Most people probably swim (assuming they can swim at all) at a pace of about half a mile (0.8 km) an hour. This is because they take it as gentle exercise, often an excuse for a bit of a chat with mates. There's nothing wrong with that.
The sort of more determined amateur swimmers who hunker their heads down, don't talk or take a break, and try to go a mile in every session are probably swimming 1.2-2 miles per hour.
Top atheletes go much faster. Men can expect to do 50m in under 25 seconds (a speed of just over 4mph), women can often do 50m in under 30 seconds (just under 4mph). Shockingly, the top swimmers aren't much slower over 1500 metres (the British record is 14 min. 32 seconds, again, just over 4mph).
Swimming in the open sea is harder ( rather than a nice safe swimming pool with walls to push off from). The English Channel (about 22 miles) takes about 11 hours for the elite to swim, so a speed of roughly 2 mph.
The sort of more determined amateur swimmers who hunker their heads down, don't talk or take a break, and try to go a mile in every session are probably swimming 1.2-2 miles per hour.
Top atheletes go much faster. Men can expect to do 50m in under 25 seconds (a speed of just over 4mph), women can often do 50m in under 30 seconds (just under 4mph). Shockingly, the top swimmers aren't much slower over 1500 metres (the British record is 14 min. 32 seconds, again, just over 4mph).
Swimming in the open sea is harder ( rather than a nice safe swimming pool with walls to push off from). The English Channel (about 22 miles) takes about 11 hours for the elite to swim, so a speed of roughly 2 mph.
