About Swimming

Swimming is one of the most popular sports in world–a life skill that is taught, first, to ensure safety and, secondly, for sports and competition purposes. Aquatics covers a great variety of swimming skills, from short sprints to longer events and relays. Swimming is for athletes of all abilities, from strong, fast competitors to swimmers who find it hard to swim at all.

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2026 Competition Options

Special Olympics Wisconsin Swimming offers divisions according to athlete ability, age and gender. Individual events are offered for all strokes. Special Olympics Wisconsin offers walking and flotation events for athletes of lower ability at district competitions.

Swimming will now be featured in the Spring Season, with competitions in March and April. Athletes may compete in more than one sport in the Spring Season, with some restrictions based on State Games scheduling conflicts. Athletes in swimming may also compete in 3v3 Basketball or Basketball Skills. Athletes in swimming may not compete in Team Basketball.

Events Offered

INDIVIDUAL RACES

• Freestyle: 25-meter, 50-meter, 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter
• Backstroke: 25-meter, 50-meter, 100-meter
• Breaststroke: 25-meter, 50-meter, 100-meter
• Butterfly: 25-meter, 50-meter, 100-meter
• 15-meter Unassisted Swim
• 15-meter Walk (non-advancing event)
• 15-meter Kickboard (non-advancing event)
• 25-meter Assisted Swim (non-advancing event)

RELAY RACES

• Freestyle Relay: 4×25-meter, 4×50-meter, 4×100-meter
• Medley Relay: 4×25-meter, 4×50-meter
• Individual Medley Relay: 100-meter

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Important Dates

• Medical Deadline: February 1

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2026 Regional Competition

2026 State Competition

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Rules & Forms

• 2025 SOWI Swimming Rules
• 2025 SOWI District/Regional Form
• 2024 Spring Games Registration Form
• Special Needs Form