![]() At the 1924 edition, athletes raced in the Piscine des Tourelles, which improved from the 1920 venue in that the racing course featured lane dividers. At those Games, the swimming races were contested in the River Seine, when currents helped swimmers post fast times. The Olympics returned to Paris 24 years after hosting the Games in 1900. The Stade Nautique d'Antwerp, like many venues from the 1920 Olympics, no longer exists. In the above photo, Duke Kahanamoku (lane 5) prepares to repeat as Olympic champion in the 100 freestyle. Athletes reportedly sprinted to warm showers immediately after their races. Antwerp's pool was enclosed by concrete, and, like the White City Stadium pool in 1908, the water temperature and quality made swimmers uncomfortable. The Stade Nautique d'Antwerp was the first official swimming venue created at the Olympic Games. The small country was awarded the eighth running of the modern Olympics when the International Olympic Committee revoked original host Hungary's bid, as Hungary was a German ally during World War I. The next Olympics, in 1912, did not continue with London's practice, choosing to hold swimming competitions held in Djurg?rdsbrunnsviken, a bay in Stockholm, Sweden. The headquarters of the BBC now sit in that place. The pool in the White City Stadium was removed immediately after the Olympics, and the stadium was demolished in 1985. ![]() (Photo courtesy International Olympic Committee) In the above photo, you can see that the spectator seating isn't completely used, which means that, unlike today, swimming did not fill the facility in 1908 as it does at today's Olympics. As such, the water was so cold and murky that competitors found swimming difficult. London's pool was enclosed by concrete, but this was in the days before chlorine and other chemicals were used to treat the water. Previously, swimming events were held in man-made lakes or natural bodies of water. This marked the first time swimming took place in an enclosed tank at the Olympics. Spectator capacity was 68,000, though standing-room only numbers inflated that to 97,000. The pool was built in the middle of the White City Stadium, where track and field events were also contested. Our retrospective starts with the 1908 Olympics in London, which featured the largest swimming venue in history. In this special five-part series, we will look back at the 22 venues created for swimming at the Olympics, the history behind their creation and what happened to the venues after the last splash. From its revolutionary wave-style roof to the 10-foot deep pool, the British have created a facility that has raised the bar for future Olympic venues. THE venue for the swimming competition at the 2012 Olympics, the London Aquatics Centre, is a marvel of construction. Full wall-to-wall coverage, including photo galleries, athlete interviews, recaps and columns are available at the Event Landing Page
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