2026 PRO SWIM SERIES – AUSTIN
- January 14-17, 2026
- Austin, Texas
- Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
The first major domestic swimming competition of the new year is on the horizon, with the 2026 Pro Swim Series in Austin set for Wednesday, January 14, through Saturday, January 17, and it comes with increased prize money for select events.
The meet marks the first competition under the new series structure unveiled by USA Swimming in November, designed to prepare swimmers for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Under the new format, semi-finals will be implemented in some events, differing at each stop, while one distance event per leg will be contested as prelims/finals. Events featuring semi-finals at each stop will offer double the standard prize, with winners receiving $3,000 instead of the typical $1,500 “to encourage competitiveness and reward winners of the events with new format changes.”
All events award $1,000 for second place and $500 for third place. This $1,500/$1,000/$500 structure has been in place since mid-2022, when prize money was reintroduced to the series.
Here’s how the format changes and increased prize money break down across the four meets:
MONETARY INCREASE BREAKDOWN
Courtesy of USA Swimming
| Event | Date | Monetary Increase |
| Pro Swim Series Austin | January 14–17 |
• Women’s 800 freestyle swum as prelims/final
• 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, and 200 IM will be swum as prelims/semifinals/final • Prize money increase to $3,000 for winners of all 50s, the 200 IM, and the women’s 800 freestyle |
| Pro Swim Series Westmont | March 4–7 |
• Men’s 800 freestyle swum as prelims/final
• All 100s swum as prelims/semifinals/final • Prize money increase to $3,000 for winners of the 100s and men’s 800 freestyle |
| Pro Swim Series Sacramento | May 20–23 |
• Women’s 1500 freestyle swum as prelim/final
• 200 butterfly, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, and 200 freestyle swum as prelims/semifinals/final • Prize money increase to $3,000 for winners of the 200 butterfly, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 freestyle, and women’s 1500 freestyle |
| Pro Swim Series Indianapolis | June 17–20 |
• Men’s 1500 freestyle swum as prelims/final
• Prize money increase to $3,000 for winners of the 400 IM, 400 freestyle, and men’s 1500 freestyle |
The schedule shift results in each Pro Swim Series meet shifting to four full days of racing with prelims and finals sessions, adding one session to the previous format, which saw a timed final evening session on Day 1 followed by three days of racing with no semi-finals.
These prize purses are laughable
And yet they’re infinite higher than they were last year.
USA Swimming can’t just throw up a million dollars a meet on the first go. They made the first move. Now the athletes need to show up and finish their races. Then USA Swimming needs to figure out how to turn that into revenue and increase purses. And so on.
“Now the athletes need to show up and finish their races”
Good luck with that
Well then if we all collectively decide to do nothing different, then we’re probably going to all collectively get the same result.
I agree with you. I just don’t believe the athletes do
But I’m guessing Peacock is still only going to cover days 2 and 3 of the PSS. So stupid.
Whenever that contract is up for renegotiation, USA Swimming must insist that NBC Sports covers all 4 days of finals sessions with their announcers.
after they missed Ledecky’s world record i can’t imagine these guys will be dumb enough to allow it again. Rowdy has gotta be pissed he couldnt commentate that one.
That probably would’ve been some of his wildest commentary ever
And they missed G Walsh’s 100 fly world record. They literally missed the best PSS session in series history. What an own goal!
Gad I attended that night and had no idea NBC didn’t cover it. I bought the ticket a month early because I thought Gretchen had a good chance for the butterfly world record, and also because there was a men’s 200 individual medley which figured to include Marchand. I wasn’t thinking women’s 800 at all.
I haven’t been able to find any TV or streaming coverage information for this event — even after checking the USA Swimming Network, NBC Sports, and other usual websites. It may be out there and I’m just missing it, but clearer communication on how to watch would go a long way toward boosting viewership.
It will be on Peacock. Some of the meet sessions are already shown in the upcoming events subheading of the Sports offering.
I know this is said all the time but 200 semifinals really need to go. Not just here but everywhere including worlds and the Olympics
I know world aquatics has been playing with it. They tested that out last year at SC Worlds and that seemed to work out with the swimmers. Most I believe said they liked it a bit better. I’m curious if after LA incorporating it like that will start in 2029 with LC worlds.
That’s not something new they tested out. Short Course worlds has always had prelims/semis/finals for 50 and 100 distance events only.
100% absolutely ridiculous for 200s. And ridiculous for 100s unless is a true semifinal top 3 plus 2 fastest format.
Events like Womens 200m butterfly only having like 23 swimmers at paris makes semi finals ridiculous for them. Hell at the recent european SC there was only 15 swimmers and they still had to swim 3 rounds.
Do college swimmers get to keep prize money?
NCAA athletes can keep the money if they can prove that they spent that much money or more on training or travel expenses directly related to the competition (NCAA Division I handbook section 12.1.2.1.4.3). The athlete provides receipts of these expenses to their school’s eligibility officer, and that eligibility officer decides if the athlete can accept the money. Some eligibility officers are stricter than others, but common expenses often include food, flights, hotel, massage, etc…