eli5 Why are there multiple swimming techniques in sports?

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I guess this applies to many different sports but it seems even more obvious in swimming. Why bother with imposing styles or technique if the only goal is to go as fast as possible?

Like with the high jump. The way people do it now is more efficient than the way they did it a hundred years ago so athletes adapted, they didn’t create categories to keep the older technique relevant. What am I missing?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Apparently there is enough spectator interest. They get more events for the sport. More money, power etc. for the sport.

Fastest swimming technique is the dolphin kick under water. That’s why they have set limit how far you can stay immersed after a start/turn.

Olympic high jump and long jump used to have no-run-up events, but they feigned in popularity and were dropped. High jump probably isn’t popular enough to have two styles of competition. Field events are already the less popular half under the Track & Field umbrella.

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