Four different meets will be used as the selectors for the 2013-2014 USA Swimming National Team this summer, owing to all of the different commitments that athletes will undertake and the need to balance national team benefits and aspirations with different racing schedules.
Just like they did last year, the meet will include the major summer international championship (the World Championships this year) and both US National Championship meets (Worlds Trials and the U.S. Open in late July). This year, the World University Games have been added, as those fall just after the World Championship Trials. Anybody who qualifies for the World Championship team will not swim on the World University Games team.
Times from Prelims, Semi-Finals, and Finals (A, B, and C) will be used, while Relay lead offs, time trials, swim-offs, and intermediate splits (aka, the first 200 in a 400) will not be.
The four meets available for qualifying are:
- World Championship Trials (June 25-29, Indianapolis, IN)
- World University Games (July 6-17, Kazaan, Russia)
- FINA World Aquatics Championships (July 28-August 4, Barcelona, Spain)
- U.S. Open Championships (July 30-August 3, Irvine, CA)
For the Junior National Team, the World Junior Championship Team members will make up the first round of swimmers. After that, the top 6 athletes in Olympic Events from all USA Swimming or FINA sanctioned meets. Times from “approved meets” or “observed swims” will not count, so they have to be full-blown sanctioned. The cutoff time on the USA Swimming times database will be as of September 2, 2013 at 8AM Mountain Time.
Again, no time trials, relay swims, or intermediate splits are considered. Athletes must be 18 & under as of September 2, 2013 (regardless of University status), and must be eligible to represent the U.S. in International Competition (so swimmers like Dylan Carter from Davie, with dual citizenship, wouldn’t be eligible for this team).
Both teams will be announced on September 2nd.
Why would they not use World Jr Champs as a qualifying meet for the National Team? We saw some outstanding swimmers (like Leah Smith) last year at Jr Pan Pacs that were left off the national team. If you’re going to include US Open, why wouldn’t you include the meet where your athletes perform with the American flag on their cap?
Colorado Springs leaders continue to forget about the 18 & under grassroots performers.
Or other meets?? There may come a time where a swimmer/team cannot afford to travel to any of those three meets and there option is a sectional championship, LSC championship or happen to live where there is a grand prix going on. How about outreach?
If it is indeed just those three, I rescind my statement earlier.
I don’t understand the selection process for the World Jr team. Do they have to qualify at World Champ Trials, US Open, or both? Can any a 18 and under make the Jr National team at any USA Sanctioned meet? Confused
Does anyone know if USA Swimming has announced what meet(s) they are using as the selector(s) for the World Junior Championship Team?
SWAMMER – it’s not on the website yet under “Selection Criteria,” but we’ll ask around.
WCT, US Open and Juniors
This is good to see. Glad to see they are not limiting JR NT kids to just two meets!