USA Swimming has finalized the time standards for the first two stops of the 2020-2021 Pro Swim Series, which is scheduled to kick off on November 5th in Richmond, Virginia.
The meets, which will both feature evening prelims sessions and morning finals sessions to mimic the Tokyo Olympic Schedule, will be bound by the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials time standards.
These standards are considerably faster than the ones that were used to open last year’s Pro Swim Series meet in Greensboro. Those cuts were an expansion of even tougher cuts to start the prior season, which were then expanded due to low athlete attendance at the meets.
The new standards for this year’s opening meets are the fastest in the history of the PSS by a pretty significant margin (Knoxville in 2018 previously held that title).
These tougher standards position the Pro Swim Series as preparation events for the U.S. Olympic Trials. This year, the meets will be much less about “development” and much more about “making sure that the United States’ future Olympians have elite racing opportunities between now and Tokyo.”
By limiting the size of these meets, USA Swimming will also limit the number of athletes who have to travel to compete in them. Placing the first two meets on back-to-back weekends on opposite ends of the country should further limit the size, as that will mitigate the need for athletes to travel (or at least travel by plane) cross country to get to the meet.
Even further limitations could result if the International Swimming League is successful in launching its training-camp second season and is likewise able to persuade Americans to participate. That could pull a number of the country’s top swimmers away from the early Pro Swim Series stops.
In short: the expectations is that this year’s meets will be much smaller than last year’s were.
Both meets will be capped at ‘approximately 400 swimmers.’ By comparison, last year’s Greensboro meet was capped at ‘approximately 450 swimmers.’
USA Swimming has canceled the 14-16 targeted regional events that it had initially proposed for August. Those events will not be rescheduled.
Meet Info:
Richmond Pro Swim Series
- November 5-8, 2020 (Thursday-Sunday)
- Entry Deadline: October 27, or when entry cap is reached
- Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Richmond, Virginia
- Full Meet Info Document (PDF)
Irvine Pro Swim Series
- November 12-15, 2020
- Entry Deadline: November 3, 2020
- Woollett Aquatic Center, Irvine, California
- Full Meet Info Document (PDF)
Time Standards for 2020 Pro Swim Series Stops in Richmond, Virginia and Irvine, California
| Men’s Cut Time (SCY) | Men’s Cut Time (LCM) | Event | Women’s Cut Time (LCM) |
Women’s Cut Time (SCY)
|
| 19.79 | 23.19 | 50 Free | 25.99 | 22.29 |
| 43.09 | 50.49 | 100 Free | 56.29 | 48.89 |
| 1:35.59 | 1:50.79 | 200 Free | 2:01.69 | 1:45.89 |
| 4:19.39 | 3:57.29 | 400 Free | 4:16.89 | 4:43.79 |
| 9:04.99 | 8:12.99 | 800 Free | 8:48.09 | 9:48.09 |
| 15:10.09 | 15:44.89 | 1500 Free | 16:49.19 | 16:18.09 |
| 46.79 | 56.59 | 100 Back | 1:02.69 | 53.29 |
| 1:44.79 | 2:02.99 | 200 Back | 2:14.69 | 1:55.39 |
| 53.39 | 1:03.29 | 100 Breast | 1:10.99 | 1:00.69 |
| 1L58.29 | 2:17.89 | 200 Breast | 2:33.29 | 2:11.69 |
| 47.29 | 54.19 | 100 Fly | 1:00.69 | 52.99 |
| 1:45.09 | 2:01.19 | 200 Fly | 2:14.59 | 1:57.79 |
| 1:45.19 | 2:04.09 | 200 IM | 2:17.39 | 1:58.29 |
| 3:46.99 | 4:25.99 | 400 IM | 4:51.79 | 4:12.09 |
Bonus Standards
Comparison to Last Year’s Standards
| 2019 Greensboro Standards | 2020-2021 Men’s Cut Time (LCM) | Event (LCM) | 2020-2021 Women’s Cut Time (LCM) |
2019 Greensboro Standards
|
| 24.29 | 23.19 | 50 Free | 25.99 | 26.89 |
| 52.89 | 50.49 | 100 Free | 56.29 | 58.19 |
| 1:55.69 | 1:50.79 | 200 Free | 2:01.69 | 2:04.99 |
