49
It depends on the specific competition. In most competitive swimming events, multiple swimmers can race at the same time in separate lanes. The number of swimmers per race can vary from individual races to relay events.
7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1
8
By the swimmer's seed times coming into the race. The middle lanes are the fastest, and the outer lanes are progressively slower (that's why the swimmers often seem to be in a V shape) To be specific, the swimmer with the fastest time swims in lane 4, 2nd fastest in lane 5, third fastest in lane 3 fourth fastest in lane 6 fifth fastest in lane 2 sixth fastest in lane 7 seventh fastest in lane 1 eighth fastest in lane in lane 8.
A heat in swimming is like a group of swimmers swimming the same event. Since only a certain number of swimmers can swim at a time (depending on the number of lanes, usually 8) they have to have swim at different times and usually they place heats on how fast they swim. So, if you have the fastest time going into the race then you'd be in the last heat and if you have the slowest time going into the race then you'd be in the first heat. Also they place you in lanes from slowest to fastest (if you have the fastest time you go in the 4th lane and slowest goes in the outer lanes). Hope this helps. Source: Many years of competitive swimming
The backstroke.
Swimmers may change between their race and practice suits at competitions because wearing the racing suit for long periods of time can be really uncomfortable. They tend to be more form fitting and some swimmers will go down a few sizes in their race suit, making it even tighter.
yes there are touch pads in the olympic swimming pools that the swimmers have to touch to win the race.
"Free"style of course
Permanent markets like Sharpies.
for swimming there is a meet called Olympic trials to reach that point there are tie standards you must reach. From that point the swimmers swim once in prelims where the top 16 move on to semi finals once the swimmers swim here the Field narrows even more down to 8 swimmers finally the swimmers swim one last race in the finals the top two swimmers in that race go to the Olympics