Swimming is pretty popular in Sweden. The Swedish Swimming Federation has about 300 member clubs and about 12,000 licensed swimmers.
History
The history of modern swimming in Sweden starts in Uppsala, where professors from the Uppsala University start swimming education and grading for men. The first Swedish swim club, Upsala SS, was founded in 1796. The second oldest swim club, Linköpings ASS, was founded in another university city in 1824. Upsala SS allowed educational swimming for women in 1880 and began competitive swimming in 1910. The Swedish Swimming Federation was founded in 1904, but the first Swedish Swimming Championships was held in 1899. The Swedish Swimming Federation was one of the federations that founded FINA during the 1908 Summer Olympics.
The Swedish Swimming Championships are held annually in the Swedish summer in outdoor 50 m pool. The championships sometimes also works as trials for the Summer Olympics, World Championships and European Championships. Swimmers representing Swedish swim teams may participate.
The Swedish Short Course Swimming Championships are annually in late November in an indoor 25m pool. The championships sometimes also works as trials for the World Championships and European Short Course Swimming Championships. Swimmers representing Swedish swim teams may participate. Non-Swedish swimmers who have participated include Anthony Ervin and Attila Czene.
Swedish Junior's Swimming Championships
The Swedish Junior's Swimming Championships are held twice a year, in the summer in 50 m pool together with Swedish Championships and in early February in indoor 25m pool. In the long course championships the Swedish Junior Champion is decided from the prelims of the Swedish Championships. The swimmers competing in the Junior's Championships may also swim the semi-finals and finals of the Swedish Championships if they qualify. Swimmers in the age of 20 years and younger may compete. The short course championships has got the same event structure as the Swedish Short Course Swimming Championships and swimmers who are 20 years and younger may compete.
Swedish Youth Swimming Championships
The Swedish Youth Swimming Championships takes place two times a year, one in 50 m pool and one in 25m pool. The first time it was held was in Gävle in xxxx after an initiative by NN from the Swedish tabloidExpressen. Ever since the Swedish Youth Championships has been the goal for all swimmers in the age group. At present time up to 16 years old, for the autumn championships and 17 for the summer championships. For the short course championships, held in the end of November each year, there are eight trial meets around Sweden where the 14-16 best results in each event qualifies for the national final. The age groups are 11–12 years, 13–14 years and 15–16 years individually and 13 years and younger respectively 16 years and younger in relays. All events are swam in timed finals. For the long course championships, held in the summer each year, there are qualifying times for each event. The different age groups swim their prelims together in the morning session while the finals takes place in the evening age group per age group.
The Swedish Open Water Swimming Championships takes place in the Vansbrosimningen weekend. The distance is 5 km. The Swedish Junior's Open Water Swimming Championships is swum in the same heat as the senior championship and open for swimmers 20 years and younger.
The Swedish Swimming Grand Prix series is a national swimming competition held each year in Sweden. The events take place in Long Course with morning finals as in the 2008 Summer Olympics. The meets are open for swimmers competing outside Sweden.
