USA Swimming has unveiled the American roster for the 2014 Short Course World Championships that will be held from December 3rd-7th in Doha, Qatar.
This roster is always a bit of a mixed-bag of bona-fide stars, swimmers on the precipice of joining that class, and a few developing-for-the-future swimmers.
With more-and-more American pro participation in the FINA World Cup Series, especially from the likes of Tom Shields, the 25 meter pool should be a more-and-more familiar course to the Americans.
Ryan Lochte has never had a problem with comfort in the short course meters pool. Despite his cohort Michael Phelps having not taken part in this meet since it was in the United States in 2004, Lochte has won at least 1 gold medal at the last 5 bi-annual editions. That includes 6 golds at both the 2010 and 2012 Short Course World Championships.
Also included on this roster is underwater superstar Natalie Coughlin. Coughlin won four medals at the 2010 edition of this meet, including the 100 backstroke.
Selections were made based on World Rankings in Olympic events over long course meters from January 1, 2014 to September 1, 2014, which is more flexible than these selection criteria usually are for senior-level teams. Four 100 and 200 freestylers along with the top-ranked swimmer in each Olympic event were selected first, followed by the second-ranked swimmer in each Olympic event until two swimmers in each Olympic equivalent event was chosen.
Note that USA Swimming also required athletes on the Short Course Worlds team to agree to allow USA Swimming to use their likeness to “promote the sport of swimming.” Given that many athletes have chosen not to sign the Athlete Partnership Agreement for increased stipends specifically for that reason, it’s an important caveat.
The Americans won 27 medals at the 2012 version of this meet which was split up as 11 gold, 8 silver, and 8 bronze. While the Americans don’t usually send all of their top stars to this meet, that’s a significant sign of their depth: that’s only two fewer medals than they won at the 2013 long course World Championships (with the same number of events), even with a top team in 2013. The two missing medals at Worlds were both golds, however.
| WOMEN | ||
| Cammile Adams | SwimMAC Carolina/Texas A&M | 200 fly |
| Kathleen Baker | SwimMAC Carolina | 50/100/200 back |
| Elizabeth Beisel | Bluefish Swim Club/Florida | 400/800 free, 200 back, 400 IM |
| Amy Bilquist | Carmel Swim Club | 50/100 back |
| Natalie Coughlin | California Aquatics | 400 free relay |
| Madisyn Cox | Longhorn Aquatics | 800 free relay |
| Claire Donahue | Western Kentucky University | 50/100 fly |
| Katie Drabot | Ozaukee Aquatics | 800 free relay |
| Katie Hoff | Hurricane Aquatics | 200 free |
| Madison Kennedy | SwimMAC Carolina | 50 free |
| Breeja Larson | Aggie Swim Club | 50/100/200 breast |
| Felicia Lee | Stanford Swimming/NBAC | 50/100 fly |
| Caitlin Leverenz | California Aquatics | 100/200 IM |
| Melanie Margalis | St. Petersburg Aquatics/Georgia | 200 breast, 100/200/400 IM |
| Kate Mills | SwimMAC Carolina | 200 fly |
| Emma Reaney | SwimMAC Carolina/Notre Dame | 50/100 breast |
| Shannon Vreeland | Athens Bulldog Swim Club | 100/200 free |
| Lindsay Vrooman | Badger Swim Club/Indiana | 400/800 free |
| Amanda Weir | SwimAtlanta | 400 free relay |
| Abbey Weitzeil | Canyons Aquatic Club | 50/100 free |
| MEN | ||
| Tyler Clary | SwimMAC Carolina | 200 back, 200 fly, 100/200/400 IM |
| Brad Craig | Tennessee Aquatics | 50/100 breast |
| Conor Dwyer | NBAC | 100/200 free |
| Jimmy Feigen | NYAC/Longhorn Aquatics | 100 free |
| Matt Grevers | Tucson Ford | 50/100 back, 400 free relay |
| BJ Johnson | PASA/Stanford | 200 breast |
| Cullen Jones | SwimMAC Carolina | 50 free |
| Michael Klueh | Club Wolverine | 1500 free |
| Ryan Lochte | SwimMAC Carolina | 200 free, 200 back, 50/100 fly, 100/200 IM |
| Michael McBroom | The Woodlands Swim Team/Longhorn Aquatic | 400/1500 free |
| Matt McLean | NBAC | 400 free, 800 free relay |
| Cody Miller | Badger Swim Club/Indiana | 50/100/200 breast |
| Josh Schneider | NYAC/Cincinnati | 50 free |
| Tom Shields | California Aquatics | 50/100/200 fly |
| Nick Thoman | SwimMAC Carolina | 50/100 back |
| Darian Townsend | Life Time Arizona Swim Team | 400 free relay |
| Michael Weiss | Wisconsin Aquatics/Lakeridge | 400 IM, 800 free relay |
again, like Jaeger, I imagine she is still in school and might have finals right around then.
