The City of Ely Swimming Club was formed in 1923, when all swimming events, training and home competitions took place in the River Ouse near the Cutter Inn.
An open-air swimming pool was built on Angel Drove in 1934 and the City of Ely Amateur Swimming Club became affiliated to the ASA (Amateur Swimming Association now called Swim England). Most club nights (summer only of course!) were taken up with Inter Club matches. There was very little tuition, you just got in and swam as fast as you could. Club championships were held annually when cups and certificates were awarded.
In August each year, the 'Swim Through Ely' was held with competitors from all over Cambridgeshire swimming from Newmarket Railway Bridge to Annesdale Quay. This had to be abandoned when the river became too polluted.
In the 1950’s, summer only training continued however coaches and teachers helped the swimmers to improve with proper training sessions. The swimmers did well but the club was considered a feeder club as training was only possible in the summer.
In 1977, Ely swimming club began winter training in St. Ives, which improved standards immensely. The Paradise Pool in Ely was opened in 1981 by Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies and swimmers could then train all year round in Ely. The club has grown since then and is a successful club promoting competitive swimming in Ely. In 2018, the Paradise Pool closed, and the club relocated to the brand-new facility called The Hive at the Ely leisure village.
Despite challenges during the Covid pandemic from March 2020 when all pools were closed, the club worked hard to retain members with online land training and social events. Since swimming competitions returned, the club has built members back up after the inevitable loss of interest and now is stronger than ever with considerable success at both regional and county level and in addition some qualifiers at national level.