Freestyle Leg Meaning in Swimming

A freestyle leg is a specific portion of a medley race or relay event. This segment always occurs last in both the individual medley and the medley relay competitions. Swimmers use their fastest stroke to bring the race to a close at high speed. The term leg simply refers to one of the four distinct parts of the race. A swimmer completes the final freestyle leg to win the relay for their team. In a medley, the athlete must use a stroke other than backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly. Strategy often involves placing the strongest sprinter in this position to overtake opponents at the end. Maintaining a high stroke rate is critical during this final stretch of the competition.