| Trivia, Odd Facts, and Interesting Tidbits of Information About Swimming- The Olympic flame is a symbol carried over from the ancient Olympics, where a sacred flame burned at the altar of Zeus throughout competition. It was finally reintroduced at the 1924 Amsterdam Games. (Indianinfo)
- Sixteen-year old Rick Demont finished first in 1972 400-metre free style swimming event, but was disqualified for taking an asthma drug he didn't know was on the prohibited list. (Indianinfo)
- The motto of Pierre de Coubertin reads, "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well." (Indianinfo)
- J. Scott Leary of the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif., went 1:00.00 on July 18, 1905, to become the first man to swim one minute in the 100y freestyle. (USA Swimming)
- Gold medallist hopeful Felix Farrell swam in the 1960 U.S. Olympic Time Trials only six days after an appendectomy. Not fully recovered, he placed fourth in the 100-meter free. This finish was good enough to put him on the 800-meter and 400-meter freestyle relays in which he recovered sufficiently to anchor the U.S. teams to World Records in both events. (USA Swimming)
- In the 1904 Olympic Games, the first three places in the plunge-for-distance event went to members of the New York Athletic Club. The gold went to William Dickey with a plunge of 62’6”. (USA Swimming)
- Plunge for Distance was a short-lived Olympic event. Contestants began with a standing dive into a swimming pool where they remained motionless for 60 seconds or until they ran out of breath. The length of their dive was then measured. The event was introduced at the St Louis Games of 1904 and the gold medal went to William Dickey of the United States with a modest plunge of 19.05 metres. Americans filled all five placings. After that the event plunged deep into obscurity and was never held again. (ASI)
- The Olympic oath reads, "In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules that govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams." (Indianinfo)
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