An Olympic gold medal in the 1,500-meter freestyle is the pinnacle of success for distance swimmers.
The event is sometimes referred to as “the mile race” among swimmers since it is the longest distance swimmers cover in a competitive pool. It’s really crazy, right?
For the first time in Olympic history, women will fight for a medal in the 1,500-meter event. Eight women.
Including Team USA’s Katie Ledecky and Erica Sullivan, have qualified for the final round of competition in Tokyo.
After finishing in a preliminary heat in a time of 15 minutes, 35.35 seconds, Ledecky will enter the finals as the top seed in lane four.
This time is incredible, but it is still 15 seconds slower than her own world record. A mile-long swim may seem like a breeze to these competitors.
But it will be quite the spectacle for the viewers at home. Perhaps you’re curious as to how many laps of the pool 1,500 metres represents.
The Typical Number of Laps Swimmers Take in a 1,500-Meter Event
Assuming a standard Olympic pool is 50 metres in length, a mile swim would need 30 laps. I’ve swum in a long-distance competition before, and trust me when I say this is no sprint.
After the first 50 metres, you’ll have plenty of time to do things like use the restroom, grab a snack or a glass of wine.
Let the dog out, and maybe even put the laundry in the drier, and still be back in time for the final 100. Even Ledecky will need approximately 15 minutes to finish the race.
Swimming Events
There were a total of 35 swimming events at the Tokyo Games in 2020, including 17 events for men and women and a mixed 4 x 100-meter medley relay.
The men’s 800-meter run and women’s 1,500-meter run will both debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games. This will bring the number of events open to both sexes to parity.
The men’s and women’s 10 km open-water swimming marathon is the other swimming event at the Olympics.
freestyle: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m
backstroke: 100m and 200m
breaststroke: 100m and 200m
butterfly: 100m and 200m
medley: 200m and 400m
freestyle relay: 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m
medley relay: 4 x 100m (men, women, mixed)
open water: 10km
Conclusion
One of the most watched events at the Olympics is swimming. It’s been a staple of the Summer Olympics since 1896.
And one of only five sports to be played at every single one. Some of the others are athletics, cycling, fencing, and gymnastics.
On July 30 and August 1, 2021, in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the men’s 1500-meter freestyle competition took place at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
This will be the twenty-seventh time that this event has been featured in every edition since 1904.
