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Olympic history (pre London 2012)

Swimming has featured at every Olympic Games since 1896. Early Olympic events were conducted in freestyle (crawl) or breaststroke. Backstroke was added in 1904. In the 1940s, breaststrokers discovered they could go much faster by bringing both arms overhead together. This was soon banned in the breaststroke, but became the butterfly stroke, which is now the fourth stroke used in competitive swimming.

Summary of past Australian Olympic team results

• Swimming is Australia’s most successful Olympic sport to date.
• Melbourne in 1956 saw Australia become the world’s top swimming nation by winning eight gold medals, including every freestyle event.
• Dawn Fraser won the women's 100 metre freestyle for an unprecedented third time in Tokyo in 1964.
• In Munich in 1972, Shane Gould dominated with medals in five individual events. Gould won the 200 metre and 400 metre freestyle and the 200 metre individual medley.
• Sydney 2000 saw Australia return to the top echelon of Olympic swimming nations when five gold medals were won. Individual winners were Ian Thorpe (400 metre freestyle), Grant Hackett (1500 metre freestyle) and Susie O’Neill (200 metre freestyle). Relay titles came in the men’s 4 x 200 metre freestyle with Thorpe, Michael Klim, William Kirby and Todd Pearson and the men’s 4 x 100 metre freestyle with Thorpe, Klim, Chris Fydler and Ashley Callus.
• Australian women dominated as a world swimming power in Athens 2004 with Jodie Henry winning the 100 metre freestyle and Petria Thomas the 100 metre butterfly together with relay wins in the 4 x 100 metre freestyle (Alice Mills, Libby Lenton, Thomas, Henry) and the 4 x 100 metre medley (Giaan Rooney, Leisel Jones, Thomas, Henry). In the men’s events, Ian Thorpe won the 200 metre and 400m freestyle titles to become Australia's greatest Olympic gold medal-winner with five, and Grant Hackett repeated his Sydney win in the 1500 metre. Overall Australia won 15 swimming medals (7 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze).
• Australia was again a dominant force in Beijing in 2008, taking a host of medals in the iconic 'Water Cube' venue. Stephanie Rice was one of the stars, taking three gold medals in the two individual medley events and the women's 4 x 200 metre freestyle.

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