Just How Much Have Olympic Trials Qualifying Times Changed from 2012 to 2016?

USA Swimming announced the new Olympic Trials qualifying standards on Thursday, September 18 amid quite a bit of fanfare. And for the first time in many, many years, everything changed. Everything. All 26 individual Olympic events (13 men’s events, 13 women’s) got faster.

The new time standards came about through a 6-8 month process, spearheaded by the Steering Committee and the National Team Director, Frank Busch. Their goal was to find a balance between men and women and the number of entrants per event. While the 1850+ athletes participating at 2012 Olympic Trials was more than they had counted on at the time, they weren’t looking to make the 2016 edition an elite meet. It is still a valuable experience for younger swimmers and their coaches, motivating them to perform at an even higher level the next time around.

For 2016 USA Swimming is targeting around 1300 swimmers, although they know from past experience that the venue in Omaha can handle anyone and everyone who qualifies. And that’s the thing. The faster they make the standards, the harder swimmers will train, and the more they’ll get those new cuts.

For the most part, the qualifying times weren’t totally unexpected given how fast US swimming has become over the last several years, but there were nevertheless a few surprises.

Women’s 2016 Olympic Trials Qualifying Times

Evolution of Women’s Time Standards
Event

2016 Trials

2014 Nationals

2012 Trials

50 free

26.19

26.09

26.39

100 free

56.49

56.69

57.19

200 free

2:02.39

2:02.49

2:03.19

400 free

4:17.99

4:17.39

4:19.39

800 free

8:49.99

8:49.49

8:50.49

100 back

1:03.39

1:03.29

1:03.99

200 back

2:16.59

2:16.59

2:17.99

100 breast

1:11.49

1:11.59

1:12.19

200 breast

2:34.99

2:35.09

2:35.99

100 fly

1:01.19

1:01.19

1:01.99

200 fly

2:14.99

2:15.59

2:16.49

200 IM

2:18.69

2:18.69

2:19.49

400 IM

4:54.99

4:53.39

4:55.89

Across the board, the time standards for the women’s events average 0.78% faster for 2016 Trials than for 2012 Trials. The biggest changes come in the 400 free, 200 back, and 200 fly which are 1.4, 1.4 and 1.5 seconds faster, respectively. The 100 free, while only a half second faster for 2016 than 2012, is the largest percentage jump: a full 1.22% faster. The 800 free, which was the least populated event at 2012 Trials, changed only slightly (.5 seconds, or .09%).

 

Changes in Women’s Time Standards (Absolute)

Event

2016/2012 2016/2014

2014/2012

50 free -0:00.20 0:00.10 -0:00.30
100 free -0:00.70 -0:00.20 -0:00.50
200 free -0:00.80 -0:00.10 -0:00.70
400 free -0:01.40 0:00.60 -0:02.00
800 free -0:00.50 0:00.50 -0:01.00
100 back -0:00.60 0:00.10 -0:00.70
200 back -0:01.40 0:00.00 -0:01.40
100 breast -0:00.70 -0:00.10 -0:00.60
200 breast -0:01.00 -0:00.10 -0:00.90
100 fly -0:00.80 0:00.00 -0:00.80
200 fly -0:01.50 -0:00.60 -0:00.90
200 IM -0:00.80 0:00.00 -0:00.80
400 IM -0:00.90 0:01.60 -0:02.50
average -0:00.87 0:00.14 -0:01.01

 

Changes in Women’s Time Standards (Relative)

Event 2016/2012 2016/2014 2014/2012
50 free -0.76% 0.38% -1.14%
100 free -1.22% -0.35% -0.87%
200 free -0.65% -0.08% -0.57%
400 free -0.54% 0.23% -0.77%
800 free -0.09% 0.09% -0.19%
100 back -0.94% 0.16% -1.09%
200 back -1.01% 0.00% -1.01%
100 breast -0.97% -0.14% -0.83%
200 breast -0.64% -0.06% -0.58%
100 fly -1.29% 0.00% -1.29%
200 fly -1.10% -0.44% -0.66%
200 IM -0.57% 0.00% -0.57%
400 IM -0.30% 0.55% -0.84%
average -0.78% 0.03% -0.80%

 

Men’s 2016 Olympic Trials Qualifying Times

Evolution of Men’s Time Standards

Event 2016 Trials 2014 Nationals

2012 Trials

50 free

23.29

23.19

23.49

100 free

50.69

50.89

51.49

200 free

1:51.89

1:51.89

1:52.89

400 free

3:58.69

3:58.69

3:59.99

1500 free

15:49.99

15:49.39

15:53.59

100 back

57.19

57.19

57.59

200 back

2:03.79

2:04.39

2:04.99

100 breast

1:03.69

1:04.09

1:04.69

200 breast

2:18.39

2:19.49

2:20.79

100 fly

54.79

54.79

55.29

200 fly

2:01.99

2:02.79

2:03.99

200 IM

2:05.09

2:05.49

2:06.59

400 IM

4:27.49

4:28.89

4:30.49

The men’s time standards changed significantly more than did the women’s. All in all they are about 1% faster for 2016 than they were in 2012, and in some cases they are quite a bit faster than the times at 2014 Nationals.

In relative terms, the biggest changes for 2016 take place in the 100 free, both breasts, and the 200 fly. The 200 breast, in particular, saw a drop of 2.4 seconds. Given breaststroke has not been one of Team USA’s strongest events on the world stage, this may be USA Swimming’s way of throwing down the gauntlet to coaches across the country. Because as our athletes have shown in the past, the harder the standards, the more they step up.

Changes in Men’s Time Standards (Absolute)

Event 2016/2012 2016/2014 2014/2012
50 free -0:00.20 0:00.10 -0:00.30
100 free -0:00.80 -0:00.20 -0:00.60
200 free -0:01.00 0:00.00 -0:01.00
400 free -0:01.30 0:00.00 -0:01.30
1500 free -0:03.60 0:00.60 -0:04.20
100 back -0:00.40 0:00.00 -0:00.40
200 back -0:01.20 -0:00.60 -0:00.60
100 breast -0:01.00 -0:00.40 -0:00.60
200 breast -0:02.40 -0:01.10 -0:01.30
100 fly -0:00.50 0:00.00 -0:00.50
200 fly -0:02.00 -0:00.80 -0:01.20
200 IM -0:01.50 -0:00.40 -0:01.10
400 IM -0:03.00 -0:01.40 -0:01.60
average -0:01.45 -0:00.32 -0:01.13

 

Changes in Men’s Time Standards (Relative)

Event 2016/2012 2016/2014 2014/2012
50 free -0.85% 0.43% -1.28%
100 free -1.55% -0.39% -1.17%
200 free -0.89% 0.00% -0.89%
400 free -0.54% 0.00% -0.54%
1500 free -0.38% 0.06% -0.44%
100 back -0.69% 0.00% -0.69%
200 back -0.96% -0.48% -0.48%
100 breast -1.55% -0.62% -0.93%
200 breast -1.70% -0.79% -0.92%
100 fly -0.90% 0.00% -0.90%
200 fly -1.61% -0.65% -0.97%
200 IM -1.18% -0.32% -0.87%
400 IM -1.11% -0.52% -0.59%
average -1.07% -0.25% -0.82%

 

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9 years ago

katie ledecky made the 400 free and 1500 free men’s USOT standards. when was the last time that happened if ever ?

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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