Swimming is a popular activity in Sweden. The

Swedish Swimming Federation The Swedish Swimming Federation () is the national federation for Aquatics in body of Swimming in Sweden, as well as the other Aquatics sports: diving, synchronized swimming, water polo and open water swimming. It was founded on 23 March 1904 a ...

has about 300 member clubs and about 12,000 licensed swimmers.

History

The history of modern swimming in Sweden starts in

Uppsala Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Loc ...

, where professors from the

Uppsala University Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. Initially fou ...

start swimming education and grading for men. The first Swedish swimming club, Upsala SS, was started in 1796 by

Jöns Svanberg Jöns Svanberg (1771–1851) was a Swedish clergyman and natural scientist. Life He was born on 6 July 1771 in Ytterbyn, Sweden and died on 15 January 1851 in Uppsala, Sweden. Career He entered Uppsala University at the age of 16. He r ...

. At that time swimming clubs organised swimming graduation ceremonies (); Karlfors SS in

Värmland County Värmland County () is a county or '' län'' in west central Sweden. It borders the Swedish counties of Dalarna, Örebro and Västra Götaland, as well as the Norwegian counties of Østfold, Akershus and Innlandet to the west. The title of Duke ...

had one in 1819. Swimming clubs to organise swimming education, swimming graduation ceremonies and shows were founded in 1823 in Lund, in 1824 in Linköping (

Linköpings ASS Linköpings Allmänna Simsällskap, commonly known as Linköpings ASS or LASS, is a Swedish swimming club based in Linköping and founded on 4 June 1824. The founding date makes Linköpings ASS one of the oldest Swedish swim teams. The club is ac ...

) and in 1827 in Stockholm. The first competitive swimming club were Stockholms ASF (founded 1885), then

Stockholms KK Stockholms Kappsimningsklubb, commonly known as Stockholms KK or SKK, is a Swedish swimming club from Stockholm founded on 12 July 1895, who competes in swimming and water polo. The swimming club goes under the nickname ''Kappis''. The most famous ...

and Uppsala KK (both founded 1895). Upsala SS allowed educational swimming for women in 1880 and began competitive swimming in 1910. In 1899, the first

Swedish Swimming Championships The Swedish Swimming Championships () are held annually in the Swedish summer in outdoor 50 m pool. The championships sometimes also works as trials for the Summer Olympics, World Championships and European Championships. Swimmers represen ...

was held. The

was founded in 1904. The

was one of the federations that founded

FINA World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA (; ), is the international federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in List of water sports, water sports. It is one of several interna ...

during the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were originally schedu ...

International competitions

Sweden organized the third FINA Short Course Swimming Championships in

Scandinavium Scandinavium () is an indoor arena located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Construction on Scandinavium began in 1969 after decades of setbacks, and was inaugurated on 18 May 1971. Scandinavium has been selected as a championship arena at least fifty t ...

Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...

in 1997. Sweden took three gold medals. Rosenlundsbadet in

Jönköping Jönköping (, ) is a Urban areas in Sweden, city in southern Sweden with 112,766 inhabitants (2022). Jönköping is situated on the southern shore of Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern, in the province of Småland. The city is the seat o ...

was venue for the

1977 European Aquatics Championships The 1977 European Aquatics Championships were held at the swimming complex Rosenlundsbadet in the southern Swedish city of Jönköping, from 14 August to 21 August. Besides swimming, there were titles contested in diving, the women's event of sy ...

. Both

Malmö Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...

and

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

has organized meets in the

FINA Swimming World Cup The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup (formerly known as the FINA Swimming World Cup) is an international series of swimming meets organized by World Aquatics (the international governing body formerly known as FINA). Launched in 1988, the Wor ...

National competitions

Swedish Swimming Championships

The Swedish Swimming Championships () are held annually in the Swedish summer in outdoor 50 m pool. The championships sometimes also works as trials for the

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, then part of the King ...

World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...

and

European Championships A European Championship is the top level international sports competition between European athletes or sports teams representing their respective countries or professional sports clubs. In the plural, the European Championships also refers t ...

. Swimmers representing Swedish swim teams may participate.

Swedish Short Course Swimming Championships

The Swedish Short Course Swimming Championships () are annually in late November in an indoor 25m pool. The championships sometimes also works as trials for the

and

European Short Course Swimming Championships The European Short Course Swimming Championships, variously referred to informally as the "Short Course Europeans" or "European 25m Championships", are a swimming meet, organized by LEN. The meet features swimmers from Europe, competing in event ...

. Swimmers representing Swedish swim teams may participate. Non-Swedish swimmers who have participated include

Anthony Ervin Anthony Lee Ervin (born May 26, 1981) is an American competition swimming (sport), swimmer who has won four Olympic medals and two World Championship golds. At the 2000 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle, and e ...

and Attila Czene.

Swedish Junior's Swimming Championships

The Swedish Junior's Swimming Championships () are held twice a year, in the summer in 50 m pool together with Swedish Championships and in early February in indoor 25m pool. In the long course championships the Swedish Junior Champion is decided from the prelims of the Swedish Championships. The swimmers competing in the Junior's Championships may also swim the semi-finals and finals of the Swedish Championships if they qualify. Swimmers in the age of 20 years and younger may compete. The short course championships has got the same event structure as the

Swedish Short Course Swimming Championships The Swedish Short Course Swimming Championships () are annually in late November in an indoor 25m pool. The championships sometimes also works as trials for the World Championships and European Short Course Swimming Championships. Swimmers repre ...

and swimmers who are 20 years and younger may compete.

