Editor’s Note: FINA says that the document that contained these standards is “out of date,” without elaborating.
FINA has released the qualifying standards for the Paris 2024 Olympics, revealing time standards which are considerably faster than in previous years. If you wish to read our report on the qualifying times, including the selection criteria, click here.
In short, the OQT time standards, which function as ‘A’ times, were derived by taking the 14th-place finisher from prelims at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in each event. The OCT times, which serve as the ‘B’ standards, are 0.5% slower than the OQT standards.
Below, you can view tables comparing the Paris 2024 time standards to the London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 standards.
Men’s Olympic Qualifying Times (‘A’ Cuts)
| EVENT | LONDON 2012 | RIO 2016 | TOKYO 2020 | PARIS 2024 |
| 50m Free | 22.11 | 22.27 | 22.01 | 21.96 |
| 100m Free | 48.82 | 48.99 | 48.57 | 48.34 |
| 200m Free | 1:47.82 | 1:47.97 | 1:47.02 | 1:46.26 |
| 400m Free | 3:48.92 | 3:50.40 | 3:46.78 | 3:46.78 |
| 800m Free | N/A | N/A | 7:54.31 | 7:51.65 |
| 1500m Free | 15:11.83 | 15:14.77 | 15:00.99 | 15:00.99 |
| 100m Back | 54.40 | 54.36 | 53.85 | 53.74 |
| 200m Back | 1:58.48 | 1:58.22 | 1:57.50 | 1:57.50 |
| 100 Breast | 1:00.79 | 1:00.57 | 59.93 | 59.49 |
| 200 Breast | 2:11.74 | 2:11.66 | 2:10.35 | 2:09.68 |
| 100 Fly | 52.36 | 52.36 | 51.96 | 51.67 |
| 200 Fly | 1:56.86 | 1:56.97 | 1:56.48 | 1:55.78 |
| 200 IM | 2:00.17 | 2:00.28 | 1:59.67 | 1:57.94 |
| 400 IM | 4:16.46 | 4:16.71 | 4:15.84 | 4:12.50 |
Men’s Olympic Consideration Times (‘B’ Cuts)
| EVENT | LONDON 2012 | RIO 2016 | TOKYO 2020 | PARIS 2024 |
| 50m Free | 22.73 | 23.05 | 22.67 | 22.07 |
| 100m Free | 50.93 | 50.70 | 50.03 | 48.58 |
| 200m Free | 1:50.76 | 1:51.75 | 1:50.23 | 1:46.79 |
| 400m Free | 3:58.01 | 3:58.51 | 3:53.58 | 3:47.91 |
| 800m Free | N/A | N/A | 8:08.54 | 7:54.01 |
| 1500m Free | 15:45.12 | 15:46.79 | 15:28.02 | 15:05.49 |
| 100m Back | 56.40 | 56.26 | 55.47 | 54.01 |
| 200m Back | 2:01.53 | 2:02.36 | 2:01.03 | 1:58.09 |
| 100 Breast | 1:03.61 | 1:02.69 | 1:01.73 | 59.79 |
| 200 Breast | 2:18.24 | 2:16.27 | 2:14.26 | 2:10.33 |
| 100 Fly | 54.09 | 54.19 | 53.52 | 51.93 |
| 200 Fly | 2:01.08 | 2:01.06 | 1:59.97 | 1:56.36 |
| 200 IM | 2:03.89 | 2:04.39 | 2:03.26 | 1:58.53 |
| 400 IM | 4:24.78 | 4:25.69 | 4:21.46 | 4:13.76 |
Women’s Olympic Qualifying Times (‘A’ Cuts)
| EVENT | LONDON 2012 | RIO 2016 | TOKYO 2020 | PARIS 2024 |
| 50m Free | 25.27 | 25.28 | 24.77 | 24.70 |
| 100m Free | 54.57 | 54.43 | 54.38 | 53.61 |
| 200m Free | 1:58.33 | 1:58.96 | 1:57.28 | 1:57.26 |
| 400m Free | 4:09.35 | 4:09.08 | 4:07.90 | 4:07.90 |
| 800m Free | 8:33.84 | 8:33.97 | 8:33.36 | 8:26.71 |
| 1500m Free | N/A | N/A | 16:32.04 | 16:09.09 |
| 100m Back | 1:00.82 | 1:00.25 | 1:00.25 | 59.99 |
| 200m Back | 2:10.84 | 2:10.60 | 2:10.39 | 2:10.39 |
| 100 Breast | 1:08.49 | 1:07.85 | 1:07.07 | 1:06.79 |
