The 1996 Olympic swimming competition featured 762 athletes from 117 nations, set 4 world records, and debuted the women's 4×200m freestyle relay.
Key Facts
- Competitors
- 762 athletes
- Participating countries
- 117 countries
- World records set
- 4 records
- Olympic records set
- 13 records
- Venue
- Georgia Tech Aquatic Center
- Last Olympics with B-finals
- 1996 Atlanta Games
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Atlanta was selected as the host city for the 1996 Summer Olympics, the centennial Games, prompting the construction of the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center as the designated swimming venue. The facility was built with temporary features including a warm-up pool, a temporary roof, and open walls to accommodate large spectator seating during the competition.
Swimming events at the 1996 Summer Olympics took place at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta. A total of 762 competitors from 117 countries participated. Four world records and 13 Olympic records were broken across the events, and the women's 4×200 metre freestyle relay made its Olympic debut. These were also the last Olympic Games to feature swimming B-finals.
The competition marked a structural milestone in Olympic swimming by eliminating B-finals from future Games. The Georgia Tech Aquatic Center was later upgraded with permanent walls and a new roof. The debut of the women's 4×200m freestyle relay expanded gender equity in the Olympic swimming program, becoming a permanent fixture in subsequent Games.
Result
at Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Atlanta