Swedish Youth Swimming Championships

The Swedish Youth Swimming Championships () takes place two times a year, one in 50 m pool and one in 25m pool. The first time it was held was in

Gävle Gävle ( ; ) is a Urban areas in Sweden, city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 79,004 inhabitants in 2020, which makes it the List of cities in Sweden, 13th-most-populated city in Sweden. I ...

after an initiative by NN from the Swedish tabloid

Expressen (''The Express'') is one of two nationwide evening newspapers in Sweden. Describing itself as independent liberal, was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and its slogans are "it stings" or " to your rescue". The newspaper awards the cultu ...

. Ever since the Swedish Youth Championships has been the goal for all swimmers in the age group. At present time up to 16 years old, for the autumn championships and 17 for the summer championships. For the short course championships, held in the end of November each year, there are eight trial meets around Sweden where the 14-16 best results (depending on number of lanes in the final) in each event qualifies for the national final. The age groups are 11–12 years, 13–14 years and 15–16 years individually and 13 years and younger respectively 16 years and younger in relays. All events are swam in timed finals. For the long course championships, held in the summer each year, there are qualifying times for each event. The different age groups (since 2008 14 years and younger, 15 years/15 years and younger and 16–17 years) swim their prelims together in the morning session while the finals takes place in the evening age group per age group.

Swedish Open Water Swimming Championships

The Swedish Open Water Swimming Championships ( Swedish: ''Svenska Mästerskapen i Open Water, Långlopps-SM/JSM'') takes place in the

Vansbrosimningen Vansbrosimningen or Vansbrosimmet is an annual open water swimming competition held in July in Vansbro, Dalarna, Sweden since 1950. The distance is 3,000 m, first 2,000 m downstream in Vanån then 1,000 m upstream in Västerdal River Västerda ...

weekend. The distance is 5 km. The Swedish Junior's Open Water Swimming Championships is swum in the same heat as the senior championship and open for swimmers 20 years and younger.

Swedish Swimming Grand Prix series

The Swedish Swimming Grand Prix series () is a national swimming competition held each year in Sweden. The events take place in Long Course with morning finals as in the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

. The meets are open for swimmers competing outside Sweden.

International titles

Sweden has seven Olympic gold medalists;

Sarah Sjöström Sarah Fredrika Sjöström (; born 17 August 1993) is a Swedish competitive Swimming (sport), swimmer specialising in the sprint Freestyle swimming, freestyle and Butterfly stroke, butterfly events and one of the most decorated swimmers of all ti ...

(twice),

Arne Borg Claes Arne Borg (18 August 1901 – 7 November 1987) was a Swedish swimmer. He is best known for breaking 32 world records and winning five Olympic medals in the 1920s. In 1926 Borg won the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal, shared with Edvin Wi ...

Bengt Baron Bengt Baron (born 6 March 1962) is a business leader and former backstroke swimmer from Sweden. Baron won the 100 m backstroke at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and was a member of the bronze winning team from Sweden in the 4×100 m f ...

Håkan Malmrot Håkan Malmrot (29 November 1900 – 10 January 1987) was a Swedish breaststroke swimmer. He won two gold medals at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, in the 200 m and 400 m events, both times with Swedish Thor Henning as silver medalist. In 1 ...

(twice),

Pär Arvidsson Pär Arvidsson (born 27 February 1960 in Finspång) is a former butterfly swimmer and 1980 Olympic champion from Sweden who became a successful businessman and entrepreneur after receiving an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1985. 1980 Olympi ...

Lars Frölander Lars Arne Frölander (born 26 May 1974) is a Sweden, Swedish swimming (sport), swimmer. He has competed in six consecutive Olympic Games (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012). Biography Frölander was born in Boden, Sweden, Boden. He grew up i ...

and Gunnar Larsson (twice). Sweden has taken a total of 28 men's and 7 women's medals. Swedish swimmers have become world champions at the

World Aquatics Championships The World Aquatics Championships, formerly the FINA World Championships, are the World Championships for six aquatic disciplines: swimming, diving, high diving, open water swimming, artistic swimming, and water polo. The championships are st ...

five times;

, Gunnar Larsson,

Therese Alshammar Malin Therese Alshammar (born 26 August 1977) is a Sweden, Swedish Swimming (sport), swimmer who has won three Olympic medals, 25 World Championship medals, and 43 European Championship medals. She is a specialist in short distances races in fre ...

and the 1994 men's freestyle time consisting of

Christer Wallin Bengt Christer Wallin (born 17 June 1969) is a Swedish former freestyle swimming, freestyle swimming (sport), swimmer. He won the silver medal in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 1992 Summer Olympics together Tommy Werner, Anders Holmertz a ...

Tommy Werner Tommy Henrik Werner (born 31 March 1966) is a Swedish former freestyle swimmer. He won the silver medal in the men's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 1992 Summer Olympics together Christer Wallin, Anders Holmertz and Lars Frölander. He wa ...

and

Anders Holmertz Anders Holmertz (born 1 December 1968) is a Swedish retired swimmer who was a leader in freestyle (200 and 400 meters) races in the 1980s and at the beginning of the 1990s, though often missing personal success. He also settled a record in the 40 ...

. At the World Aquatics Championships, Sweden has taken 26 medals. At the World Short Course Swimming Championships, Sweden has taken 24 gold medals, 19 silver medals and 15 bronze medals.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swimming In Sweden