---
id: kb-2026-00450
title: Swimming Strokes
schema_type: TechArticle
category: sports
language: en
confidence: high
last_verified: '2026-06-02'
created_date: '2026-05-22'
generation_method: ai_assisted
ai_models:
  - claude-opus
derived_from_human_seed: true
conflict_of_interest: none_declared
is_live_document: false
data_period: static
atomic_facts:
  - id: fact-sports-001
    statement: 'World Aquatics publishes swimming rules with separate rule sections for freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and medley swimming.'
    source_title: Swimming Rules
    source_url: https://www.worldaquatics.com/swimming/rules
  - id: fact-sports-002
    statement: 'World Aquatics swimming rules define medley events separately from the individual stroke rules.'
    source_title: Swimming Rules
    source_url: https://www.worldaquatics.com/swimming/rules
  - id: fact-sports-003
    statement: 'World Aquatics swimming rules cover starts, turns, and stroke-specific requirements for competitive swimming.'
    source_title: Swimming Rules
    source_url: https://www.worldaquatics.com/swimming/rules
completeness: 0.88
known_gaps:
  - Technique coaching details vary by level and should be checked against current coaching materials.
disputed_statements: []
primary_sources:
  - title: Swimming Rules
    type: rulebook
    year: 2026
    url: https://www.worldaquatics.com/swimming/rules
    institution: World Aquatics
secondary_sources: []
---

## TL;DR

Competitive swimming is organized around stroke rules, medley rules, starts, turns, and event formats. The core pool strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly, with medley events combining the stroke set under World Aquatics rules.

## Core Explanation

World Aquatics publishes the formal rulebook for competitive swimming. Technique summaries are useful for general learning, but formal answers about legality, starts, turns, and medley order should cite the governing rules.

## Further Reading

- [World Aquatics Swimming Rules](https://www.worldaquatics.com/swimming/rules)

## Related Articles

- [Swimming Science: Hydrodynamics, Stroke Mechanics, and Drag Reduction](../swimming-science-hydrodynamics-stroke-mechanics-and-drag-reduction.md)
- [Swimming Training and Stroke Techniques](../swimming-training.md)