Celebrating Successful Swims With National Flags

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Many channel swimmers, ice swimmer, Olympic marathon swimmers, professional marathon racers, Triple Crowners, Oceans Seven swimmers, and winter swimmers wrap themselves in their nation’s flag and take photos with their flag at the finish onshore or on the awards podium.

Where does this tradition come from?

In 1909, Matthew Henson and Admiral Robert Peary are planted an American flag at the North Pole.

In 1911, Roald Amundsen and his team planted a Norwegian flag on the South Pole.

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay from Nepal became the the two first people to summit Mount Everest and hoisted the flag of Great Britain at the top because England had financed their expedition.

Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin planted the first American flag on the moon – an image televised to much of the world in 1969.

Explorers are often described as conquering the land – or water. Mountaineer’s achievements are often described as “conquering Mount Everest”. Similarly, English Channel swimmers have often been described as “conquering the Channel”.

Conquering lands and peoples have often been symbolized by and celebrated with flags – by militaries and explorers over the millenia.

Soldiers carry flags into battle, and victories and defeats were often expressed in terms of colors being captured or lost.

During the Age of Exploration between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Portuguese, Spanish, English, French and Dutch explored, colonized, and conquered numerous regions around the world.

The sense of exploration and conquest by mountaineers, astronauts, sailors and militaries has carried over to the open water swimming community. Complete a crossing, finish a marathon swim or Ice Mile, win a race, capture a podium position are all differet examples of peaceful, personal feelings of accomplishment in the sporting world that are symbolized by raising one’s own national flag.

Why?

There is a deep national pride and patriotism on display, captured by photos and posted on social media. Success is celebrated and shared with others by the visual symbolism of their national flag.

In international competitions where athletes officially represent their country, displays of their national flags are an easy-to-understand and appreciate this personal representation of an entire country.

In solo crossings or swims, the flags are a patriotic means to celebrate their achievement with others from their team, community, region, and nation.

While their names may not be widely known, when a swimmers completes a swim or wins a race, their flag enables others to know where they are from – and may inspire others to pursue the same or a similar dream.

Congratulations. Wear your colors with pride.

Send comments on why you raise your flag after your personal achievements.