USA Swimming has filled out their roster with two additional names for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Meghan Small and PJ (Patrick) Ransford join the 6 swimmers announced earlier this week as USA Swimming, pending approval by the United States Olympic Committee, will now send the maximum 8 swimmers to the second edition of this event.
Full list of 8 invited swimmers.
- Hannah Moore (Unattached – North Carolina)
- Courtney Mykkanen (Irvine Novaquatics)
- Clara Smiddy (AquaKids Sharks)
- Patrick Conaton (Badger Swim Club)
- Patrick Mulcare (Tulatin Hills Swim Club)
- Justin Wright (Fresno Dolphins Swim Team)
- Meghan Small (York YMCA)
- PJ Ransford (PACK Swim Team of Pittsford)
Initially, USA Swimming announced fewer than the maximum amount allowed by FINA, citing a total roster maximum across all sports and missing final word from the USOC about how those spots will be allocated. We were unable to obtain information from either the USOC or USA Swimming about exactly how those spots are allocated.
Ransford’s addition to the roster is a bit of a peculiar one in terms of events. His best events are generally the distance freestyles, including a 14th place finish at the 2013 U.S. Open in the 1500 free and a 14th place finish in the 1650 free at Winter Nationals.
USA Swimming selected its roster based on Olympic events, which is not the same as being based on Youth Olympics events. The longest event on the Youth Olympics schedule, however, is the 800 free, so he won’t swim his best race. The good news, though, is that Ransford is also very good in the 800 (8:12) and 400 (3:59) freestyles, and if he pushes in prelims, could very well final in both.
Meanwhile, Small is yet another very good backstroker on the women’s roster (all four swimmers are especially good backstrokers), though she brings some versatility to the table as well. She has Senior Nationals cuts in every discipline of swimming, including a 2:01.65 in the 200 free, and a 2:14.15 in the 200 IM. She was 3rd in 2013 at long course Junior Nationals.
Small has also been a star of the YMCA National Championships. In 2014 at the yards meet, she was the runner-up in the 100 back, won the 200 free, 200 back, 200 IM, and grabbed several relay medals as well. Her wins in the 200 IM and 200 back were both YMCA National Records.
The U.S. will now be able to field all-male and all-female relays, in addition to co-ed relays in Nanjing. The swimming portion of the meet run from August 17th-22nd at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre.
I do think they should am end the selection process here. Certainly it should be based upon rankings in YOUTH Olympic events. Also, to avoid having all back strokers they should choose the highest ranked swimmer in each event, but after they have chosen the highest ranked person in an event that event should be disqualified for further selection and they should choose the highest ranked person in a DIFFERENT event. I mean, with only 4 males/females, if you want to do well you need to choose people with a variety of specialties!
Some of these swimmers could likely perform well in those multiple events, say, for a medley relay. I know Meghan Small has been 1:02 or 1:03 relay start/flat start in 100 yard Breaststroke. She could also probably go 54 or better in 100 fly, and she’s been 22.6/22.8 and 48.8 on relay starts in 50/100 yard free relay splits. You could probably put her in any leg of a relay and do her part.
So no caeleb dressel. Hope he makes the senior pan pacs roster. I’d think he would need to go sub 48.5 for a relay spot. He could also target Santanas junior world record.
I think at Youth or Pan Time the record will be a sub-48.. by one of them..
It seems China and Russia are the strongest teams.. with Aus Bra and USA after them based on the rosters.. If I am not incorrect..