HISTORY OF SWIMMING

• CAVE DRAWINGS AT LIBYAN DESERT (Africa) dating 11,000 years ago show people swimming
• AN EGYPTIAN NOBLEMAN who lived about 2,160 BC recorded that his children took swimming lessons
• ASSYRIAN WARRIORS in the 880 BC used crawl-type stroke in crossing streams as part of their war tactic
• WARRIORS IN IRAQ used inflated animal bladders and breathing tubes to cross the river during 869 BC
• Ancient carvings found in MIDDLE EAST suggest that people had been able to swim for over 4000 years
• Swimming was highly esteemed in ancient Greek and Rome, especially as a form of training for warriors
• 1837 - first swimming organization was the National Swimming Society founded in London
• 1869 - The Metropolitan Swimming Clubs Association was formed-later became the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)
• 1870 - Amateur clubs in the United States began competitive meetings
• 1896 - first modern Olympic games held in Athens, Greece
• 1908 - the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur was organized to administer amateur swimming competition
• 1912 - Women's swimming events were first included