Great to see Darian Townsend representing the USA. USA swimming will even pay his plane fares! SA swimming should be embarrassed.
A little more relay speculation…
Men’s 4×200 Prelims
Klueh
McBroom
Weiss
McLean
Men’s 4×200 Finals
Dwyer
Lochte
fastest two from the morning
A little disappointing on the men’s side…no Ervin, Murphy, Cordes, Adrian. I’m sure there’s a couple other big names I missed. The article says the team was “selected” based on certain past results, so obviously a lot of these names were probably selected by they opted out of the meet?
Does anyone know if this list is final or can other members be added in to a certain cut-off date?
I was also really hoping that Ledecky would finally get in on one of these meets (other than duel in the pool which I recall she was sick during that meet). She has great turns and I think she would be a huge asset for the team. Also, she… Read more »
With there being prelims for the relays (unlike Pan Pacs), and with USA men often trying to get as many swimmers in the relays as possible, it we see something like…
Prelims:
Townsend
Feigen
Jones
Schneider
Finals:
Feigen
Dwyer
Grevers
Lochte
*USA men seemingly trying to get as many…
**This would be the 4×100 free relay, of course.
That will be a solid team..
Anyone knows what will be France and Russia team? Probably with BRA and US they will be the favorite for medals..
I suspect that Russia won’t announce until the last minute because their federation is in such a precarious position with WADA/FINA right now, and they need to make sure who they pick can pass an anti-doping test in international waters, lest the ‘death penalty’ get triggered.
Random observations: Lochte vs. Shields vs. Le Clos in the 100 fly is going to be sick (assuming Le Clos is there). I think Lochte is definitely the underdog, but much less so with more underwaters. If it doesn’t get broken this world cup series, the WR will definitely be on notice this winter.
100 back will be brutal as well, although Thoman has a definite edge if he’s in even decent health.
Shame we won’t see Cordes out there. I’d love to see him go SCM against the world.
Glad Madison Kennedy finally made a Worlds team.
Also excited to see what Kathleen Baker will do in short course.
And finally, let’s see what Felicia Lee has got in… Read more »
are you sure Felicia is back at nbac?
Interesting roster with a few youngsters on the women’s side like Amy Bilquist, Katie Drabot or Kathleen Baker. Much older men’s roster with Lochte as leader.
I would like to see Emma Reaney swim the 200 breast in SCM at this meet but it looks like it’s Melanie Margalis and Breeja Larson for that event. Perhaps she could replace Miss Margalis. She’s the American record holder in yards.
Happy to see again Katie Hoff in a world meet.
The same about Natalie “legend” Coughlin.
And hopefully Beisel will bother a little Hosszu in the 400 IM.
On the men’s side I want to watch Nick Thoman in the 100 back. He was so dominant last… Read more »
Obviously wouldn’t be fair, but I wish some of the females would drop out of their shorter races to give Natalie Coughlin an individual race or three. Easily one of the best short course swimmers of all time.