FINA has released an updated version of the countries qualified to swim in each relay at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with two nations in both the women’s 4×200 free and 4×100 medley dropping the event and thus bringing in two new squads.
The women’s 4×200 free relay will now feature both Turkey and South Africa, with Israel and Denmark dropping the event.
Israel and Denmark were qualified to swim via the second and fourth wild card slots, with Denmark’s spot only opening after earlier withdrawals from both Poland (#9 auto qualifier) and Great Britain (#1 wild card qualifier). The Polish team withdrew from the event after failing to have all four of its swimmers achieve the FINA ‘B’ cut.
Turkey and South Africa were originally four and five spots away from swimming the race in Tokyo at the end of the qualifying period, but the previous four withdrawals, along with the Belgians opting not to contest it (they were ranked one spot ahead of Turkey), brings both in.
Olympic Teams – Women’s 4×200 Free Relay
| Nation | ||
| 1 | 2019 Worlds | Australia |
| 2 | 2019 Worlds | USA |
| 3 | 2019 Worlds | Russia |
| 4 | 2019 Worlds | China |
| 5 | 2019 Worlds | Germany |
| 6 | 2019 Worlds | Canada |
| 7 | 2019 Worlds | Hungary |
| 8 | 2019 Worlds | Japan |
| 9 | 2019 Worlds | New Zealand |
| 10 | 2019 Worlds | Hong Kong |
| 11 | 2019 Worlds | Korea |
| 12 | 2019 Worlds | Italy |
| 13 | Wild Card | France |
| 14 | Wild Card | Brazil |
| 15 | Wild Card | Turkey |
| 16 | Wild Card | South Africa |
In the women’s 4×100 medley relay, Switzerland (11th auto spot) and Finland (second Wildcard spot) have dropped the event, bringing in Denmark and Spain.
Olympic Teams – Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay
| Nation | ||
| 1 | 2019 Worlds | USA |
| 2 | 2019 Worlds | Australia |
| 3 | 2019 Worlds | Italy |
| 4 | 2019 Worlds | Canada |
| 5 | 2019 Worlds | China |
| 6 | 2019 Worlds | Sweden |
| 7 | 2019 Worlds | Great Britain |
| 8 | 2019 Worlds | Japan |
| 9 | 2019 Worlds | Germany |
| 10 | 2019 Worlds | Netherlands |
| 11 | 2019 Worlds | Russia |
| 12 | Wild Card | Belarus |
| 13 | Wild Card | Hong Kong |
| 14 | Wild Card | South Africa |
| 15 | Wild Card | Denmark |
| 16 | Wild Card | Spain |
The other five relays all remain unchanged from the previous list of qualified teams, which you can find here.
Wow. No one wants ot swim relays at the Olympics?
I still interoperate the FINA selection criteria for relays as the swimmers that have to have the B cut referring to the additional relay swimmers as those NOT part of the main 4 swimmers need for the relay to compete.