How many laps is a mile in swimming?

The sport of swimming has a lot of confusing terms, including the mile swim. While a mile technically equals 5280 feet, 1760 yards, or 1609.3 meters, the length can vary in swimming according to various factors.

During competitive swimming, swimmers actually swim 1500 meters or 1650 yards. This standard for competitive swimming was first introduced in the 1908 Olympics in London, England, which used a swimming pool (100 meters) for the first time.

Definition of mile in swimming

The definition of a mile differs according to the type of swimming.

Open water swimmer:

According to an open water swimmer, a mile is a mile, i.e. 1760 yards or 1609.3 meters.

Pool swimmer:

For training, pool swimmers and the coaches think of a mile as 1650 meters (a mile is technically 1609.3 meters).

During the competitive period, swimmers and the coaches think of a mile as 1650 yards (which is 110 yards short of a mile).

How many laps make a mile?

A general view of the swimming pool at the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi

The number of laps required to cover a mile differs according to the length of the pool. The standard lengths of pools are 50 meters, 25 meters, and 25 yards.

50-meter pool:

The 50-meter pool is the most common type of pool, also known as the "Olympic" pool, as it is used in Olympic competitions. To cover a true mile, a swimmer has to complete 32.2 laps.

To cover a swimmer's lap (in metric miles), i.e. 1500 meters, which is usually used for indoor competitive races, a mile is equal to 30 laps.

25-meter pool:

A true mile is equal to 64.4 laps, while a competitive swimmer's mile (1500 meters) is equal to 60 laps. A 25-meter long pool is usually used for conducting short course swimming competitions.

25-yard pool:

In a 25-yard pool, a true mile is equal to 70.4 laps and a swimmer's mile is 66 laps.

30-meter pool:

The 30-meter pool is usually found in Europe and countries other than the United States of America. A swimmer's mile consists of 50 laps while a true mile is 53.6 laps.

20-yard pool:

The 20-yard pool is very common in the United States and a swimmer's mile consists of 82 laps.