A comment on an earlier post about the qualifying rules for 2010 Pan Pacs and 2011 Worlds made me want to read the rules. The first qualifying rules I found were for the 2010 SC Nationals and I posted about them yesterday.
The USA Swimiming rules for qualifying for the 2010 Pan Pacs can be found here:
The USA Swimiming rules for qualifying for the 2010 Pan Pacs can be found here:
The qualifying meet for Pan Pacs is the U.S. Nationals also in Irvine from August 3-7. The team size is 26 swimmers for each gender.
According to the rules, here's how swimmers are selected for Pan Pacs:
According to the rules, here's how swimmers are selected for Pan Pacs:
The 4 fastest swimmers from the Finals of the 100m and 200m free and the fastest swimmer from the Finals of each event other than the 100m and 200m free.
Priority #2
The second fastest swimmer for each event other than the 100m and 200m free.
Priority #3
The third fastest swimmer for each event other than the 100m and 200m free.
Priority #4
The fourth fastest swimmer for each event other than the 100m and 200m free.
There are rules for how to reduce the team size if more than 26 swimmers from each gender qualify under priorities 1-4. Basically, if you qualify under priority 1 you are on the team. Your chances of qualifying lessen as the priority number increases. If you qualify under priority #4 only, you probably won't make the team.
Discretionary Selection - The coaches can choose any swimmer making the team to compete in the relays. The coaches cannot make a discretionary selection for non-relay events. If you did not qualify for an individual event under priority #1-4, you will not make the team.
Most interesting rule provision:
"All swimmers who are named to the Team through the selection process shall be eligible for entry into additional Events held at the Championships and to qualify for the 2011 World Championships, provided that the athlete swims at least one Event in which he/she qualifies. Only times from Finals (A & B) and Timed Final events at the Pan Pacific Championships will be used for selection to the World Championship Team."
This means that if a swimmer qualifies for the Pan Pacs in one event, he or she can swim in the prelims of any event at Pan Pacs. This means that at Pan Pacs, the U.S. is not limited to only two swimmers per event for the prelims. However, only two swimmers from each country can advance to the finals.
Ryan in the 2006 Pan Pacs
The unique selection rules for the Pan Pacs impacted Ryan in 2006. He finished 3rd in the 200m back at nationals (also in Irvine, CA in 2006!) behind Aaron Peirsol and Michael Phelps. Then he finished 2nd in the 200 IM, 2nd in the 400IM and 4th in the 200 free, so he qualified for Pan Pacs in those events.
Nevertheless, because a swimmer who qualifies for Pan Pacs in one event can swim the prelims in any event, Ryan swam in the prelims for the 100 free, 100 back and 200 back in addition to the 200 IM, an event he qualified for at nationals.
Ryan finished 1st in the prelims for the 100 back and 2nd in the finals. This is how he qualified for the 2007 Worlds in the 100 back even though he didn't swim it at nationals. Ryan also qualified for the finals in the 200 back at Pan Pacs by finishing fourth. Aaron Peirsol and Michael Phelps finished 1-2 in the prelims and therefore, because each country can put only two swimmers in the finals, Ryan could not advance. Ryan ended up swimming and winning the 200 back at 2007 Worlds after Michael Phelps dropped that race.
For the 400 IM, Ryan qualified for Pan Pacs by finishing second at nationals but elected not to swim it. Robert Margalis finished fourth at nationals, but swam the 400 IM at Pan Pacs and finished second behind Michael Phelps. Ryan and Michael ended up swimming the 400 IM at 2007 Worlds. I think it is because Ryan's time finishing second at nats (4:11.53) was faster than Margalis' time finishing second at Pan Pacs (4:13.85).
It will be interesting to see if any of these scenarios play out in 2010-11.
Priority #2
The second fastest swimmer for each event other than the 100m and 200m free.
Priority #3
The third fastest swimmer for each event other than the 100m and 200m free.
Priority #4
The fourth fastest swimmer for each event other than the 100m and 200m free.
There are rules for how to reduce the team size if more than 26 swimmers from each gender qualify under priorities 1-4. Basically, if you qualify under priority 1 you are on the team. Your chances of qualifying lessen as the priority number increases. If you qualify under priority #4 only, you probably won't make the team.
Discretionary Selection - The coaches can choose any swimmer making the team to compete in the relays. The coaches cannot make a discretionary selection for non-relay events. If you did not qualify for an individual event under priority #1-4, you will not make the team.
Most interesting rule provision:
"All swimmers who are named to the Team through the selection process shall be eligible for entry into additional Events held at the Championships and to qualify for the 2011 World Championships, provided that the athlete swims at least one Event in which he/she qualifies. Only times from Finals (A & B) and Timed Final events at the Pan Pacific Championships will be used for selection to the World Championship Team."
This means that if a swimmer qualifies for the Pan Pacs in one event, he or she can swim in the prelims of any event at Pan Pacs. This means that at Pan Pacs, the U.S. is not limited to only two swimmers per event for the prelims. However, only two swimmers from each country can advance to the finals.
Ryan in the 2006 Pan Pacs
The unique selection rules for the Pan Pacs impacted Ryan in 2006. He finished 3rd in the 200m back at nationals (also in Irvine, CA in 2006!) behind Aaron Peirsol and Michael Phelps. Then he finished 2nd in the 200 IM, 2nd in the 400IM and 4th in the 200 free, so he qualified for Pan Pacs in those events.
Nevertheless, because a swimmer who qualifies for Pan Pacs in one event can swim the prelims in any event, Ryan swam in the prelims for the 100 free, 100 back and 200 back in addition to the 200 IM, an event he qualified for at nationals.
Ryan finished 1st in the prelims for the 100 back and 2nd in the finals. This is how he qualified for the 2007 Worlds in the 100 back even though he didn't swim it at nationals. Ryan also qualified for the finals in the 200 back at Pan Pacs by finishing fourth. Aaron Peirsol and Michael Phelps finished 1-2 in the prelims and therefore, because each country can put only two swimmers in the finals, Ryan could not advance. Ryan ended up swimming and winning the 200 back at 2007 Worlds after Michael Phelps dropped that race.
For the 400 IM, Ryan qualified for Pan Pacs by finishing second at nationals but elected not to swim it. Robert Margalis finished fourth at nationals, but swam the 400 IM at Pan Pacs and finished second behind Michael Phelps. Ryan and Michael ended up swimming the 400 IM at 2007 Worlds. I think it is because Ryan's time finishing second at nats (4:11.53) was faster than Margalis' time finishing second at Pan Pacs (4:13.85).
It will be interesting to see if any of these scenarios play out in 2010-11.
No comments:
Post a Comment