The longest possible race to swim in at the 2024 Olympics is the 1500m events — and that is the highlight on Wednesday.
Katie Ledecky has proven herself to be the queen of long distance swimming. The American sensation is already the most decorated women's swimmer in international competition, and is looking to surpass Jenny Thompson's records for Olympic gold and total medals in the pools in Paris.
When it comes to most swim races, a majority of them come down to hundreds of seconds. That isn't necessarily the case in the 1500-meter events. Because those races are so long, sometimes the leaders can pull away from the rest of the pack.
Just ask Ledecky and her opponents.
When Katie Ledecky's in the pool for the 1500m free, it's a race for second place. 🤷♀️🇺🇸 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/PLvJD9MRz7
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 30, 2024
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With the women's 1500m freestyle set for today, how many laps are in the event? The Sporting News explains the distance that 1500 meters is in swimming.
How many laps is 1500 meters in swimming?
When it comes to an Olympic swimming pool, 1500 meters equals 30 laps.
That's the reason why Ledecky's world record is 15:20.48 seconds. It takes quite a bit of time before a 1500m race is complete, which makes Ledecky's dominance in the event even more impressive.
1500 meters to miles
In total, 1500 meters is about 0.93 miles — the closest race to a full mile in Olympic swimming. The 1500m freestyle serves as a true test of stamina and endurance for its participants.
A swimmer would have to swim about 1610 meters to swim a full mile. That's the equivalent of just over 32 laps in an Olympic swimming pool,
The Olympic record for the 1500m freestyle is 14:31.02 for men. On the women's side, it's 15:35.35 for women.
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Olympic swimming pool length
An Olympic swimming pool is 50 meters from end to end. That's about 164 feet. The shortest Olympic race is only 50 meters, or one lap.
Two laps is when a swimmer goes from one end of the pool to the other and back. That's the equivalent of 100 meters, or about 328 feet.
