Swimming
![Photograph of a swimming athlete.](/en/main-info/sports/images/img_15Swimming_large-960w.webp)
Overview
- The swimming category for Deaflympics consists only of swimming races.
- Athletes compete on the time it takes them to cover a certain distance using a designated stroke (freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke).
Features as deaf sport
Same international regulations as hearing sport are applied to deaf sport.
The difference lies in how athletes are informed of the start of the competition. Since this cannot be done by sound, a light is used to provide visual signals.
The starting light uses different colours to signal the athletes: white means “get on the platform”, red means “take your mark,” and blue means “start”.
Competitions that do not have the starting light system may appoint starters to make gestures and give signals (light signals) to indicate the above.
At the TOKYO 2025 DEAFLYMPICS, we consider ways to ensure athlete to be concentrated on competition.
![Photograph of a Backstroke swimmer starting on cue.](/en/main-info/sports/swimming/images/img01-386w.webp)
Event
24th Summer Deaflympics (2022, CAXIAS DO SUL)
Men, Women
50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley, 4x200m freestyle relay
Men, Women, Mixed
4x100m freestyle relay, 4x100m medley relay