Olympic swimmers swim underwater to minimize drag and increase speed and efficiency.
Here's a breakdown of why this technique is so effective:
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Reduced Drag: Water resistance, or drag, significantly slows swimmers down. By staying underwater, swimmers can take advantage of the streamlined nature of being submerged and reduce the surface area exposed to the water, thus reducing drag.
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Faster Speeds: Underwater swimming often allows for faster speeds than swimming on the surface, particularly after a start or turn. The powerful push-off combined with a streamlined body position minimizes resistance, allowing swimmers to build momentum.
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Optimized Flip Turns: After flip turns, swimmers can stay submerged and use dolphin kicks (also known as butterfly kicks) to propel themselves forward. This underwater portion of the turn is often faster than the surface swimming that follows.
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Regulations: There are rules limiting how far a swimmer can stay underwater after the start and each turn. These rules are in place to ensure a balance between underwater efficiency and surface swimming performance. For example, in freestyle and backstroke, the limit is generally 15 meters.
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Swimsuit Technology: While not directly related to why they swim underwater, advanced swimsuit technology contributes to improved hydrodynamics, further enhancing the benefits of underwater swimming by reducing drag.
In summary, underwater swimming is a strategic technique Olympic swimmers use to gain a competitive edge by reducing drag, maximizing speed, and optimizing their starts and turns within the confines of the sport's regulations.
