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What Happens if FINA Postpones the Fukuoka World Championships to 2023?

As reported today, FINA could be postponing the Fukuoka World Championships set for May of 2022 to July of 2023. If that is the case, what happens?

SwimSwam Editor-in-Cheif, Braden Keith, and I sat down to discuss what this would mean for the US and the rest of the world. While most other countries have another opportunity at a major LCM championship later in the summer, the US only has our summer nationals in Irvine in August. We talk through possible scenarios for the 2023-2024 international swimming calendar and how the athletes may react to them.

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WhoGoesHere
2 years ago

The original plan after WC ’73 and ’75 was, starting in ’78, they’d be every four years – evens between Olympics. Every two years that started in ’01 is excessive. With four year cycles for OG and WC, there’s a major international meet every other year.

Olympian
2 years ago

FINA is a joke!

Coach Dominic
2 years ago

It’s not about the host or the revenue angle. It’s from a health and safety perspective. With multi national visitors coming into the country, the quarantine protocol wi need to be adhered to. The risks of a outbreak is not worth the benefit. Please note the Masters world champs will follow on which is a much bigger population than the champs itself

Xman
2 years ago

Reminds me 2007 nationals with Phelps swimming backstroke and breaking the US open record.

Xman
Reply to  Xman
2 years ago

I just realized checking the results that it wasn’t how I remembered it.

Some of the top Americans went to The Paris open that year, including Peirsol and Bal.

Taa
2 years ago

Why doesn’t USA host a “worlds meet” after nationals in August? Texas or Florida or Irvine would surely allow it. Invite the top 25 finishers from USA and just about anyone else in the world who wants to show up. Do some relays and have some live entertainment more like a swim festival. Coleman can be the MC. Invite Shaq and Phelps and LOchte

Taa
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

Like I said invite everyone and whoever wants to come is welcome. Is Hungary and Russia and Brazil competing in those meets? The other option is to promote US nationals with some of these countries and get more foreign entries to come.

Admin
Reply to  Taa
2 years ago

Yes, Hungary and Russia are competing at the European Championships.

Brazil would be one of the few top-tier nations that might be looking for a meet, given their relative dominance of continental events. 4 or 8 or 12 years ago, South Africa might be in the same boat, but with the rise of Egypt and Ahmed Hafnaoui and a smattering of others, Africa is looking more competitive than it used to be (and South Africa is unlikely to fund their athletes to that meet anyway).

seton
2 years ago

I was thinking that you needed to do a pod right away so appreciate it. What would have been even better is if you had done it as a live chat on YouTube so that the fans could have chatted among themselves and with you as it was going on.

Distance Per Stroke
2 years ago

And then in 2023 they’ll push it to 2024, then in 2024 to 2025…. Forever. Just cancel world championships permanently at this point.

samulih
Reply to  Distance Per Stroke
2 years ago

what an ignorant comment, just read some of the facts and learn something in that head of yours

Ghost
2 years ago

Why do people think having worlds 6months apart is too close but they are all in at NCAAs? Please don’t tell me they aren’t in like Eddie separates those that have a shot from those that don’t? No way! And you have no problem talking about ISL and WC and SC Worlds and that isn’t a problem?

Also prize money won’t be the reason Katie or Caleb etc go or don’t go to Worlds. If it is their reason, then turn down the trip! You are representing the USA at the big meet!

I think the swimming community will survive this change. It isn’t ideal but moving the Olympics to another year wasn’t either!

Admin
Reply to  Ghost
2 years ago

NCAAs are 12 months apart.

Ghost
Reply to  Braden Keith
2 years ago

NCAAs to Triala

Samuel Huntington
Reply to  Ghost
2 years ago

For people like Katie and Caeleb, Worlds is a massive 8 day meet in a foreign country usually halfway around the world. That’s a lot to handle. Fukuoka and Doha and Paris B2B2B is intense.

i was right kalisz would win
Reply to  Samuel Huntington
2 years ago

And there are still trials which you should never take for granted

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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