This morning at the Phoenix International Invite (also known as the long-course kickoff intrasquad meet at the Phoenix Swim Club), South African Roland Schoeman swam a 22.06 in the 50 free. Though against limited competition, he was actually faster than he was at South African Trials last week, and moved to a tie for 16th-best in the world this year.
More importantly, this is a second FINA Automatic Qualifying Time for him in the race, which is the standard that Swimming South Africa has set for inclusion in individual event qualification for the Olympic Team. Though this meet was not an official “Olympic qualifying meet” from FINA’s perspective, it was a USA Swimming (and by extension FINA) sanctioned meet, Swimming South Africa should be satisfied by the swim.
We’ll have to await an official announcement, but for now it looks like Schoeman should get a crack at an individual 50 freestyle swim in London.
So, South Africa has a guy who’s gone to three Olympic Games,won a historic 4×100 freestyle Gold over the USA, still has the FINA A cut, and they may not send him to the Games?
It would seem they should have a lot of explaining to do if they don’t send him. I thought the Japanese program was tough. This is even harder to understand.
Couldn’t agree with you more Scott! No way Roland shoudn’t be going. It would be great to get some insight as to why NGBs like Japan and South Africa opted to make it more difficult than FINA did to make it to the Olympics. That’s the real story that needs to be told.
The Olympics are a sports/entertainment money machine that essentially exploit the athletes upon whom the whole show depends. To add to that an NGB that would prevent someone who has worked hard and dedicated much of their life to getting to the Olympics and who has met the standard to compete is simply unfathomable.
It should be simple and uniform, regardless of the country, if you… Read more »
CONGRATS Roland!!! It has been fun watching you train at PSC and we will be cheering you on in LONDON!!!