Aside from the chase for medals and the glory of a World Championship in Kazan, Russia this week at the 2015 FINA World Aquatics Championships, there’s another big prize on the line: Olympic relay qualification.
For fans of the world’s major swimming countries (United States, Australia, France, Russia, etc.) these relay qualification have always been a given, as global parity increases the math becomes a trickier game.
The top 12 in each relay at the preceding year’s World Championships earns a spot in that same relay at the Olympic Games. The other four spots (for a total of 16, or two full heats), is chosen by the fastest times at all other meets between March 1st, 2015 and May 31st, 2016.
Specifically, on Sunday, the Australian men failed to qualify a men’s 400 free relay for the Olympic Games, placing 13th in 3:16.34.
Besides the obvious disappointment from a failure to final in the race, this leaves the team in a precarious position with just one year to go until the Olympic Games, as they now fall into the group of nations seeking a “wild card” spot for the Olympics.
They do have the inside-position for that swim, and are currently the top-ranked team not qualified by placing in the top 12 in Kazan, but the time is by no means good enough to lock them in for Rio. If they’re swimming their best and add James Magnussen to the relay, one could basically “lock them in” for the Olympics, but that could necessitate an unplanned rested meet later this year to get the time.
Among the countries that are most likely to unseat Australia:
- Greece, led by rising NCAA star Kristian Gkolomeev
- Romania, thanks to the consultation of Bob Bowman
- Israel
- Belarus
- Singapore, who was only 3:27 on Sunday but has been 3:19 at the SEA Games with a very young relay
While it’s still a reality that Australia is on-par for Olympic qualification, this result does put some pressure on the team – pressure that the program has not dealt well with in or out of the pool in this decade.
On the women’s side, Germany is in the same position after they finished 13th. While the expectations were not quite as high without their World Record holder Britta Steffen, they did place 8th at the 2013 World Championships.
Countries Qualified to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games:
Men’s 400 free relay
- Russia
- Brazil
- Italy
- France
- Japan
- Canada
- Poland
- China
- Belgium
- Great Britain
- Germany
- United States
Women’s 400 free relay
- USA
- Australia
- Netherlands
- Sweden
- Canada
- China
- Italy
- France
- Japan
- Russia
- Brazil
- Poland
They can make the faster time they needed in BHP Biliton Super Series in January or February 2016 (if any) or make relay time trial with Magnussen, McEvoy, Chalmers, [other swimmer just to make the team’s members equal to 4] in their trials in March or April 2016.
I think the time trial one is the best choice, as all Australia’s swimmer usually in full taper at Australia champs.
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