A 100-metre pool was built for the 1908 Olympics and was located in the centre of the main stadium's track and field oval.

Male swimmers wore full body swimsuits up until the 1940s, which caused more drag in the water than their modern swim-wear counterparts.

Some design considerations allow for the reduction of swimming resistance making the pool faster, namely, proper pool depth, elimination of waves, elimination of currents, increased lane width, energy absorbing racing lane lines and gutters, and the use of other innovative hydraulic, acoustic, illumination, and swimwear designs.

In the freestyle, swimmers originally dove from the pool walls, but diving blocks were first incorporated at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Starting in 2008, both men and women compete in 10 km open water marathon swim events.