Background: Participation in competitive events is an strategy for the physical, technical, and psychological development of swimmers throughout their athletic development pathway. However, the characteristics, purpose, and frequency of competition should be appropriate to the swimmer`s stage of development and maturation. Aim: This study aimed to describe the frequency of participation in competitive events among Brazilian swimmers who reached national senior championship finals in the 50 m, 100 m, and 200 m freestyle events throughout their athletic development. The findings are expected to contribute to understanding these swimmers` competitive experiences and support discussions regarding the organization of competitive calendars during athlete development. Methods: Twenty-four high-level Brazilian swimmers completed an adapted version of the Sports Participation History Questionnaire. This instrument has been used in previous studies and underwent validity and reliability testing through a test-retest procedure. The questionnaire enabled the quantification of annual participation in competitive events (did not compete; 1-3 competitions; 4-6 competitions; or 7 or more competitions) throughout the athletes` developmental years. Age groups were organized according to the Brazilian competitive structure. Data were analyzed using descriptive cross-tabulation statistics. Results: At ages 6-8 years, most swimmers did not participate in competitions (41.7%). Among swimmers aged 9-10 years (37.5%), 11-12 years (45.8%), 13-14 years (66.7%), 15-16 years (79.2%), 17-19 years (87.5%), and 20 years or older (95.8%), the majority participated in seven or more competitive events per season. Conclusions: Brazilian swimmers who reached national senior championship finals demonstrated a high frequency of competitive participation throughout their athletic development. From ages 9-10 years onward, most swimmers participated in seven or more competitions annually, a pattern that remained consistent across subsequent age groups. Future studies should investigate the relationship between early competitive participation and long-term athlete development.
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