SwimSwam’s First 2016 US Olympic Trials Contest Is Here

Step right up boys and girls, because this year, we will be hosting TWO (2) competitions for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.

While we all anxiously await the release of the psych sheets so that we can set up our famed Pick ‘Em Contest, we’re going to try something new for this year’s meet.

That is, the electronic iteration of every swim fan’s favorite game, “hey, what do you think he’s gonna go in this race?”

Fair warning, the same user, Mark Keaveney, won both the men’s and women’s NCAA Pick ‘Em Contests. So, if you think you’re going to get the top spot, you’re going to have to seriously bring it.

Read all of the rules below, then click here to enter!

The Breakdown

The contest is pretty simple. Each player will go through and predict the winning, runner-up, and 3rd-place time for each place in an event, regardless of the swimmer that ends up in those places. You may have a swimmer in mind who will take each of those places – great! Save it for Pick ‘Em. You may not know who’s going to win, but be pretty sure what time it’s going to take to win – also great! Use those intuitions here.

Then, for fun, at the end, we’ve picked out a few highlight races where you can guess what a specific swimmer’s time will be, regardless of their actual placing.

Note: Times can be entered in seconds and hundredths of seconds. So, if you think the winning time in the men’s 200 IM will be a 1:54.55, enter “114.55” not “1:54.55.” The latter entry will be rejected upon submission.

Need some hints on what times to choose? Search out our TYR World Swimming Rankings here to see what’s happened in the last few years.

The Scoring

The scoring is straight-forward. We’ll take the actual time for each placing (or swimmer in the case of the bonus questions), and figure out the absolute-value percentage of each player’s pick from those results. We’ll sum up those absolute value percentages (over or under doesn’t matter), and whoever was the closest average absolute value percentage wins! Time predictions are based on the final round, with no regard to any semi-finals, preliminary heats, or swim-offs.

This year – we’ll be tracking the scoring every night on a big board at SwimSwam’s official Omaha HQ – Local Beer, Patio, and Kitchen.

Prizes

For this contest, prizes will go to the top 3 overall finishers at the end of the 8-day meet.

The top 3 finishers overall will receive:

  1. A really awesome, contest-exclusive t-shirt (designed by yours truly) that includes a declaration of their final ranking
  2. A year-long subscription to SwimSwam Magazine

The Rules

As always, anyone can play, but you must meet these eligibility criteria to win a prize:

  1. Be 18 years of age
  2. Provide a real name and valid contact information
  3. Be a legal resident of the United States or Canada (prizes will only be mailed to these countries)
  4. Only submit one entry
  5. Winners accept responsibility for any and all taxes
  6. Winners accept responsibility for any impact on high school or college eiligibility

The entry deadline will be at 8AM on Sunday, June 26th (the first day of the meet).

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Alex Muni
7 years ago

It won’t let me type any name! Only the letter “e”. Help please 🙂

Alex Muni
Reply to  Braden Keith
7 years ago

Still nothing :/ it lets me put in like my name and phone number and stuff, but as soon as I start typing for the “400IM 1st Place” category, the only letter I get in is “e”. I tried on my phone like a week ago, it let me put in all the information, but when I went to submit, it told me that “I have to enter where I see * “.

Alex Muni
Reply to  Alex Muni
7 years ago

Meaning that I had to write in the required boxes (which I had done).

Alex Muni
Reply to  Braden Keith
7 years ago

Oh my gosh, I’m such a dingus. I understand now… Thank you Braden for your help!

Stephen
7 years ago

Your just after the placings at the US trials right?? Because let’s be honest here…they won’t be the placing at Rio …will they??? LOL

tea rex
7 years ago

Braden, Mel, SwimSpray, et al:
Please change your formula quick, before too many people enter. Your ranking formula seems to use addition/subtraction instead of multiplication/division.

If our guesses and the actual results are:
Braden – 50 free: 21.50 1500 Fr: 14:50.00
Tea Rex – 50 free: 24.00 1500 Fr: 14:45.00
Winner – 50 free: 21.60 1500 Fr: 14:40.00

I rank higher, even though your guesses are way closer than mine.

Could I suggest a different formula? http://swimswam.com/measuring-the-meaning-of-swimming-dominance/

Caleb
7 years ago

Do we predict the top 3 times in finals or the top 3 times through any round?

Quinn
7 years ago

How will it affect my eligibility

Pa swimmer
7 years ago

How can it affect high school or college eligibility?

Swimmer A
7 years ago

This is your reigning 8th place finisher in the women’s Pick’Em contest reminding you to bring it

Kool-Aid Man
7 years ago

OHHHHH YEAAAAAAAAA!!!!

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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