American Record holders and distance swimmers Ian Silverman and MacKenzie Coan are both due for reclassification after undergoing two of the three tests. If the results hold through the 3rd test, it will alter the races they compete in at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The initial testing took place on Tuesday afternoon in preparation for the IDM international meet in Berlin, Germany. They are two of many swimmers who are being tested this week for classes before the start of one of the last major tuneup meets before this summer’s U.S. Paralympic Trials and Paralympic Games.
The “bench” test and “in water” test were both conducted on Tuesday. The final test involves the swimmers being observed in actual competition, which will happen later this week when the meet begins on Thursday.
A source within the U.S. Paralympic swimming organization told SwimSwam that it’s “very unlikely” that the competitive test will alter the results of Tuesday’s preliminary tests.
Silverman has been classes as an S10/SB9/SM10, meaning he will compete in the 10 category for freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and IM races; and as a 9 in the breaststroke races. This is where he was classed when he won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games, but since then he was reclassed as an SB10 in the breaststroke races and ineligible to compete in all other events.
Coan, meanwhile, has been determined to be reclassified as an S7/SB6/SM7 after the first 2 tests, moved from her prior classification of S8/SB7/SM8. She is the holder of multiple American Records as an S8 freestyler and was already a medal threat there, and she now becomes an even bigger threat to medal.
Aside from the potential impacts on medals at the Olympics (both will now be favorites for medals), it also shakes up the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials in a big way. Swimmers are chosen for the Olympic Team not simply by winning races within their class; rather, they are compared to the world rankings within their class, because there’s not enough room on the team for every event winner to be taken to Rio.
Another questionable Ukrainian shows up for classification after swimming on the able bodied Ukrainian National Team and takes down Brasil in the 100 fly with his classification swim. Come on IPC! They’re previous times are online and public knowledge. This country is cheating and Ukraine and Dubrov are making fools of the IPC classification system!
Could someone give us a clearer explanation of how/what the classification system works than this?
I very much doubt it Jimswim – classification is nothing more than a political rat nest, very little to do with fair clean sport.
This is great news. We have 2 medal favorites in the 400Free. Now they just need to retest EVERYONE else using the exact same set of rules. Fair is fair.
I couldn’t agree more TAA. It is great news and FAIR is FAIR. It would be great to see the IPC conduct additional classifications so that everyone is subject to the same rules and regulations.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Silverman has been totally used and abused by the politics of the Paralympic movement. Justice, reason and medical EVIDENCE is finally being recognized! You won’t find a finer young man!!!
Oh please
He is a jerk