Physique of female swimmers and divers from the 1976 Montreal Olympics

Appreciable differences in heights and adjusted weights were observed between women finalists and nonfinalists in four swimming and two diving events at Montreal in 1976. The finalists in swimming events were both taller (3.5 cm) and heavier (2.8 kg) than nonfinalists. Substantial differences were observed between the physical characteristics of finalists in swimming and diving events. The divers were older (2.9 years), shorter (6.7 cm), and lighter for their height (5 kg) than swimmers. Of the 60 medalists from ten swimming events at Munich and Montreal, only two (3%) had heights below the mean height for women (162 cm) in the United States, compared with three (25%) of 12 medalists in diving.