Pennsylvania has postponed the second of its high school state swimming & diving meets, the next in a wave of events upended by the novel 2019 coronavirus.
Pennsylvania’s PIAA is in the midst of its 3A state meets, for the state’s bigger high schools. That two-day meet was explosive on day 1, with a national high school record 19.24 in the 50 free from Matt Brownstead and a 1:43.98 IM from Rick Mihm, among many other great swims. That meet is set to continue today with the remainder of the meet lineup.
However, the 2A meet, for the state’s smaller schools, was supposed to run on Friday and Saturday (March 13-14). According to the PIAA on Twitter, that meet will be postponed, with no make-up date yet set:
#piaaswimming The PIAA 2A Swimming and Diving Championships have been postponed. Further information will be provided as we continue to monitor CDC and PA Department of Health Regulations.
— PIAA (@PIAASports) March 12, 2020
Local reporter Diana Pugliese has tweeted that the 2A meet could be held in two weeks, depending on how the coronavirus outbreak develops.
The hope is to hold the 2A #PIAASwimming championships in 2 weeks, but with the #coronavirus, you never know. Bucknell’s campus is already shut down. https://t.co/8RvWEgh8Nq
— Diana Pugliese (@dianapugs) March 12, 2020
Both the 2A and 3A meets were being held Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. As of this morning, Bucknell has recalled all students on study abroad programs and canceled classes for next week, moving academic programs online while instructing students to move out of on-campus housing within the next week, except for those who fill out a petition for special circumstances. The school’s conference the Patriot League, has already suspended all athletics practices and competitions.
The outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus, which originated in China, has caused a flood of cancellations of athletic events over concerns that large groups of people could aid the spread of the virus and its associated illness, COVID-19.
According to the CDC, Pennsylvania currently has 19 reported cases of COVID-19, but the larger cities of the east coast have been hit especially hard, with 173 cases in New York and 15 more in New Jersey.
Question: Do you support making an already completed prelim session a timed final 3hrs after it’s over and 5 hours before the final session was suppose to begin, with no prior warning that could happen?
I’m a junior in pa AA and we found out by the security guards as we were coming to check-in and warmup. It was absolutely heartbreaking and I was suppose to swim 4 events. The whole way we found out was horrible and really upsetting. I just hope they hold this meet in two weeks.
My son was slated to swim in three relays in the boys 2A this weekend. He is disappointed, but he’s only a junior. I feel bad for the seniors, especially if they decide to not have it at all
There were teams literally traveling TO the State meet, that coaches had to tell their kids that there will be no State meet, and they had to turn around and go back home. How crushing is that for the kids…who probably don’t understand the higher importance of why this is all happening. But even still, it’s sad for them.
So I’m confused…AAA finals are cancelled and not postponed?
PIAA has had some really unfortunate luck in the past 4 years. Timed finals one year because of the snow, and now this. 2020 grads are getting a real short end of the stick
At least they told the teams ahead of time the prelims would be timed finals before the meet. How do you run day 1 with prelims and finals, and tell the kids after day 2 prelims completed not only will there be no finals but those will be the final results?
Should just cancel it.
The team race is too close to call and so many swimmers have a lot left in the tank after morning prelims because they secured a second swim. Canceling it would do injustice to the coaches and swimmers who have worked hard to get where they are.
Doesnt matter. Indefinitely postponing it does no one favors, especially in a sport like swimming where timing for taper really matters. Just cancel it and be done with it. Its high school swimming, not the end of the world.
Coming from a former PA swimmer, what upsetting news. At least hold the meets without spectators – from what I understand, COVID-19 cannot be sustained in chlorinated water. Let the swimmers finish off their high school season! Delaying it for maybe another two weeks really messes with a taper that’s already there.
I don’t get why people keep saying this. COVID-19 is spread in the air. There’s a reason the biggest sport federations in the world are suspending their season full stop. If anyone, they’re the ones in contact with the real professionals.
Why risk it and run non-essential meets/events?