Here's why:
* Survival: Swimming is a natural human instinct. We evolved in environments near water, and swimming was essential for survival, fishing, and travel.
* Ancient History: Evidence of swimming dates back thousands of years. Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans depicted swimming in their art and literature.
* No Single Inventor: Unlike some sports, swimming wasn't invented by a specific person. It developed naturally as a survival skill and later became a sport with the creation of formal competitions and rules.
While we can't pinpoint a founder, the formalization of competitive swimming is often attributed to the English and the British. They established organized swimming clubs and competitions in the 18th and 19th centuries, paving the way for the sport we know today.