| 4:05.29 | 3:57.29 | 400 Free | 4:16.89 | 4:23.79 |
| 8:33.79 | 8:12.99 | 800 Free | 8:48.09 | 9:03.49 |
| 16:14.99 | 15:44.89 | 1500 Free | 16:49.19 | 17:20.49 |
| 58.89 | 56.59 | 100 Back | 1:02.69 | 1:05.19 |
| 2:08.99 | 2:02.99 | 200 Back | 2:14.69 | 2:20.39 |
| 1:06.99 | 1:03.29 | 100 Breast | 1:10.99 | 1:13.79 |
| 2:25.79 | 2:17.89 | 200 Breast | 2:33.29 | 2:39.09 |
| 57.09 | 54.19 | 100 Fly | 1:00.69 | 1:02.99 |
| 2:07.69 | 2:01.19 | 200 Fly | 2:14.59 | 2:18.99 |
| 2:09.79 | 2:04.09 | 200 IM | 2:17.39 | 2:22.09 |
| 4:37.29 | 4:25.99 | 400 IM | 4:51.79 | 5:00.99 |
| 2019 Greensboro Standards | 2020-2021 Men’s Cut Time (SCY) | Event (SCY) | 2020-2021 Women’s Cut Time (SCY) |
2019 Greensboro Standards
|
| 20.79 | 19.79 | 50 Free | 22.29 | 23.39 |
| 45.39 | 43.09 | 100 Free | 48.89 | 50.69 |
| 1:39.39 | 1:35.59 | 200 Free | 1:45.89 | 1:49.29 |
| 4:30.49 | 4:19.39 | 400 Free | 4:43.79 | 4:53.09 |
| 9:25.49 | 9:04.99 | 800 Free | 9:48.09 | 10:03.59 |
| 15:46.99 | 15:10.09 | 1500 Free | 16:18.09 | 16:46.19 |
| 49.99 | 46.79 | 100 Back | 53.29 | 55.79 |
| 1:49.99 | 1:44.79 | 200 Back | 1:55.39 | 2:00.99 |
| 56.99 | 53.39 | 100 Breast | 1:00.69 | 1:03.19 |
| 2:04.59 | 1L58.29 | 200 Breast | 2:11.69 | 2:18.79 |
| 49.59 | 47.29 | 100 Fly | 52.99 | 55.39 |
| 1:51.59 | 1:45.09 | 200 Fly | 1:57.79 | 2:02.09 |
| 1:50.79 | 1:45.19 | 200 IM | 1:58.29 | 2:02.69 |
| 3:59.09 | 3:46.99 | 400 IM | 4:12.09 | 4:22.39 |
with no Long Course meets this year the Pro Series was going to be the chance for the people just under the OT cuts to get a time, now they have taken that away
See my name.
Sucks. The kids get the short end again. Years of hard work and dreams crushed by Covid And now by USA swimming tenfold. Call it practice trials since same time standards. NoW no meets to get cuts. Thanks again USA swimming- for not showing your support for High school swimmer with goals.
This is a ridiculous statement. You do realize that there is a pandemic going on, right? And they are limited with numbers (if the meets even take place). There will be high school swimmers trying to make the Olympic team next summer. I don’t see the meet information forbidding those high school qualifiers “with goals” from attending.
It is a difficult situation from all sides. Everyone is looking for places to race in the fall. Honestly, how big will a meet be allowed to be in November. Officials, timers, coaches, and meet volunteers already take up quite a few numbers at meets. I am sure we can minimize staff, but honestly, 75 kids in a session will be a win. Think about it. 75 kids, 35 coaches (guess), 6-10 officials, 16-20 timers, 15 to 20 other facility and meet staff. Thats already 150 people at a Pro Series session, and thats with zero spectators. The only other way is to go timed finals with several flights to accommodate more swimmers. However, will traveling be ok in November?… Read more »
think in the “comparison to last year’s standards” LCM section you’re showing the 2019 Greensboro Standards for the women on both the men’s and women’s side. just a heads up!
These meets will be empty….. kinda sucks. Lots of kids havent swum for a long time, and have to do these times in 2-3 months (the ones that were close 6 months ago)
Anyone else read the title and think “wow, they really made the trials cuts slower?” (I read it as set AS Olympic trials cuts)
as the coach of a swimmer who missed two chances to make the trials cut in March due to COVID… screw this. Is USA-S gonna provide new opportunities for those kids on the edge? We now have plane tickets that need to be rescheduled. Was planning on booking for Richmond. Already hard enough to stay motivated.
Right there with you. Kids who had qualifying opportunities shut down by COVID are getting hosed.