Why Swimmers Are Among the World's Most Attractive Athletes

What could be more subjective than determining the attractiveness of a potential mate? It’s almost a silly question to ask because there are so many factors that play into whether one person finds another attractive.

Nevertheless, and despite the efforts of body positive movements in recent years, society, gender norms, and popular culture all have a lot to say about what makes another human “attractive” or not. Science has offered a few insights as well into what constitutes attractiveness, and many of these preferences and ideals revolve around facial symmetry and body size and shape.

A prevailing beauty standard endemic in mainstream western culture is that an athletic body type is commonly viewed as attractive. But not all hobbies and athletic pursuits are created equal when it comes to the supposed attractiveness of its practitioners, and again, science has some insights into what makes an attractive human.

First up, elite athletic status of virtually any type and at any age makes you more attractive to others. That’s according to a 2018 study in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, in which elite athletes were consistently rated as more facially attractive than amateur athletes across virtually every age group studied. The researchers surmised this clear preference likely stems from humans’ innate association of athletic success with biological fitness and good overall health. As a species, we’re hardwired to select mates who are fit and able to reproduce healthy offspring and athletic skill is an easy shortcut to finding those traits.

Specific sports also rank higher on the attractiveness scale—but it can be highly culturally influenced. For example, here in the U.S. lean, sculpted swimmers, divers, soccer players, and tennis players frequently serve as the go-to choices for “most attractive bodies.” But in other cultures, the more robust, explosively strong bodies of sumo wrestlers, powerlifters, rugby players, and other bulkier bodies are deemed highly desirable.

It’s also likely that the amount of clothing an athlete wears while performing their sport has something to do with apparent attractiveness. If you can see all the muscles rippling because the athlete is more scantily clad, that allows the viewer to more quickly evaluate the person’s physical being and make a judgement on it in real time.

Summer sports have an advantage over winter sports in this regard—swimmers and gymnasts who wear tight-fitting or revealing garments are often seen as especially attractive. The uniforms they wear help highlight the physical traits that many humans associate with vitality and reproductive fitness including robust cardiovascular health, strength, endurance, and stamina; coordination and reflex speed; overall symmetry in muscle and facial development; and lower body fat levels.

The classic elite swimmer’s body build—long, toned arms, broad shoulders, narrow hips, and low body fat levels—lines up with those innate preferences many people have and makes elite swimmers some of the most attractive people at the Olympic games.

This signaling of attractiveness naturally changes with age in this society, since Western culture does not typically select for older faces or bodies. But still, because swimming is such a good overall workout for the body, it can help people age more gracefully and retain many of the physical characteristics associated with conventional beauty standards well into their golden years.

And what you do within your sport may have some bearing on your physical attractiveness, too. That’s what’s been suggested by a small, 2012 study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. That study presented heterosexual women with a facial photograph of a male target who was described as a) not playing a sport, b) playing a sport casually, c) playing competitive sport non-aggressively or d) playing competitive sport aggressively. Researchers found that women rated men participating in competitive sport more aggressively as more attractive than non-athletes. Men who did not play sports or did so on only a casual basis were rated as least desirable.

This study does not make the comparison for same-gender or non-binary attractiveness levels, but it does suggest that for male-female partnerships, a man’s competitive pursuit of his sport may influence his perceived attractiveness among prospective female mates.

In contrast, another study in Evolutionary Psychology found that practitioners of team sports were deemed more romantically desirable than solo sport athletes or non-athletes. Teamwork makes the dream work, after all, and for some looking for love, having a would-be partner who’s socially intelligent and communicates and cooperates well with others can be highly attractive. Although swimming is generally thought of as a solo sport, Masters Swimming is a remarkably social endeavor and swim meets are full of team spirit and the cooperative, supportive cheering that is likely to draw many folks to your orbit.

At a big picture level, however, engaging in any kind of physical activity is likely to improve your attractiveness quotient simply because you’re engaging with life, exercising, and building stamina for the future. Plus, athletes often benefit from the perceived halo effect—if you’re good at a sport, many people automatically assume you’re smarter, better looking, and more competent than others, too.

Although science still hasn’t pinpointed the single “most attractive” of all sports or hobbies, swimming has always ranked high on the list of most attractive athletes and sports. But it’s worth pointing out that much of this discussion has been only skin deep; it’s true that swimming can sculpt a healthy body, but it’s the other things you get from it—good mental health, social connection, confidence, and just plain fun—that can really help your own inner beauty shine through. 

Looking for more great information about swimming? Check out our Swimming 101 guide featuring swimming pool and stroke basics, how to start swim training as an adult, and more. You can also see if a USMS club is in your area through our Club Finder.