USA Swimming Reintroduces Yards Standards for 2014 Pan Pacs/Worlds Trials

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 14

September 18th, 2013 National, News

USA Swimming has given a sneak-peak of the 2014 National Championships time standards via Twitter, and the most surprising revelation is that they’ll be once again allowing yards qualifying times for the big summer championship meet: something they’d gone away from in recent years to cut down on the number of both the total qualifiers and specifically the number of swimmers who push had through short course season, get their cuts, and then coast into a long course championship meet.

There were no short course standards for either the 2013 World Championship Trials or the 2012 Olympic Trials.

This is not to say that the meet will be any easier to qualify for than last year’s World Championship Trials, though. The number of swimmers under the meters cuts are surprisingly similar to the number under the yards cuts. For example, in the 2013 season, 66 Americans were 23.19 or better in the 50 meter free, and by our count, 66 Americans were 19.99 or better in the 50 yard free. 68 women were under the 200 meter back time standard, and 68 were under the 200 yard back time standard (it’s almost like they planned it that way).

The qualification period has also gotten significantly shorter. It began on June 25th, 2013, which means as of the first day of the 2013 World Championship Trials for the Americans. That means that they will have had one short course and one-and-a-half long course seasons to hit qualifying times.

Generally speaking, these standards are a hair faster (about two-tenths) than the World Championship Trials, which already had fairly paltry attendance numbers.

The 2014 National Championships will serve as a selection meet for several events, including the 2014 Short Course World Championships, the 2015 World University Games, and the 2015 World Championships. With no U.S. Open next year, expect full participation either at Nationals from August 6th-10th in Irvine and/or at Junior Nationals from July 30th-August 3rd, also in Irvine.

Women Men
SCY LCM LCM SCY
22.59 26.09 50 free 23.19 19.99
49.29 56.69 100 free 50.89 43.59
1:46.89 2:02.49 200 free 1:51.89 1:36.49
4:45.99* 4:17.39 400 free 3:58.69 4:21.29*
9:54.79* 8:49.49 800 free 8:15.49 9:09.49*
16:25.19* 16:52.99 1500 free 15:49.39 15:18.89*
53.89 1:03.29 100 back 57.19 47.39
1:56.79 2:16.59 200 back 2:04.39 1:45.89
1:01.49 1:11.59 100 breast 1:04.09 54.09
2:13.29 2:35.09 200 breast 2:19.49 1:58.59
53.49 1:01.19 100 fly 54.79 47.79
1:58.89 2:15.59 200 fly 2:02.79 1:46.09
1:59.39 2:18.69 200 IM 2:05.49 1:46.19
4:14.69 4:53.39 400 IM 4:28.89 3:48.79
3:53.69 400 free relay 3:29.29
8:22.19 800 free relay 7:42.79
4:18.29 400 medley relay 3:50.09
*500, 1000, and 1650 yard freestyle qualifying times substitute for meters equivalents

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WHOKNOWS
10 years ago

Bad move to include yard times… A lot of out of shape short course swimmers will be attending the meet. Fast times in February and March, take time off in the spring with little or no training… get back in the water after finals…. not conducive to fast swimming… But what the heck! they get a trip to nationals to spend time with their friends!

Swimparent
Reply to  WHOKNOWS
10 years ago

Really?? In over a decade of following swimming, I have never seen a swimmer worth his/her weight in salt qualify for a big event and then slack off on training. Swimmers who meet such standards (yes, even SCY ones like those listed) are not your splashing-in-the-backyard-pool kind of swimmer. You don’t get to that level without seriousness about your sport. No serious swimmer would qualify and then slack off and no serious coach would ever allow it to happen.

WHOKNOWS
Reply to  Swimparent
10 years ago

It has happened all the time among those who just make the yard standard. 2004 at the Olympic Trials was the first time USA Swimming permitted only LCM times for qualification.

coach
Reply to  Swimparent
10 years ago

Swim Parent- maybe you are speaking from an age group perspective, but it is not uncommon for some out of shape college kids to try to start re-training in June when school gets out. There were some ugly swims at World Champ Trials in June from some of these athletes. Just look at the results.

DutchWomen
Reply to  coach
10 years ago

That is on the college coach then….any coach worth his/her salt will “require” his/her athletes to train all spring in preparation for the summer meet. Not willing to train all spring? No problem, but we aren’t going to pay for you to go the meet and represent the college then either. You can pay your own way and represent the club team.

To the anti yard time people….when do you suggest the college crowd get their cuts? Let us assume you have a female sprinter coming in 26.2 and 57.0, times that were achieved at the US Open this past summer….Fast, but not quite 2014 National Cuts. Without a yard standard she would have to shave/taper/suit for a summer… Read more »

ATLSWIM
10 years ago

just to clarify: there is no World University Championship in 2014. It’s a bi-annual event held in the odd years. Next Summer Universiade is in Gwangju 2015.

ATLSWIM
Reply to  Braden Keith
10 years ago

Thanks, Braden. It is still stated wrong in the post above though, that’s why I wanted to clarify:
“The 2014 National Championships will serve as a selection meet for several events, including the 2014 World University Games, …..”

gooby
10 years ago

wow, those breast stroke times are pretty uneven. 2:19 seems like it would be more around a 2:02, do they want to make it harder for people to qualify in short course or something?

Gooby
Reply to  Braden Keith
10 years ago

Ok that makes sense, thanks.

DutchWomen
10 years ago

Although I can’t say I am excited about the “Girls” and “Boys” standards….I thought only Men and Women swam at US Nationals?

DutchWomen
10 years ago

This is good news for USA Swimming. It is very hard for the college crowd to find a LCM meet during the year and this will allow them to use conference and/or NCAA times.

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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