With the World Aquatics Championships taking place this year between 10th July and 3rd August 2025, we thought it would be interesting to look at the variety of events held for competitors. The six categories of event are Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Artistic Swimming, Diving, High Diving and Water Polo.
This week’s post will delve into some of the rules and the aim of each event, so you can understand them a little better.
Swimming
What is it: Swimming is a core aquatic sport featuring races across a variety of strokes.
Events: Freestyle (front crawl), backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly; and distances ranging from short sprints to long-distance events. Competitions take place in 50-metre pools and events include individual and relay formats. Swimmers aim to complete their course in the shortest possible time.
Rules: Swimmers must start within designated lanes, execute proper turns and finishes by touching the wall, and use legal stroke techniques according to the event. False starts result in disqualification; in breaststroke and butterfly, swimmers must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously at the turn and the finish.
Judging criteria: Whoever finishes first wins. In team or international competitions, placements contribute to overall point tallies for a country’s performance.
Open Water Swimming
What is it: Open Water Swimming is a long-distance event held in natural environments such as lakes, rivers or oceans.
Events: 5km, 10km and 25km races for men and women.
Rules: Swimmers follow marked courses and must avoid obstruction or unsportsmanlike contact. Feeding stations are allowed during longer events. Conditions like currents and temperature add unique challenges.
Judging criteria: Whoever finishes first wins.
Artistic Swimming
What is it: Artistic Swimming (formerly known as Synchronised Swimming) blends dance, gymnastics and swimming into a performance. Athletes perform coordinated routines to music, showcasing strength, control and artistic flair.
Events: Solo, duet, team and mixed duet categories. Competitions feature two types of routines: technical, which includes required elements performed in sequence; and free, allowing creativity and expressive storytelling, lasting between 2 to 5 minutes.
Rules: Swimmers must not touch the pool bottom and lifts must be done entirely from the water. Facial expressions, musical interpretation and precise timing are crucial. Costumes must be appropriate and consistent and teams use underwater speakers to hear music while submerged.
Judging criteria: Artistic impression (choreography, musicality and expression); execution (technique and synchronisation); and difficulty (complexity of movements and transitions).
Diving
What is it: Diving is a precision sport in which athletes perform acrobatic movements while jumping from springboards or platforms into the water.
Events: Springboard (1m and 3m), Platform (10m), and Synchronised Diving. Competitions include individual and team formats, featuring both men’s and women’s events.
Rules: Divers must execute specific positions (tuck, pike, straight), avoid excessive splash on entry, and follow a prescribed list of dives with varying degrees of difficulty. Synchronised pairs must coordinate timing and technique. Failed dives (e.g. landing flat or with poor form) incur deductions or disqualification.
Judging criteria: Take-off, flight, form and entry.
High Diving
What is it: Athletes jump from heights, performing flips, twists and aerial manoeuvres, before plunging into the water below. Competitions are held in outdoor settings, often with platforms built on cliffs or towers.
Events: 27 metres for men, 20 metres for women.
Rules: Divers must enter the water feet-first to reduce the risk of injury.
Judging criteria: Execution and complexity.
Water Polo
What is it: Water polo is a fast-paced and physically demanding team sport. It is played in deep water and combines swimming, strategy and ball-handling skills. Each team consists of seven players (six field players and one goalkeeper); the aim is to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team’s net. Matches are divided into four quarters and the team with the most goals at the end wins.
Rules: Players tread water using the eggbeater kick and cannot touch the pool floor. The game emphasises continuous movement, quick passes and tactical positioning. Important rules include a 30-second shot clock, exclusions for major fouls (resulting in temporary removal of a player), and free throws for minor infractions. Physical contact is common but must remain within legal limits.
Judging criteria: One point per goal.
Got ambitions of competing in the World Aquatics Championships one day? Here at Mighty Splash, we can teach you the best swimming techniques to increase your confidence and abilities! Click here to find out more about the lessons we offer!
