Tokyo Olympics: Know your swimming events, dates, fixtures

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will see the introduction of three new events.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will see the introduction of three new events.

Swimming at the Tokyo Olympics will see three new events. The sport has always garnered interest among the masses, and it’s a no-brainer that swimming enthusiasts will hook onto their screens for action at the Tokyo Aquatics Center from July 24 to August 1.

There were a total of 32 men’s and women’s swimming events in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Come July, the Tokyo Olympics will see 35 swimming events, with 800m freestyle (men), 1500m freestyle (women) and 4×100m medley relay (mixed) to be introduced for the very first time.

Men’s swimming was introduced in the Olympics in the very first edition itself in 1896. Female swimmers were allowed at the Olympics in 1912. In fact, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) was formed during the 1908 Games in London.

Things have changed a lot over the years in swimming, with new techniques making the sport more engaging to watch.

As many as seven world records were set during the finals at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games. It remains to be seen how many such records would be set in the Tokyo Olympics. On that note, let's have a look at the complete swimming schedule at the Tokyo Olympics.

July 24

Men’s 400m Individual Medley - Heats

Women’s 100m Butterfly - Heats

Men’s 400m Freestyle - Heats

Women’s 400m Individual Medley - Heats

Men’s 100m Breaststroke - Heats

Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay - Heats.

Brazilian marathon swimmer Ana Marcela Cunha receives the first dose of Pfizer vaccine ahead of Tokyo Olympics.
Brazilian marathon swimmer Ana Marcela Cunha receives the first dose of Pfizer vaccine ahead of Tokyo Olympics.

July 25

Women’s 100m Backstroke - Heats

Men’s 200m Freestyle - Heats

Women’s 100m Breaststroke - Heats

Men’s 100m Backstroke - Heats

Women’s 400m Freestyle - Heats

Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay - Heats

Men’s 400m Individual Medley final

Women’s 100m Butterfly semifinals

Men’s 400m Freestyle final

Women’s 400m Individual Medley final

Men’s 400m Freestyle victory ceremony

Men’s 100m Breaststroke semifinals

Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay final

Women’s 400m Individual Medley victory ceremony

Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay victory ceremony

Men’s 400m Individual Medley victory ceremony.

Adam Peaty of great Britain is one of the top medal prospects at Tokyo Olympics.
Adam Peaty of great Britain is one of the top medal prospects at Tokyo Olympics.

July 26

Women's 200m Freestyle - Heats

Men's 200m Butterfly - Heats

Women's 200m Individual Medley - Heats

Women's 1500m Freestyle - Heats

Women’s 100m Butterfly final

Men’s 200m Freestyle semifinals

Women’s 100m Breaststroke semifinals

Men’s 100m Breaststroke final

Women’s 400m Freestyle final

Men’s 100m Backstroke semifinals

Women’s 100m Backstroke semifinals

Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay final

Women’s 400m Freestyle victory ceremony

Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay victory ceremony

Women’s 100m Butterfly victory ceremony

Men’s 100m Breaststroke victory ceremony.

Australian swimmer Emma McKeon speaks during the Tokyo Olympics swimming uniform launch.
Australian swimmer Emma McKeon speaks during the Tokyo Olympics swimming uniform launch.

July 27

Men’s 100m Freestyle - Heats

Women’s 200m Butterfly - Heats

Men’s 200m Breaststroke - Heats

Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay - Heats

Men’s 800m Freestyle - Heats

Women’s 200m Freestyle semifinals

Men’s 200m Freestyle final

Women’s 100m Backstroke final

Men’s 100m Backstroke final

Women’s 100m Breaststroke final

Men’s 200m Butterfly semifinals

Women’s 200m Individual Medley semifinals

Women’s 100m Backstroke victory ceremony

Women’s 100m Breaststroke victory ceremony

Men’s 100m Backstroke victory ceremony

Men’s 200m Freestyle victory ceremony.

The USA swimmers are once again expected to dominate at Tokyo Olympics.
The USA swimmers are once again expected to dominate at Tokyo Olympics.

July 28

Women’s 100m Freestyle - Heats

Men’s 200m Backstroke - Heats

Women’s 200m Breaststroke - Heats

Men’s 200m Individual Medley - Heats

Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay - Heats

Men’s 100m Freestyle semifinals

Women’s 200m Freestyle final

Men’s 200m Butterfly final

Women’s 200m Butterfly semifinals

Men’s 200m Breaststroke semifinals

Women’s 200m Individual Medley final

Women’s 1500m Freestyle final

Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay final

Women’s 1500m Freestyle victory ceremony

Men’s 4 x 200m Freestyle victory ceremony

Women’s 200m Individual Medley victory ceremony

Men’s 200m Butterfly victory ceremony

Women’s 200m Freestyle victory ceremony.

World's most decorated swimmer Michael Phelps will be missed at the Tokyo Olympics.
World's most decorated swimmer Michael Phelps will be missed at the Tokyo Olympics.

July 29

Women’s 800m Freestyle - Heats

Men’s 100m Butterfly - Heats

Women’s 200m Backstroke - Heats

Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay - Heats

Men’s 800m Freestyle final

Men’s 200m Breaststroke final

Women’s 100m Freestyle semifinals

Men’s 200m Backstroke semifinals

Women’s 200m Butterfly final

Men’s 100m Freestyle final

Women’s 200m Breaststroke semifinals

Men’s 200m Individual Medley semifinals

Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final

Men’s 100m Freestyle victory ceremony

Women’s 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay victory ceremony

Men’s 800m Freestyle victory ceremony

Men’s 200m Breaststroke victory ceremony

Women’s 200m Butterfly victory ceremony.

Local favourite Kosuke Hagino will aim to increase his medals' tally at Tokyo Olympics.
Local favourite Kosuke Hagino will aim to increase his medals' tally at Tokyo Olympics.

July 30

Men’s 50m Freestyle - Heats

Women’s 50m Freestyle - Heats

Men’s 1500m Freestyle - Heats

Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay - Heats

Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay - Heat

Men’s 100m Butterfly semifinals

Women’s 200m Breaststroke final

Men’s 200m Backstroke final

Women’s 100m Freestyle final

Men’s 200m Individual Medley final

Women’s 200m Backstroke semifinals

Men’s 200m Backstroke victory ceremony

Women’s 100m Freestyle victory ceremony

Women’s 200m Breaststroke victory ceremony

Men’s 200m Individual Medley victory ceremony.

All eyes will be on home favourite Daiya Seto at Tokyo Olympics
All eyes will be on home favourite Daiya Seto at Tokyo Olympics

The last two days will see the semi-finals and finals of various swimming events at the Tokyo Olympics.

July 31

Men’s 100m Butterfly final

Women’s 200m Backstroke final

Women’s 800m Freestyle final

Men’s 50m Freestyle semifinals

Women’s 50m Freestyle semifinals

Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay final

Men’s 100m Butterfly victory ceremony

Women’s 200m Backstroke victory ceremony

Women's 800m Freestyle victory ceremony

Mixed 4 x 100m Medley Relay victory ceremony.

August 1

Men’s 50m Freestyle final

Women’s 50m Freestyle final

Men’s 1500m Freestyle final

Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay final

Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay final

Men’s 50m Freestyle victory ceremony

Women’s 50m Freestyle victory ceremony

Men’s 1500m Freestyle victory ceremony

Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay victory ceremony

Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay victory ceremony.

Quick Links