At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, 13 swimming events were contested, seven for men and six for women. There was a total of 235 participants from 33 countries competing. For the first time, the butterfly stroke was contested as a separate event. Australia dominated the medal standings with a total of 8 out of a possible 13 gold medals, eventually finishing with 14 medals overall. Medal table Medalists Men's events Women's events Participating nations 235 swimmers from 33 nations competed. References 1956 Summer Olympics events 1956 1956 in swimming Swimming competitions in Australia