1-Mile Swim 2025 Open

In the 1-Mile Swim Open, contestants compete to see who can complete a 1-mile swim (1,500 meters or 1,650 yards) the fastest. Participants can use any pool. They must provide the exact length of the pool (in yards, feet or meters) and use the Swim Lap Calculator to determine the exact number of laps needed to finish the mile swim. This event is open to donors and recipients only.

Registration

Registration for the 1-Mile Swim 2025 Open is $5 per competitor in the Living Donor and Transplant Recipient categories. Registration will close on July 16, 2025, and the competition will be held July 17–23, 2025.

*All registration dates subject to change.

Swim Lap Calculator

The Swim Lap Calculator helps contestants know the exact number of laps needed to finish the mile swim. By giving the unit of measurement and the length of the pool you will compete in, the calculator will compute the required number of laps to complete the race. Laps are counted as going down and back the distance of the swimming pool.

What is the unit of measurement of your pool?

How many is your pool?

You will need to swim laps (You will end on the other side of the pool) to complete the race.

Workout Rules

To be considered for the podium and cash prizes, all competitors in the 1-Mile Swim 2025 Open must adhere to the following rules and complete the workout within the one-hour time cap:

  • The clock starts once the athlete dives into the pool or pushes off the wall.
  • Participants must touch the wall on every turn. Flip turns are permitted.
  • Swimmers may use any swimming strokes and can switch strokes at any time.
  • Swimmers cannot use the pool floor or lane dividers for assistance.
  • Athletes cannot use speed-enhancement devices such as flippers.
  • No flotation devices are allowed, including life jackets, floaties or wetsuits.
  • No breathing apparatuses are allowed, such as snorkels.
  • The athlete must swim the number of laps generated by the Donor Games 1-mile lap calculator. Athletes will be required to submit the length of their pool and the number of laps calculated with each video submission. A lap is defined as two lengths of the pool—from one end to the other and back.
  • At the beginning of the workout video, athletes must state the length of their pool and the required number of laps.
  • The participant’s camera must be set up in a way where the entire lap is captured in the competition video, including both endpoints.*
  • Athletes are responsible for self-timing their workout, either with an app (e.g., WETime, SmartWOD Timer, WOD Tracker) or by having a gym clock or iPad with a timer clearly visible throughout the swim.
  • Donor Games judges recommend having an individual count laps for you during your workout.

If you are unsure of your camera angle, you are welcome to submit a short sample video via the Donor Games app up to one week before the competition opens. Judges will review your video and either approve your camera angle or provide guidance on how to correct it. 

Competition Rules

Registered athletes agree to and will comply with the following rules related to the Donor Games Open competition format.

  1. Eligibility
    1. All athletes must be 18 years or older as of the close of registration for the competition.
    2. All athletes must agree to the Donor Games Consent Agreement and adhere to the Workout Rules and Competition Rules herein.
    3. Athletes must submit their full workout video at any time during the competition window: from July 17 to July 23, 2025 at 11:59 ET.
    4. Athletes may submit more than one workout video to improve their standings on the leaderboard.
      1. Competitors may submit no more than ONE video within any 24-hour period.
      2. Should an additional workout video be disqualified; it does not impact the rank/eligibility of a previously approved workout video.
    5. Athletes must be willing to accept prize winnings via ACH. Failure to provide ACH payment information within 1 week of the official prize-winning notification will result in forfeiture of the cash prize. All prize winnings will be dispersed within two weeks of the official prize-winning notification from the Donor Games.
    6. General athletes who compete a modified workout are not eligible for cash prizes.
  2. Judging
    1. Failure to perform the exercises according to the guidelines will result in disqualification.
    2. Judges’ decisions are final.
    3. Judges may reject an athlete’s workout video due to: (a) improper form; (b) failure to complete the workout; (c) copyright infringements; or (d) any other issues that arise in review of the workout.
      1. If a workout video is rejected, the competitor is allowed to submit a new competition workout video at any time during the competition window.
      2. Should the workout be disqualified on the last day of competition, athletes may be given an extension beyond the competition deadline at the discretion of the judges.
      3. If no new video is submitted before the extended deadline, the competitor is disqualified.

Cash Prizes

Category1st Place2nd Place3rd Place4th Place5th PlaceEntered
Donor: Men$4,000$3,200$2,400$1,600$8005
Donor: Women$4,000$3,200$2,400$1,600$8009
Recipient: Men$4,000$3,200$2,400$1,600$8001
Recipient: Women$4,000$3,200$2,400$1,600$8001
TOTAL$16,000$12,800$9,600$6,400$3,20016