USA Swimming has released its time standards for the 2025 US National Championships, which is expected to serve as the qualifying meet for the 2025 World Championships Team.
2025 US Swimming National Championships Time Standards
| Women | Men | |||
| SCY | LCM | Event | LCM | SCY |
| 22.19 | 25.69 | 50 Free | 22.69 | 19.39 |
| 48.49 | 55.89 | 100 Free | 49.69 | 42.49 |
| 1:44.99 | 2:01.19 | 200 Free | 1:49.89 | 1:33.69 |
| 4:41.99 | 4:16.89 | 400/500 Free | 3:55.59 | 4:17.19 |
| 9:48.09 | 8:46.79 | 800/1000 Free | 8:07.59 | 9:01.09 |
| 16:12.59 | 16:49.19 | 1500/1650 Free | 15:37.69 | 14:57.19 |
| 52.39 | 1:02.19 | 100 Back | 55.69 | 46.19 |
| 1:54.09 | 2:14.59 | 200 Back | 2:02.09 | 1:41.69 |
| 59.99 | 1:10.29 | 100 Breast | 1:02.09 | 52.49 |
| 2:10.39 | 2:32.39 | 200 Breast | 2:16.09 | 1:54.59 |
| 52.19 | 1:00.19 | 100 Fly | 53.49 | 45.99 |
| 1:56.09 | 2:14.59 | 200 Fly | 2:00.89 | 1:43.39 |
| 1:57.09 | 2:16.89 | 200 IM | 2:02.89 | 1:43.89 |
| 4:11.39 | 4:51.79 | 400 IM | 4:24.69 | 3:45.49 |
Across the board, the time standards were generally faster than those for the 2023 US National Championships, which was the last World Championships selection meet for the US. This was especially noticeable on the men’s side, where the LCM time standards got faster in every event except the 200 butterfly. On the women’s side, the time standards only got faster in 5 of the 14 events: the 50 free, 200 free, 800 free, 100 breast, and 100 fly. A majority of the women’s time standards either stayed the exact same or got slower by only a few tenths of a second.
Women’s Time Standard Comparison: 2025 v. 2023 US Swimming Nationals
| Event | 2025 US Nationals | 2023 US Nationals |
Percent Difference (%)
|
| 50 Free* | 25.69 | 25.79 | -0.39 |
| 100 Free | 55.89 | 55.89 | 0 |
| 200 Free* | 2:01.19 | 2:01.29 | -0.08 |
| 400/500 Free | 4:16.89 | 4:16.09 | 0.31 |
| 800/1000 Free* | 8:46.79 | 8:48.09 | -0.15 |
| 1500/1650 Free | 16:49.19 | 16:49.19 | 0 |
| 100 Back | 1:02.19 | 1:02.09 | 0.16 |
| 200 Back | 2:14.59 | 2:14.19 | 0.3 |
| 100 Breast* | 1:10.29 | 1:10.39 | -0.14 |
| 200 Breast | 2:32.39 | 2:32.39 | 0 |
| 100 Fly* | 1:00.19 | 1:00.39 | -0.33 |
| 200 Fly | 2:14.59 | 2:14.19 | 0.3 |
| 200 IM | 2:16.89 | 2:16.59 | 0.22 |
| 400 IM | 4:51.79 | 4:50.79 | 0.34 |
Men’s Time Standard Comparison: 2025 v. 2023 US Swimming Nationals
| Event | 2025 US Nationals | 2023 US Nationals |
Percent Difference (%)
|
| 50 Free* | 22.69 | 22.79 | -0.44 |
| 100 Free* | 49.69 | 49.89 | -0.4 |
| 200 Free* | 1:49.89 | 1:50.09 | -0.18 |
| 400/500 Free* | 3:55.59 | 3:55.79 | -0.08 |
| 800/1000 Free* | 8:07.59 | 8:12.99 | -1.1 |
| 1500/1650 Free* | 15:37.69 | 15:44.89 | -0.76 |
| 100 Back* | 55.69 | 55.89 | -0.36 |
| 200 Back* | 2:02.09 | 2:02.39 | -0.25 |
| 100 Breast* | 1:02.09 | 1:02.49 | -0.64 |
| 200 Breast* | 2:16.09 | 2:16.29 | -0.15 |
| 100 Fly* | 53.49 | 53.69 | -0.37 |
| 200 Fly | 2:00.89 | 2:00.79 | 0.08 |
| 200 IM* | 2:02.89 | 2:03.49 | -0.49 |
| 400 IM* | 4:24.69 | 4:25.79 | -0.42 |
*denotes time standard got faster
On the women’s side, the largest percent difference came in the 50 freestyle, where the time drop from 25.79 to 25.69 equated to a -.39% difference. Along those same lines, the women’s 400 IM saw the largest gain through percent difference, with a +.34% value as the time went from 4:50.79 in 2023 to 4:51.79 in 2025. The men’s events saw a much sharper change across the board, with the 800 freestyle seeing a drastic -1.1% difference between 2023 and 2025, going from 8:12.99 in 2023 to 8:07.59 in 2025. Likewise, the 1500 freestyle also saw a big -.76% difference, with the time jumping from 15:44.89 in 2023 to 15:37.69 in 2025.
The 2025 USA Swimming National Championships will take place at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana from June 3-7, 2025. It is expected to serve as the qualifier for the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, with the swimming portion of that event occurring on July 27 until August 3, 2025.
Time to tap in 🫡
This is VERY interesting to see this for the National Championships!
Wait until everyone sees the comparison for the Summer Juniors and Winter Juniors for Women!!! Most cuts got slower!
Most interesting piece to me is for the women the 800 is faster at the National level, but was considerably slowed at the Summer Junior level.
Too fast for MA
Not sure what this means given that he’s been under these standards in most of these events?
Cries in needing to drop 15 more seconds in the 200 breast after working all summer to start pacing 31sPretty much the Trial cuts / NCAA Div 1 invited times from this past year. As it should be.
Knowing that USA swimming membership is down and the cuts are getting faster, does that mean that there are still a noticeable amount elite group of swimmers that is growing?
The top will always remain and get faster. Problem with membership is everyone else.
1. Getting kids under 12 to sign up droves – there was a steep reduction in girls signing up post covid. Boys ironically increased slightly. Sadly due to COVID there was a big gap in kids learning to swim by typical age milestones.
2. Hanging onto the kids into 13-14 and senior level that at best make zones sectionals – and also the kids that don’t.
3. Always an issue is integrating kids who started swimming for their high school teams and have a hard time at club teams when stamina and endurance might place them in a lane with 12 year olds.
These are really, really good points.
So I have a question about this. I’m aware of membership being down across the country but are there zones where despite the downtick overall is still growing in another area or no? Like one club is has less where as another is actually growing?
There are parts of the country that are out of usable pool space. Hard to grow with no water. We have a wait list year after year after year.
Well, it cost money to do 50 meter pools back east because of the snow in winter time. You have to have the pool in a building.
Where is your club located?
Love the cuts. The way it should be.
That is fast ladies and gents