Olympic swimming returns to its origins in Beijing when the 10km open water event, a physical event which can resemble wrestling in water, makes its debut.
At the first modern Games in 1896, 245 athletes, all men, from 14 countries took part and the swimming events were held in open water near Piraeus.
The water was very cold and the winner of the 1,200-metre race, Hungary's Alfred Hajos, said that by the end 'my will to live completely overcame my desire to win'.
The water in Beijing, where the men's and women's races will take place at the rowing venue, is a lot warmer but a fighting spirit will be just as important for the 10-km race.
Swimmers openly tussle for position and only the strong survive when the pack rounds the buoys that mark out the course.
'Everyone fights for the inside line, it's elbows under the water and stuff like that,' said South African Natalie du Toit after a qualifying race in April. 'A lot of us came out with black eyes and a couple even had scratched corneas.'
Men's Olympic 1,500 metres champion Grant Hackett tried to qualify at the same event and he appeared to be targeted by his rivals. Hackett was disqualified after he tried to get out of trouble by swimming over another competitor's legs.
'I saw a couple of times people hitting him and swimming over him and obviously hurt him quite badly, and he just didn't have enough in the end,' said compatriot Ky Hurst.
The events in Beijing could be more genteel because the number of entrants has been limited to 25 which, along with the calm conditions likely at the rowing basin, could benefit the long-distance pool swimmers such as Britain's David Davies.
