Thoughts From a Distance Swimmer: A Beautiful and Inspiring Part of the Sport
In the fast-paced, highlight-driven world of sports, it’s no surprise that sprint events have become the crowd favorites. In swimming, the 50-meter races of each stroke have been added to the Olympic program, showcasing power, explosiveness, and drama packed into a matter of seconds. These races are easy to follow and exciting to watch, but somewhere along the way, our community has allowed that excitement to overshadow an equally vital and impressive piece of our sport: distance swimming.
Let’s be honest. To the average spectator, a 1500-meter freestyle might not seem as “thrilling” as a 50 free. It’s one heat. It takes upward of 17 minutes. The pace changes are subtle. The crowd energy is often muted. And yet, for those who truly understand swimming and for those who have trained, suffered, split, and finished a mile, distance races represent the purest form of discipline, strategy, and athletic resilience.
Distance swimmers are built differently. They endure not just the physical pain of training and racing, but also the mental grind of consistency. While sprinters focus on tenths and hundredths, distance athletes train for years to shave off mere seconds. They learn to manage pain, maintain pace, and execute perfectly under fatigue. Every stroke matters. Every turn counts. Every lap is a question: “Can I hold on just a little longer?”
Still, in recent months, there’s been a growing sentiment in some corners of the swim world that distance races are outdated; or worse, do not belong in the new age of swimming. There have been comments made to remove the distance events from the Olympic program and have distance swimmers purely focus on open water events. This perspective is not only unfair, but also dangerous. When we start undervaluing distance swimming, we risk losing one of the sport’s most inspiring disciplines.
Bobby Finke of United States of America celebrates after winning the gold medal in the swimming 1500m Freestyle Men Final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Defense Arena in Paris (France), August 04, 2024.
Take Katie Ledecky, for example. Her dominance in the 800 and 1500 free has not only brought attention to distance events, it has elevated the sport as a whole. Watching her race is witnessing the boundaries of human endurance being redefined. Many young swimmers look up to her and use her as motivation in their own athletic endeavors. And Robert Finke, known for his unforgettable come-from-behind wins at the Tokyo Olympics, breathed new life into the 800 and 1500 in the USA with his fearless closing speed and racing instincts. His now-iconic final 50s prove that distance races can be just as thrilling and dramatic as any sprint.
These moments should serve as reminders: distance swimming is far from boring, it’s brilliant. And it needs our support now more than ever.
The swimming community has always prided itself on unity. Whether you’re a 50 freestyler, a 200 flyer, or a miler, we all share the same lanes, community, early mornings, and goggles-on grit. That unity shouldn’t dissolve when it’s time for the distance events. If anything, it’s the moment we should come together more because cheering through 66 laps means backing the hard work we all understand.
So here’s a call to action for swimmers, coaches, parents, fans, and meet organizers alike:
Show up for the distance races.
Stay on deck. Watch the whole heat. Clap after each swimmer finishes, not just the winner. Talk about the splits, the strategies, the athletes who negative split a mile or powered through a rough first 400. Make distance swimming visible.
Encourage young swimmers to explore the challenge of distance.
It’s not just about physical ability. Distance teaches patience, self-awareness, mental toughness, and humility. It helps athletes understand their limits and push past them. Some of the greatest swimmers in history came from the distance ranks, and their legacies live on not just in medals, but in what they represent: toughness, grit, and grace.
Swimming is not just about the finish; it is about the journey. And no one embodies that more than a distance swimmer.In a world that glorifies quick wins and instant gratification, distance events remind us what it means to commit, to endure, and to finish strong. They teach us that greatness is not always loud, it is often quiet, measured, and miles deep.
Let’s stand together for the long haul. Just because more sprint events are being added, does not mean other disciplines need to suffer.
