Award for “Female Athlete of the Year” a record six times? (Katie Ledecky)

96. In backstroke, what is the maximum time a swimmer can hold onto the starting block’s handles after the starting signal? (No maximum time – they must touch the block until they start).

97. Who holds the long-course world record in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke? (Adam Peaty)

98. What is the only stroke where a “kickout” (dolphin kick while underwater after a turn) is not permitted (unless it’s the breaststroke kick)? (None – Dolphin kick is allowed in Back, Fly, and Free (the underwater phases), and a single dolphin kick is allowed before the breaststroke kick).

99. Which swimmer famously stated, “Winning isn’t everything; wanting to win is,” a philosophy that guided her to multiple Olympic medals (though the quote is often attributed to a different coach)? (Janet Evans)

100. Where will the 2026 World Aquatics Championships be held? (Singapore)