Historic addition of 50m swimming events at LA 2028 Olympics is good news for Sjostrom and Peaty

World Aquatics announced today that 50 metres events are being officially included in the Olympic swimming programme for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

And in another landmark Olympic decision the women’s water polo tournament in LA 2028 will see the total number of teams raised from 10 to 12 – matching the number in men’s competition.

The 50m freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke will become part of the Olympic programme in three years’ time as the LA Games prepares to stage 41 medal events in swimming.

World Aquatics submitted its request for the inclusion of 50m events at LA 2028 in August last year and reported that the International Olympic Committee’s executive board “unanimously endorsed the proposal.”

European Aquatics President Antonio Silva commented: “European Aquatics welcomes the new opportunities that will be presented by this extension of the Olympic swimming programme.

“We look forward to welcoming this new competitive development and anticipate it will generate much additional excitement and interest in the sport.

“We offer our congratulations to all at World Aquatics – the President, the Executive Director and Bureau members – for bringing about this landmark achievement.”

World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam commented: “Today’s decision is a testament to the continued evolution of swimming at the Olympic Games.

“Including these six new events enhances the programme’s balance and adds more opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills on the world’s biggest stage.”

The decision could have big implications for two of Europe’s top performers in recent years – Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom and Britain’s Adam Peaty.

Sjostrom, 31, won the 50m and 100m freestyle titles at the Paris 2024 Olympics, eight years after winning the 100m butterfly at the Rio 2016 Games.

Asked by European Aquatics in February if she would be more likely to be competing over 50m than 100m in future, she responded: “100%”. Shortly afterwards she announced in Instagram that she was pregnant, but added”: My dream is to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics and make it to my sixth Olympic Games.”

Peaty, 30, who missed a third consecutive Olympic 100m breaststroke title by 0.02sec as he shared silver at the Paris 2024 Games, also claimed on social media that the possibility of competing over 50m at the Olympics – something that has long been possible at World and European Aquatics Championships – would encourage him to extend his career to a fourth Games in Los Angeles.

Earlier this month Craig Hunter, chair of the European Aquatics Technical Swimming Committee, looked ahead to the possible ramifications of the LA 2028 decision, telling European Aquatics:

“I think if World Aquatics is successful in securing the 50m events in backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly for the LA Games – and the rumours are that it will be – that will perhaps keep the likes of Adam Peaty in the sport.

“It’s tough for him to continue in the 100m breaststroke. But he has indicated in his social media that he may well carry on for the 50 in LA.

“And I’m thinking there might be certain others who feel they cannot keep up the same volume of training for the 100 and the relay but they certainly can maintain it for a 50. It’s those towards the end of their career.”

Hunter said that the decision might also have the effect of drawing more athletes into this year’s World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.

“We are going to see some great performances from Olympic champions who are continuing in the sport,” he said. “But also it is always great to see some new blood.”

Tonight he added: “These events are a good addition to the Olympic programme having featured in the European Aquatics Championships for many years.”

There is not yet any indication of whether the 26 athlete per gender roster limit is being increased, or if there will be more days added to the proposed nine-day meet to accommodate six more events.

The addition of these events will bring the overall aquatics count – including artistic swimming, water polo, diving, and open water swimming – to 55 medal events, more than any other Olympic sport.

Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe’s women’s 200m backstroke champion at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games, recently took over from Thomas Bach as IOC President.

Mike Rowbottom for European Aquatics

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