| 200 Breast | 2:26.89 | 2:26.94 | 2:25.52 | 2:23.91 |
| 100 Fly | 58.70 | 58.74 | 57.92 | 57.92 |
| 200 Fly | 2:08.95 | 2:09.33 | 2:08.43 | 2:08.43 |
| 200 IM | 2:13.36 | 2:14.26 | 2:12.56 | 2:11.47 |
| 400 IM | 4:41.75 | 4:43.46 | 4:38.53 | 4:58.53 |
Women’s Olympic Consideration Times (‘B’ Cuts)
| EVENT | LONDON 2012 | RIO 2016 | TOKYO 2020 | PARIS 2024 |
| 50m Free | 25.76 | 26.17 | 25.51 | 24.82 |
| 100m Free | 56.54 | 56.34 | 56.01 | 53.88 |
| 200m Free | 2:02.68 | 2:03.13 | 2:00.80 | 1:57.85 |
| 400m Free | 4:19.68 | 4:17.80 | 4:15.34 | 4:09.14 |
| 800m Free | 8:54.04 | 8:51.96 | 8:48.76 | 8:29.24 |
| 1500m Free | N/A | N/A | 17:01.80 | 16:13.94 |
| 100m Back | 1:03.11 | 1:02.36 | 1:02.06 | 1:00.29 |
| 200m Back | 2:15.52 | 2:15.17 | 2:14.30 | 2:11.04 |
| 100 Breast | 1:09.98 | 1:10.12 | 1:09.08 | 1:07.12 |
| 200 Breast | 2:32.15 | 2:32.08 | 2:29.89 | 2:24.63 |
| 100 Fly | 1:00.87 | 1:00.80 | 59.66 | 58.21 |
| 200 Fly | 2:14.00 | 2:13.86 | 2:12.28 | 2:09.07 |
| 200 IM | 2:16.98 | 2:18.96 | 2:16.54 | 2:12.13 |
| 400 IM | 4:52.59 | 4:53.38 | 4:46.89 | 4:39.92 |
Now, let’s compare the Paris 2024 cuts to the Tokyo 2020 cuts. As you’ll see in the tables below, the ‘A’ cuts are faster in 20 of 28 events, while the B cuts are faster, and significantly so, across the board. The biggest time change in an ‘A’ cut comes in the men’s 200 IM, which improved from 1:59.67 in Tokyo to 1:57.94 in Paris, marking a change of 1.45%.
| Men’s A Cuts | |||
| Event | Tokyo 2020 | Paris 2024 | % Change |
| 50 free | 22.01 | 21.96 | -0.20% |
| 100 free | 48.57 | 48.34 | -0.47% |
| 200 free | 1:47.02 | 1:46.26 | -0.71% |
| 400 free | 3:46.78 | 3:46.78 | 0.00% |
| 800 free | 7:54.31 | 7:51.65 | -0.56 |
| 1500 free | 15:00.99 | 15:00.99 | 0.00% |
| 100 back | 53.85 | 53.74 | -0.20% |
| 200 back | 1:57.50 | 1:57.50 | 0.00% |
| 100 breast | 59.93 | 59.49 | -0.73% |
| 200 breast | 2:10.35 | 2:09.68 | -0.51% |
| 100 fly | 51.96 | 51.67 | -0.56% |
| 200 fly | 1:56.48 | 1:55.78 | -0.60% |
| 200 IM | 1:59.67 | 1:57.94 | -1.45% |
| 400 IM | 4:15.84 | 4:12.50 | -1.30% |
| Men’s B Cuts | |||
| Event | Tokyo 2020 | Paris 2024 | % Change |
| 50 free | 22.67 | 22.07 | -2.65% |
| 100 free | 50.03 | 48.58 | -2.90% |
| 200 free | 1:50.23 | 1:46.79 | -3.12% |
| 400 free | 3:53.58 | 3:47.91 | -2.61% |
| 800 free | 8:08.54 | 7:54.01 | -2.97% |
| 1500 free | 15:28.02 | 15:05.49 | -2.43% |
| 100 back | 55.47 | 54.01 | -2.63% |
| 200 back | 2:01.03 | 1:58.09 | -2.43% |
| 100 breast | 1:01.73 | 59.79 | -3.14% |
| 200 breast | 2:14.26 | 2:10.33 | -2.93% |
| 100 fly | 53.52 | 51.93 | -2.97% |
| 200 fly | 1:59.97 | 1:56.36 | -3.01% |
| 200 IM | 2:03.26 | 1:58.53 | -3.84% |
| 400 IM | 4:21.46 | 4:13.76 | -2.95% |
| Women’s A Cuts | |||
| Event | Tokyo 2020 | Paris 2024 | % Change |
| 50 free | 24.77 | 24.7 | -0.28% |
| 100 free | 54.38 | 53.61 | -1.42% |
| 200 free | 1:57.28 | 1:57.26 | -0.02% |
| 400 free | 4:07.90 | 4:07.90 | 0.00% |
| 800 free | 8:33.36 | 8:26.71 | -1.30% |
| 1500 free | 16:32.04 | 16:09.09 | -2.31 |
