Water Temperature
FINA Rules for Water Temperature
For swimming in both standard competition and the Olympics, FINA mandates a water temperature of between 25 to 28 degrees C, or between 77 and 82 degrees F.
For water polo in both standard competition and the Olympics, FINA mandates 26 degrees C, or 79 degrees F, plus or minus one degree.
For synchronized swimming in both standard competition and the Olympics, the FINA regulation temperature is 27 degrees C, or 81 degrees F, plus or minus one degree.
Finally, for diving in both standard competition and the Olympics, the FINA regulation temperature is not less than 26 degrees C, or 79 degrees F.
This information was discovered on the LiveStrong.com website
Temperature of Water in General for Swimming
When swimming the temperature of the water that you are swimming in can make a difference to the enjoyment of the swim.
Swimming water temperature
From my experience I used to swim in an outdoor pool many years ago. The temperature of the water was always written on a board so every day you knew the temperature would be cool or not so bad. We lived close by the mountains and it was capable of getting very cold.
I knew that if the temperature was down at 19.5 degrees celsius (67.1 degrees fahrenheit) it was going to be cold and I would struggle to swim for long because of the cold.
One day the temperature was only 19 degrees C (66.2 degrees F) and after swimming a few lengths it felt as though my head was going to split open with the cold water conditions. So I got out of the pool and that was the last time that I ever swam in such cold water.
In more recent times I have heard of people swimming in lower temperatures than that in the open water and have wondered how on earth they can do so. Give me a tropical pool please!
Enjoy your swimming…