individual medley

American  

noun

Swimming.

1. a race in which the total distance is either divided into three equal portions, in which each swimmer uses the backstroke for the first portion, the breaststroke for the second portion, and the freestyle for the third, or the total distance is divided into four equal portions, in which each swimmer uses the butterfly stroke for the first portion and then the other strokes used follow the same pattern as in the three-part medley.

---

Etymology

Origin of individual medley

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Moments later, Karp was back in the pool for the 200 individual medley.

From Washington Post

Barnett already had claimed the records in the 200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke and 50 freestyle.

From Washington Post

In 2019, she took Simmonds' world title in the 200m individual medley and is hoping to do the same in Tokyo where her team-mate is chasing a third Paralympic title in the race.

From BBC

Baumann won gold medals in the 200- and 400-meter individual medley for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

From Seattle Times

In his second Olympics, Chase Kalisz, a Bel Air, Maryland, native walked away with his first-career gold medal in the 400-meter individual medley, winning by just under a second.

From Washington Times