| 100 back | 1:00.25 | 59.99 | -0.43% |
| 200 back | 2:10.39 | 2:10.39 | 0.00% |
| 100 breast | 1:07.07 | 1:06.79 | -0.42% |
| 200 breast | 2:25.52 | 2:23.91 | -1.11% |
| 100 fly | 57.92 | 57.92 | 0.00% |
| 200 fly | 2:08.43 | 2:08.43 | 0.00% |
| 200 IM | 2:12.56 | 2:11.47 | -0.82% |
| 400 IM | 4:38.53 | 4:38.53 | 0.00% |
| Women’s B Cuts | |||
| Event | Tokyo 2020 | Paris 2024 | % Change |
| 50 free | 25.51 | 24.82 | -2.70% |
| 100 free | 56.01 | 53.88 | -3.80% |
| 200 free | 2:00.80 | 1:57.85 | -2.44% |
| 400 free | 4:15.34 | 4:09.14 | -2.43% |
| 800 free | 8:48.76 | 8:29.24 | -3.69% |
| 1500 free | 17:01.80 | 16:13.94 | -4.68% |
| 100 back | 1:02.06 | 1:00.29 | -2.85% |
| 200 back | 2:14.30 | 2:11.04 | -2.43% |
| 100 breast | 1:09.08 | 1:07.12 | -2.84% |
| 200 breast | 2:29.89 | 2:24.63 | -3.51% |
| 100 fly | 59.66 | 58.21 | -2.43% |
| 200 fly | 2:12.28 | 2:09.07 | -2.43% |
| 200 IM | 2:16.54 | 2:12.13 | -3.23% |
| 400 IM | 4:46.89 | 4:39.92 | -2.43% |
This is so frustrating for someone aiming to qualify for these games because the times that I go would have qualified for both London and Rio yet are over 2 seconds off Paris’s time.
The change from +3.0% in Tokyo to +0.5% in Paris for the B time has made it essentially redundant.
I really hope that there is a change made to the B times however I think that is incredibly unlikely.
For once it might be the FINA times, not the Aussie enforced times cutting the team down… especially women’s breast stroke events
Wow, these fast times will strengthen the US and AUS in the Olympic Pool, the only countries that have a hope of 2 qualifiers in most events (and all relays).
Such a large drop in the women’s 100 free A cut makes it not much slower than the winning time at US trials last year. 👀
It was very disappointing to see these candidates for American sprint relay that averaged 53.65 sec (top 4). Low qualification times could also be a factor. So swimmers could competed against each other only not caring much about how slow their times were.
Those mens cuts are so fast and the B cuts are so close to the A cuts. Guess they really do need to reduce athlete count.
Women’s 400 IM 3:58.53 faster than the bronze 400 free time from tokyo 🤣
What
It does say 3.58 for 400 IM
I’m pleased with the drops in the individual medleys. Those have been lollygagging events for far too long.
You are joking yes?
Some times a porential finalist would be cut out based on tokyo actual times (women 400 IM is faster than 9th from prelims and 200 fly is faster than 8th from semis)!!!!
this is due to the fact that Fina does not make any cuts easier… the A Cut is based on the 14th place in heats of the last olympics… if that time is slower than the A.cut for the last olympics, than the cut stays the same. As there were only 16 swimmers in the 200 fly women and no a very dense field, this leads to the situation described… we need more swimmers able to participate in the games or less universality places in order to turn that around…