Short Course 25m vs Long Course 50m: Why Do Records Differ by More Than 3 Seconds?

Introduction

Many swimming pools in Taiwan only have 25-meter lanes due to space constraints, making “short course” the primary training environment for many local athletes. However, top international events (including the Olympics) are held in 50-meter long course pools. Although the World Swimming Championships in 25m pool is also organized by World Aquatics, its status is slightly lower. Why are short course records generally faster than long course ones? How big is the difference? This article explains it all.

Record Comparison: Key Events as Examples

As shown in the table, the longer the distance and the higher the technical demands of the stroke, the greater the short course advantage.

The Scientific Reasons Behind the Short Course Advantage

1. More Turns

In a 200m event, the long course requires only 3 turns, while the short course requires 7 turns. Each turn includes “push-off + underwater dolphin kick,” and this phase is generally 20–30% faster than swimming on the surface. The more turns there are, the more high-efficiency propulsion segments athletes can utilize.

2. The Scientific Advantage of Underwater Dolphin Kicking

Top modern athletes can reach speeds of 2.2–2.5 m/s during the underwater dolphin kick phase (streamline kick-out), higher than the 1.9–2.1 m/s of surface swimming. The high frequency of turns in short course allows athletes to maintain this high-speed state for a greater proportion of time.

3. Differences in Surface Resistance

In long course, athletes are affected by waves and surface turbulence for longer periods. Especially when multiple lanes race simultaneously, surface disturbance in the middle section of a long course pool is significantly greater than in a short course pool.

Limitations of Short Course Events

Although short course records are faster, short course competitions do not receive the same level of public attention:

• Not used in the Olympics: All Olympic swimming events are held in long course, giving long course results greater public credibility
• High dependence on turns: Some believe short course results rely too heavily on turn technique and do not fully reflect an athlete’s swimming ability
• Different spectator experience: The high frequency of turns in 25m lanes provides a poorer visual experience for live audiences

World Aquatics manages records for the two pool types separately, and the official ranking system clearly labels “LCM (Long Course Metres)” and “SCM (Short Course Metres).”

Taiwan’s Short Course Ecosystem

Most community swimming pools in Taiwan are 25m short course, and the National Intercollegiate Athletic Games and some county/city championships are also held in short course. Therefore, Taiwanese youth athletes often build racing confidence in short course first, then move to long course to challenge higher stages.

It is worth noting: Athletes with good short course turn technique who lack sufficient aerobic base training when transitioning to long course often underperform expectations.

How to Use Short Course Effectively for Long Course Preparation

• Strengthen underwater dolphin kick quality: The high frequency of turns in short course training is an excellent opportunity to practice underwater dolphin kicks, but ensure each underwater phase after push-off reaches at least 10m
• Deliberately simulate long course pacing: In short course training, require yourself not to rely on turns but to maintain stroke rhythm, avoiding over-dependence on wall push-offs
• Mixed training cycles: It is recommended to train in long course for at least 3 months each year, especially before preparing for long course competitions

Practical Advice

• When checking the World Aquatics official website, be sure to distinguish between LCM and SCM categories when comparing results
• Events organized by swimming associations in Taiwan’s counties and cities usually indicate the pool specification; always confirm before registering
• If you compete in a 50m long course event after training in a 25m pool, expect your results to be 2–5% slower than short course—don’t be overly discouraged

Conclusion

Short course and long course each have their own training and competitive value; they are not opposites but complementary. Short course is the starting point for most Taiwanese swimmers. Making good use of the turn advantage in short course to build technical confidence, then using long course training to develop aerobic foundation, is the most complete development path.

Related Reading

• 25m Short Course vs 50m Long Course: What’s the Real Difference in Training Strategy?
• Technical Differences Between 50m Short Course and Long Course Swimming: Turn Ratio and Pacing Strategy
• Race Strategy Differences Between Short Course (25m) and Long Course (50m) Pools
• Training Differences Between 50m and 25m Pools in Taiwan: A Complete Guide to Workout Adjustments