History
Prior to 1952, the butterfly was not defined as a separate stroke from the breaststroke, and so medley races featured only three styles: backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. The usual distance of both the IM and the medley relay was thus 300 metres or yards rather than 400. In the United States, some 1953 medley races included the butterfly, and the Amateur Athletic Union made it mandatory from 1954.
Read more about this topic: Medley Swimming
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