IOC add three events to Olympic swimming programme for Tokyo 2020

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has added three events to the Olympic pool swimming schedule for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

As well as the 32 events contested at Rio 2016, competitions will be held for mixed 4x100m Medley Relay, men’s 800m Freestyle and women’s 1500m Freestyle at the next Olympics in Japan.

The change brings parity between the sexes for Olympic swimming.

A men’s 1500m Freestyle event has been contested for more than a century. A women’s 800m Freestyle was introduced at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

The Olympic events for #Tokyo2020 have been finalised! 33 sports and 339 events. The countdown continues!https://t.co/1UuITLaMbYpic.twitter.com/vvWSZ4UTUv

— Tokyo 2020 (@Tokyo2020) June 9, 2017

Men’s 800m and women’s 1500m Freestyle have been held at FINA World Championships since 2001. Meanwhile, mixed 4x100m Freestyle and 4x100m Medley relays were contested for the first time at the 2015 Worlds in Kazan.

Great Britain’s Adam Peaty, Fran Halsall, Chris Walker-Hebborn and Siobhan-Marie O’Connor set the existing world record of 3:41.71 to win gold in Russia.

A welcome move

British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes supported the announcement in a statement on the British Swimming website.

“The addition of these new events to the Olympic programme is a welcome move,” said Sparkes. “It’s a move we will support and encourage our athletes to prepare for.”

Swimming at the Olympic Games

• Click here to read more about the history of swimming at the Olympic Games.