A 100 m butterfly is one of the events at a standard swimming meet. Specifically, it is a 100 m race using only the butterfly stroke, one of the four strokes you see at swimming meets, along with breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle. Typically, it is the second-fastest 100 m event, after freestyle.
The Butterfly Stroke
The butterfly stroke is considered one of the more physically demanding strokes in swimming. The butterfly is different from the backstroke or the front crawl because your arms move simultaneously and your legs move simultaneously. There is no "paddling" so to speak, or alternating of your arms or feet.
Arm Movement
When you swim the butterfly, your arms start above your head. Your arms move forward, then you pull them to the sides in order to reload the stroke, then bring them over your head again. Both arms move together at the same time, as opposed to an alternating stroke. The stroke repeats through all 100 meters and the goal is to have your arms stretched in front of you by the end of the race to touch the timing pad.
Dolphin Kick
A big part of the butterfly stroke is the butterfly kick or dolphin kick. Unlike traditional swimming when your feet alternate paddling, your feet need to stay together in a dolphin kick. The kick is the first part of creating a form of undulating wave for your body. That "wave" also helps propel you forward, in addition to the arm motion.
100 Meters
An Olympic-size pool will have lanes 50 m long. This means a 100 m race, regardless of the stroke, will be one full "lap" of the pool. The swimmer will change directions once. Because of the short distance, 100 m events are considered more "sprints" as opposed to some races that go 200 m, 400 m or more.
Michael Phelps
Probably the most famous performer of the 100 m butterfly is American swimmer Michael Phelps. During the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the 100 m butterfly ended up being Phelps' record-tying seventh gold medal race. This race actually was the most closely watched of his races in Beijing, as he won by 0.01 seconds and officials had to watch the replay to confirm that he was the winner. He broke the world record in the event in 2009.
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