Water is one of the important elements needed for the existence of life on our planet. With more than 75% of the Earth covered by water, it not only is home to aquatic life but also provides a sufficient supply of fresh water for sustaining life on land. Apart from being a significant contributor to sustaining life, water is a source of fun for animals and human beings alike. Swimming pools, water parks, and even still-water lakes are great for taking a dip on a hot day but also provide exercise and a way to replenish one’s body and mind.
Swimming has been a common activity among humans throughout civilization. Swimming dates back to ancient civilizations such as Egyptian and Mesopotamian, where evidence of people's breasts stroking in the water was documented in rock paintings. These paintings were dated to be over 10,000 years old and were found in a cave in southwest Egypt. It is called “Cave of Swimmers”, located near Wadi Sura.
Competitive swimming started in the 1830s and in 1896 was introduced as an Olympic sport in the Athens games.