page_title: Plunge for distance
section_title: Variations
hierarchical_section_title: Plunge for distance / Variations
caption_attribution_description: English: Picture of a swimmer plunging feet first (the plunge for distance was a competitive swimming event in the 19th and early 20th century
context_page_description: The plunge for distance is a diving event that enjoyed its greatest popularity in the 19th and early part of the 20th century, even being included as an official event in the 1904 Summer Olympics. By the 1920s, it began to lose its popularity and slowly disappeared from U.S. and English swim competitions.
context_section_description: In shorter pools, a variation of the event was based on how fast the contestant traveled the length of the pool.  For example, in 1927, it was reported that R.E. Howell had set a new world's record in a 60-foot tank, going "the length of the pool in 0:14 2-5."  Competitions were also reported at 75-foot lengths.
  An 1893 English book on swimming also notes the existence of a variation of plunging where participants dive feet first, which it reports to already be rarely practiced.
  In all plunge events, because divers could not control where they drifted after diving, typically one diver competed at a time.  A 1922 A.A.U. rule change planned to make plungers dive in groups, causing concern that collisions would inevitably occur among participants.
caption: A feet first plunge.  Swimmers were cautioned to watch their heads before attempting this older variation.
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