Fact of the Day



Swimming

In antiquity, swimming flourished in Rome, Greece, and Japan. Greeks could fling an insult against a person by saying that he could neither run nor swim. During the middle ages (5-15th centuries), the skill became rare, partly because people associated prolonged immersion in water with contagious diseases. The breaststroke traces back to the 17th century. American Indians knew how to swim--much faster than the British. By 1837 competitive swimming took place in England. Swimming competitions gained popularity in America by the end of the 19th century. Widespread, systematic training in swimming took place during World War II in association with combat preparation.

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