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Swimming at the 1960 Summer Olympics

Dates 26 August – 3 September 1960
Medal Events 15

The Stadio Olimpico del Nuoto, or Olympic Swimming Stadium, was built in 1959 and used for the 1960 Olympic Games. It is still used as a swim venue, and was the host for the 1994 and 2009 World Championships.

The program was expanded again for both men and women. Men swam the same seven events as in 1956, with the addition of the 4x100 metre medley relay, while women swam the same six events as in 1956, also adding the medley relay.

The United States led both medal lists with 9 gold medals and 15 medals, closely followed by Australia, with 5 golds and 13 medals. Among the men, both Australia and the United States won 4 golds and 9 medals, but the US led the women’s lists with 5 golds and 6 medals.

The swimming star of the 1960 Olympics was American Chris von Saltza, who won three gold medals, in the 400 freestyle and both relays, adding a silver medal in the 100 metre freestyle. Australians Murray Rose, Dawn Fraser, and John Konrads all won three medals, with one gold each.

Events

Event Status Date Participants NOCs
100 metres Freestyle, Men Olympic 26 – 27 August 1960 51 34
400 metres Freestyle, Men Olympic 30 – 31 August 1960 40 25
1,500 metres Freestyle, Men Olympic 2 – 3 September 1960 30 19
4 x 200 metres Freestyle Relay, Men Olympic 29 August – 1 September 1960 67 15
100 metres Backstroke, Men Olympic 30 – 31 August 1960 37 27
200 metres Breaststroke, Men Olympic 26 – 30 August 1960 42 30
200 metres Butterfly, Men Olympic 31 August – 2 September 1960 34 23
4 x 100 metres Medley Relay, Men Olympic 27 August – 1 September 1960 80 18
100 metres Freestyle, Women Olympic 26 – 29 August 1960 32 19
400 metres Freestyle, Women Olympic 31 August – 1 September 1960 22 13
4 x 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women Olympic 2 – 3 September 1960 55 12
100 metres Backstroke, Women Olympic 1 – 3 September 1960 30 19
200 metres Breaststroke, Women Olympic 26 – 27 August 1960 29 19
100 metres Butterfly, Women Olympic 29 – 30 August 1960 25 16
4 x 100 metres Medley Relay, Women Olympic 30 August – 2 September 1960 56 12
380 (236/144) 45 (42/26)

Medals

Event Gold Silver Bronze
100 metres Freestyle, Men John DevittAUS Lance LarsonUSA Manuel dos SantosBRA
400 metres Freestyle, Men Murray RoseAUS Tsuyoshi YamanakaJPN John KonradsAUS
1,500 metres Freestyle, Men John KonradsAUS Murray RoseAUS George BreenUSA
4 × 200 metres Freestyle Relay, Men United StatesUSA JapanJPN AustraliaAUS
100 metres Backstroke, Men David TheileAUS Frank McKinneyUSA Bob BennettUSA
200 metres Breaststroke, Men Bill MullikenUSA Yoshihiko OsakiJPN Wieger MensonidesNED
200 metres Butterfly, Men Mike TroyUSA Neville HayesAUS Dave GillandersUSA
4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men United StatesUSA AustraliaAUS JapanJPN
100 metres Freestyle, Women Dawn FraserAUS Chris von SaltzaUSA Natalie StewardGBR
400 metres Freestyle, Women Chris von SaltzaUSA Jane CederqvistSWE Tineke LagerbergNED
4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women United StatesUSA AustraliaAUS Unified Team of GermanyGER
100 metres Backstroke, Women Lynn BurkeUSA Natalie StewardGBR Satoko TanakaJPN
200 metres Breaststroke, Women Anita LonsbroughGBR Wiltrud UrselmannGER Barbara GöbelGER
100 metres Butterfly, Women Carolyn SchulerUSA Marianne HeemskerkNED Jan AndrewAUS
4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women United StatesUSA AustraliaAUS Unified Team of GermanyGER

Medal table

NOC Gold Silver Bronze Total
United States USA 9 3 3 15
Australia AUS 5 5 3 13
Great Britain GBR 1 1 1 3
Japan JPN 0 3 2 5
Germany GER 0 1 3 4
Netherlands NED 0 1 2 3
Sweden SWE 0 1 0 1
Brazil BRA 0 0 1 1