Swimming at the 1924 Summer Olympics

The 1924 Olympic swimming programme took place at the Piscine des Tourelles (or the Tourelles Swimming Pool), in Saint-Mandé. As of 2024, it still exists, but was renovated in 1989, and is now known as Piscine Georges Vallerey.

The 1924 Olympic Programme consisted of 11 swimming events, six for men and five for women. The men’s programme was unchanged from 1920, with the same six events. The women added two events – the 200 metre breaststroke and the 100 metre backstroke. In addition, the women’s longer freestyle event was changed from 300 metres, which was the distance in 1920, to 400 metres.

The United States dominated the competition for both genders, winning nine of 11 gold medals and 19 of the 33 available medals. Among the men, the Americans won five golds and nine medals, while the women won four golds and 10 medals.

The swimming star of the 1924 Olympics was the United States’ Johnny Weissmuller, who won gold medals in the 100 freestyle, 400 freestyle, and the 4×200 relay. He also added a bronze medal in water polo. Three swimmers won three medals – Australian Boy Charlton, American Trudy Ederle, and Sweden’s Arne Borg –, while American Ethel Lackie was the only other swimmer, besides Weissmuller, to win two gold medals.