| The dimensions of an Olympic size swimming pool | | | | that the athletes are swimming across the 25 |
| should be consistent whether that pool is at the | | | | meter side instead of the 50 meter length. While |
| 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, at the 2012 | | | | this method of training is less than ideal for |
| Olympic Games in London, England, or at an | | | | working on timing it does allow more people to |
| Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs, | | | | swim at the same time when resources and pool |
| Colorado in the United States of America. While | | | | space are limited. |
| personal home pool sizes fluctuate tremendously | | | | In tournaments the width of each lane is 2.5 |
| with some being very large while others are very | | | | meters. For readers not very familiar with the |
| small the Olympic size has become the standard | | | | metric system 2.5 meters is the equivalent of 8 |
| in uniform dimensions for competitive swimmers. | | | | feet and 2 inches. A swimming lane of over eight |
| In terms of length the distance is a nice even 50 | | | | feet should be sufficiently large enough for a |
| meters from one end to the other. Meters are a | | | | swimmer of any size regardless of wingspan and |
| metric unit of measurement and in the US | | | | stroke (the butterfly stroke for example requires |
| customary system of measuring this equates to | | | | more room than the backstroke). |
| 164 feet. When an athlete swims a lap he or she | | | | The depth of an Olympic size swimming pool is 6 |
| swims from one end to the other and then back | | | | meters (6 feet and 7 inches). Many people |
| to the original starting point. Essentially swimming | | | | wrongly assume that these pools are 10 feet |
| one lap is the equivalent of two trips across the | | | | deep. Perhaps the shallow depth is an attempt to |
| pool which equals 100 meters (50 meters plus 50 | | | | save water. |
| meters). Swimming one lap is equal to 10% of a | | | | Interestingly, there is even a standard |
| kilometer or 6.2% of a mile in the US customary | | | | temperature that goes along with the other more |
| system. | | | | conventionally thought of dimensions. In an effort |
| The width is 25 meters (82 feet). The basic | | | | to keep the competitive field as level as possible a |
| dimensions of these pools are easy to remember | | | | water temperature range has been implemented |
| because the length is an even 50 meters and the | | | | to prevent home pool advantages resulting in |
| width is simply half of that figure. Normally there | | | | training in exceptionally cold or warm water. The |
| are eight lanes. At some swimming pools for | | | | regulated temperature spectrum is between 25 |
| training purposes the normal eight lanes will be | | | | degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius. Those |
| increased (often doubled to sixteen) by shifting | | | | temps equate to between 77 degrees and 82 |
| the manner in which swimmers use the pool so | | | | degrees on the Fahrenheit scale. |