When you are on olympic swimmer do you have to be able to dive?

Question

I wannabe an olympic swimmer in 2012 but do you have to be a good diver?....x

Answer 1

not if you do the backstroke, but u should learn to dive start by sitting on the edge of the pool. Arms up head down and just fall in, then start slightly standing try not to belly flop. the harder you push off the cleaner your dive.

Answer 2

Well yeah. All you have to do is fly into the water head first when you swim.

Answer 3

yer you do, because you will never win anything starting in the pool  

Answer 4

You have to be able to successfully dive off the blocks. The momentum and speed you get from diving in is so great, you would have no chance with out it. That's why swimmers always seem to go faster on their first lap of long distance; it's from the dive. However, you don't have to dive in for backstroke, you actually start in the water.

Answer 5

diving which you do at the beginning of every race is SOOOOO important it could either win or lose the race for you already if you have a terrible or great start

there is room for combacks but much more professional to start great

Answer 6

Do you mean off a platform, diving board, or just diving blocks???? Well, if you can't dive off of blocks, you have no hope, end of story. If you mean like off of a diving BOARD then you may have a chance. If you are a good enough swimmer to go to the olympics, you shouldn't even be asking this question.  

Answer 7

Yes as all races apart from backcrawl start on the diving blocks

Answer 8

yes

you will need to dive off a diving board

unless you are swimming backstroke

Answer 9

Errrrm.....yes!

How do you expect to get of the starting block?

Answer 10

yes...the dive at the start is very important...but if you can't dive so well...don't worry - practice makes perfect!!   how exciting for you - maybe we will see you on tv in the future honey - good luck & don't give up!