13-Year Old Claire Weinstein Becomes Youngest Qualifier for 2021 Olympic Trials

2021 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – RICHMOND

13-year old Claire Weinstein has become the youngest qualifier for the 2021 US Olympic Swimming Trials.

Weinstein finished in 5th place on Thursday evening in the women’s 800 free in Richmond, Virginia – one of two sites for the split-location Pro Swim Series meet this weekend. The Westchester Aquatic Club trainee swam a best time of 8:45.34. That dips well under the Olympic Trials cut of 8:48.09.

Weinstein beat her previous best time of 9:06.85, done in February of 2020, by 21 seconds. That improvement is not a huge surprise given her drops in other races since returning to racing. She has swum a long course meet, the Richmond stop of the US Open series, since then, but only raced the 200, 400, and 1500 freestyles at that meet.

USA Swimming doesn’t maintain all-time single-age rankings, but since 2010 that swim ranks Weinstein as the 6th-fastest 13-year old in the event.

Top 10 American 13-Year Olds, January 1, 2010 through Present, Women’s 800 LCM Free

  1. Claire Tuggle, Clovis Swim Club, 8:37.27
  2. Katie Grimes, Sandpipers of Nevada, 8:37.46
  3. Bella Rongione, The Fish, 8:39.09
  4. Becca Mann, Clearwater Aquatic Team, 8:41.64
  5. Jillian Cox, Austin Trinity Aquatic Club, 8:44.20
  6. Claire Weinstein, 8:45.34
  7. Madelyn Donohoe, The Fish, 8:46.11
  8. Summer Finke, St. Petersburg Aquatics, 8:48.68
  9. Courtney Harnish, York YMCA, 8:49.13
  10. Maddie Homovich, North Carolina Aquatic Club, 8:49.49

In spite of still being on the younger half of the age group, Weinstein is now the 46th-fastest 13-14 in history in the event. She ranks just behind Lola Mull, Erika Hansen, and current US National Teamer Erica Sullivan, who is the top seed tonight at the meet’s other site in San Antonio.

Presuming USA Swimming leaves the time standards in-tact for the coronavirus-delayed Olympic Trials, Weinstein becomes the 60th American to hit the standard so far in the qualifying period. All of those qualifiers won’t necessarily race the event at Trials, but by comparison, 81 swimmers entered that event in 2016.

US National Teamer and 2021 confirmed US Olympian in open water Ashley Twichell won the event in 8:35.16. Caroline Pennington of the TAC Titans was 2nd in 8:40.50.

Other swimmers in that race who hit new Olympic Trials standards include 15-year old Cavan Gormsen, who was 4th in 8:43.87; 16-year old Claire Dafoe, who was 6th in 8:46.94; and 16-year old Emma Hastings, who was 7th in 8:47.30. Gormsen was already qualified for Trials in the 400 free, while for Hastings and Dafoe this was also a first qualification.

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Sally S
3 years ago

Congrats to Claire – that’s an amazing feat!

But commenters aren’t just making this up… Swim Swam ran an article about 2021 TYR pro series cuts being set at OT time standards.

https://swimswam.com/pro-swim-series-time-standards-set-at-olympic-trials-cuts-for-2020-2021-season/

At some point thereafter USA Swimming decided to change this and invite swimmers in a non-transparent (and obviously subjective) way. Clearly a lot of swimmers were not invited even though they had faster times. Not a great way to build trust in your governing organization- where the process simply changed without notification to swimmers. The invitation criteria should have been based more fairly on times.

Terry Watts
3 years ago

Wow that’s MOVING!

Jack T
3 years ago

I thought only Olympic Trials qualifiers could swim at the TYR Pro Series. No disrespect to Claire. Congrats! But I was just wondering how some people got into the meet without a trial cut beforehand.

Schwim
Reply to  Jack T
3 years ago

I’m guessing her new pb in yards qualified her 🙂

Jack T
Reply to  Schwim
3 years ago

It specifically stated only trials qualifiers could get into the meet. There are a lot of people who didn’t qualify.

Jack T
Reply to  Braden Keith
3 years ago

And do you know how to get an invitation? A lot of faster swimmers didn’t get invited but others did.

Swammer
Reply to  Jack T
3 years ago

I can explain – There’s a new USA Swimming rule (CLA-2021) that there has to be a certain number of athletes named “Claire” at Pro Series meets. So when Curzan scratched, Weinstein was next up on the “Claire list” (which is luckily arrange reverse alphabetical by last name).

heyyy
Reply to  Schwim
3 years ago

she has the trial cut for the 400fr long course she goes a 4:16

Tracey
Reply to  Jack T
3 years ago

I was wondering the same thing. How did these swimmers get into this meet without Trials cuts? Can someone explain this?

Tracey
Reply to  Braden Keith
3 years ago

Can you explain an “invitation” besides the obvious National and Jr. National Team members? Thanks!

Sean S
3 years ago

USA swimming said previously that they could change the Trials cuts for new qualifiers after the new year. Has anyone heard if they were planning on making adjustments?

Seeger33
3 years ago

Congratulations Claire & Cavan! Metro LSC well represented!

Swammer
Reply to  Seeger33
3 years ago

@seeger33 Couldn’t have said it better. I am so proud of my Metro people! Keep shining, ladies !

Coco
3 years ago

Congrats Claire!!

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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