What the USA Swimming 2024 Schedule Will Mean For Various Athletes
USA Swimming recently announced its full 2024 competition schedule, which includes three Tyr Pro Series meets, Open Water Nationals, three 18&U Spring Cups, a new Club Excellence Challenge Series, the U.S. Olympic Trials, Speedo Summer Champs (senior and junior), Futures, the Toyota U.S. Open, and Speedo Winter Juniors.
The highlight of the season is undoubtedly the U.S. Olympic Trials. While Trials has always had a reputation for being a spectacle, the new venue this cycle assures a different experience in 2024. Trials will be held in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, making it the first swim meet ever hosted in a football stadium and likely one with the largest crowd of any swim meet in history. In the ramp-up to this marquee event, USA Swimming has set up the 2024 schedule to include as many opportunities as possible for athletes to qualify for Trials.
The most notable changes next year include the return of 18 & Under Spring Cups. These meets were introduced in 2021 to help get more 18 & under swimmers qualified for Trials. The Spring Cups will have three sites: Elkhart, Indiana, Mesa, Arizona and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While the time standards have not been released, the cuts are usually around the Winter Juniors cuts. In 2021, these meets were a great success, with dozens of swimmers qualifying for Trials.
Another calendar item of note is the new Club Excellence Challenge Series that will be held from May 15-18, right before the Trials qualification deadline. USA Swimming turned three existing meets, the Atlanta Classic, Speedo Grand Challenge and Texas Longhorn Elite Meet into competitions carrying prize money. While the 18 & Under Spring Cup is for a specific age group, these Challenge Series meets will be open to all ages and will serve as yet another opportunity for swimmers to make the Trials cut times, or get in their final prep work for Indy.
Another notable change for 2024 is that the Toyota U.S. Open will take place in the short-course yards format. The U.S. Open attracts hundreds of swimmers of all levels, from high school to college to pro, and always proves to be a fast meet. However, with this meet being held in a SCY format in 2024, it could become even more significant. With the meet dates from December 4-7, 2024, collegiate athletes can use the U.S. Open as a midseason meet and 18 & Under swimmers as their winter championship meet, as well as a tuneup for Winter Juniors held one week later. Maybe the most interesting part of this meet is the opportunity for pro athletes who almost never swim in short-court yards. Additionally, international swimmers may have the chance to race yards for the first time.