History of Swimming in the world and in Hungary

A) The sport itself There are two historical periods in swimming. The first goes since prehistory to 1844, date which signs the beginning of the second period that interest us. Why 1844? Because in 1844, begins the first international championship of swimming in London. During this competion, American Indians won the races with a sort of « crawl » unknowed of English who swam the breaststroke. This way of swimming, faster than the breaststroke, considered like totally un-European by English gentlemen, is prefered in England only in 1873 when Trugden exports the crawl from South America. In 1896, the first Olympics takes place in Athens where the Hungarian Alfred Hajós wins the 100 and 1500 metres. In 1908 is founded the FINA (International Swimming Federation) by eight states: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great-Britain, Hungary and Sweden to organize international competitions.

B) Swimming in Hungary

First, swimming in Hungary is such important because of a real water culture with particularly bath culture. Indeed, Romans in Antiquity. had noticed the health benefits of hot springs here but it was during the 16th and 17th century that the bath culture was developed with Turkish occupation. Some of these spas are still in operation today: the Király , the Rudas and the Rácz are the finest examples. Thanks to this water culture, Hungary has developed a swimming culture who has showed its prooves with its enthusiast to participate to the foundation of the FINA and to organize international competitions. By example the LEN ( European Swimming League) was founded in 1926 in Budapest. And Budapest is the state who has received the more of european competitions with four championships: in 1926, 1958, 2006 and