According to the University of Georgia student newspaper, The Red and Black, the Litherland triplets, Jay, Kevin, and Mick, will compete to represent two different countries on the world stage at this summer’s Olympics.
The brothers were born in Japan; their father is a New Zealand native, while their mother is Japanese. They received their American citizenship while in high school and competing for Dynamo Swim Club. The triplets’ triple citizenship puts them in a unique position where they can choose for which country’s team they will compete for a spot.
However, World University Games gold medalist Jay Litherland, who has the most extensive swimming resume of the three, is a member of USA Swimming’s National Team. Now that he has represented the U.S. nationally, he can’t represent New Zealand or Japan internationally. He will compete at U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Omaha this summer.
Kevin Litherland and Mick Litherland, according to The Red and Black, have decided to try for the New Zealand team, where the competition is much less crowded than it is in Japan. Because Swimming New Zealand will allow Olympic qualification at Canadian Olympic Trials (to allow for more convenient qualification for NCAA swimmers like the Litherlands), the duo will vie for New Zealand’s Olympic spots April 5-10 in Toronto.
Currently, Jay sits at the U.S.’s third seed in the 400 IM going into U.S. Olympic Trials with his 4:12.43 from the 2015 World University Games. Tyler Clary and Chase Kalisz are the top seeds with their times from 2014 Pan Pacs, 4:09.03 and 4:09.62, respectively. However, Jay hasn’t touched that time in the 2015-2016 season (presumably because he’s been focusing on short course for Georgia), and Ryan Lochte (who went a 4th-fastest in the world 4:12.66 in Austin), Kalisz, Josh Prenot, Clary, and Sean Grieshop are all ahead of him in the world rankings. Jay has also qualified to swim the 400 free (ranked 51st), 200 back (ranked 34th), and 200 IM (ranked 25th) in Omaha.
Meanwhile, with his times from January to December 2015, Kevin sits third in the New Zealand LCM rankings in the 200 free (1:49.96), fourth in the 400 free (3:51.14), second in the 800 free (7:59.50), second in the 1500 free (15:23.70), and fifth in the 400 IM (4:32.11). Mick is first in the 200 fly (1:57.72), fourth in the 100 fly (54.51), third in the 400 IM (4:22.34), and eighth in the 400 free (3:59.30).
In order to make New Zealand’s team in an individual event, Kevin and Mick will have to make a FINA ‘A’ cut and clock one of the top two times out of New Zealand’s swimmers at the country’s qualifying meets. Kevin less than a second off the mark in the 200 free, and Mick only needs to drop a second in the 200 fly.
Going into NCAAs this week, SEC 400 IM champion Jay is the top seed in his signature event with 3:38.68, Kevin sits 13th in the 500 free (4:15.10), and Mick is 24th in the 200 fly (1:43.35).
Bobo has lost it.
Gina = Trump = crazy dumb no brain stark-raving mad person
99% of her posts are not about swimming.
What do you do on swimswam?
Go on Fox News website. You will meet people as crazy as yourself.
I think you need to worry about your Belgian neighbours . Trump even singled out Brussels in January as a dangerous unstable place.
Trump will be great for Europe – you will be forced to fight your own wars . Bon Chance !
What I’m curious about is, how are the two brothers going to even represent NZ? As per the FINA Rules – Change of Sport Nationality, Doc.3 ‘the athlete must have resided in the country at least twelve (12) months prior to his first representation for the new National Federation. As far as I know, two of the Litherlands are not residing in NZ? If they qualify for the Olympics, the should have been living in NZ since at least August of 2015. Have they done this?
Or as per GR2.6 ‘..must have resided in the territory of and been under the jurisdiction of the latter for at least 12months….’
Is there something about where ‘he/she can be found… Read more »
Paul T – if you don’t ever represent one country, then there’s no CHANGE of sporting citizenship. I could be mistaken, but I believe Jay is the only one to represent the country internationally thus far.
Eddie you are correct if you become a US citizen through naturalization you are suppose to renounce all other alliances to other countries. But the reality is countries don’t really have a check and balance so as long as your willing to pay your $100 to renew your passport you can still remain a citizen of your original country or your parents. For many people it goes beyond athletics but the opportunities to work/live abroad with much ease.
When the taxman cometh….USA takes priority no matter where a US citizen lives . So the triplets will be in line to fund the (103.4 % debt to gdp) 19trillion plus the 80 trillion in unfunded liabilities . Just when they pay them off then Japan will require a top up of their citizen funded 205% debt to GDP .
NZ has only a 30% debt to GDP but currently an innocent victim of anti Russia sanctions & russian anti import from said mean sanctioneers. This has massively depressed dairy prices worldwide but there is some hope in supplying the expected baby boom in China. They just need to hook those babies onto ice cream after the formulae. No society… Read more »
I must not understand US citizenship as I thought. Birthright in two countries makes sense, but I thought if you *applied* for US Citizenship you had to renounce all other citizenships. Or is this just something where NZ can say, “nah, they’re still kiwi”
I think it’s a specific case for each country depending on the relationship with the US. I had dual citizenship with the US and another country (that has great relations with the US), but because of mandatory national service with the other country, had to pick one. I believe the conflict in my case was doing service for the other country while also pledging allegiance to the flag of the USA, although that explanation might just be anecdotal.
Bizarre.
Looks like Jay will have the toughest time qualifying, which is weird.