Senior Swimming
Don Riedlinger
September 21, 2003


Time Standards

Section 207.12 USA Swimming Rules and Regulations states: "USA Swimming Spring Championship and National Championship qualifying time standards will be determined from performances at the respective spring and summer championship meets for all swimmers and may be based on world rankings so that they will be of comparable quality for all events. . . . Time standards shall be designed to allow 900-1000 swimmers in individual events at the USA Swimming spring championship. Time standards shall be designed to allow 1000-1200 swimmers in individual events at the USA Swimming National Championship."

  • targets 72 swimmers/event to achieve the 1000-1200 swimmers
  • achieved rules committee interpretation to treat relays as a separate category and will base those time standatrds on 32th place
  • old Junior National Women's 200m standard 2:09; National 800m 8:40

Medical - IOC now requiring pulmonary testing to use asthma inhalers vice merely medical documentation

Summer Nationals 2004 Time Standards
Women - change SCY standards for all events except 8000/1500

Improve (toughen) times by .2/50 except for 100/200 Fly
Improve (toughen) times by .3/50 for 100/200 Fly
(Fly has changed with underwater pullout, particularly in short course)
change LCM standards .1/50 faster for 100/200/400 Free and 100 Back
 Men - No change to SCY (database is 50% foreigners swimming in NCAA yards) - LCM add .1/50 (relax) to all events to raise population of 18 & under males

Relays - set as faster of Spring/Summer 32nd place unless present standard faster - move yard times by the same number of seconds

Spring Nationals 2004 Time Standards
Will use 2003 Open Standards - expect only 25% of qualified to appear as most colleges and many high school swimmers will be ineleigible; and if make a mistake, can run A/B prelims in Orlando