The Individual Medley is an event consisting of four different strokes. These are the butterfly, the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the freestyle, sequentially.
IM events challenge an athlete’s versatility in swimming, their endurance, and their level of skill. The standard long-course distances are 200 meters and 400 meters, with each stroke being swum the same distance. Shifting from one stroke to another—such as from butterfly to backstroke—requires precise timing and practice. Practice in all four strokes, learning to swim efficiently underwater, and pace practice prepare an athlete for the IM. Excellence in the IM indicates an athlete’s general skill and endurance.
