The 2022 U.S. Open Water National and Junior National Championships in Fort Myers Beach, Florida last weekend served as qualifications for multiple national teams: the 2022 Open Water National Team, the 2022 Open Water National Junior Team, and the 2022 World Junior Championships team.
A total of 23 different swimmers earned their spot on one or more of these open water national teams during the races in Florida.
Open Water National Team
USA Swimming’s criteria for the National Team for the next two seasons:
- 2022 National Team (active roster from May 1, 2022 to October 31, 2022)
- 2022-2023 National Team (active roster from November 1, 2022 to May 1, 2023)
U.S. National Team members receive benefits including access to monthly stipends, meet reimbursement, athlete health insurance, and Olympic Training Center access.
2022 National Team (Open Water)
- Top six male and female finishers in the 10k at Open Water Nationals
The results below are excluding non-American competitors in the event:
Women
- Katie Grimes (National Champ)
- Mariah Denigan (2nd at Nationals)
- Summer Smith (3rd at Nationals)
- Anna Auld (4th at Nationals)
- Kensey McMahon (5th at Nationals)
- Brooke Travis (6th at Nationals)
Men
- Brennan Gravley (National Champ)
- Dylan Gravley (2nd at Nationals)
- Joey Tepper (3rd at Nationals)
- James Brinegar (4th at Nationals)
- Simon Lamar (5th at Nationals)
- David Heron (6th at Nationals)
USA Swimming will not be including Olympic representatives from the 10k on the National Team this year; that was a criteria only for the 2021 and 2021-2022 Open Water National Teams.
2022-2023 National Team (Open Water) – Selection in Progress
- After two domestic and four international competitions, USA Swimming will use a points system to select the top six male and female swimmers.
USA Swimming awarded swimmers points for the 10k at U.S. Nationals while the athletes will earn more points at the second domestic meet in October. The four international events are the Portugal Marathon Swim World Series 10k, World Championships 5k and 10k, and the France Marathon Swim World Series 10k.
USA Swimming is using this points system to determine the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championship team as well, meaning we won’t know the roster until all those events have been completed.
2022-2023 Open Water National Junior Team – Selection in Progress
- Athletes must be 19 years old or younger as of December 31, 2022 (born in 2003 or later)
At least 4 boys and 4 girls (and at most 7 boys and 7 girls) will be selected based on the following:
- Top 2 male and female finishers in the 10k at Open Water Nationals
- The top male and female finishers in the 10k at an open water competition in October TBD
- First place male and female finishers in the 7.5k at Open Water Jr Nationals
- Any male or female individual medalist at the 2022 FINA Open Water World Junior Championships.
The full U.S. National Junior Team roster will be announced on November 1st after another open water event in October.
Girls
- Blair Stoneburg (1st available finisher in the 10k)
- Mary McKenna (2nd available finisher in the 10k)
- Claire Stuhlmacher (tentative – Junior National 7.5k 2nd place finisher)
- TBD
Boys
- Joshua Brown (1st available finisher in the 10k)
- Brice Barrieault (2nd available finisher in the 10k)
- Ilya Kharun (tentative – Junior National 7.5k winner)
- TBD
One notable name missing here is the girls’ Junior National 7.5k winner, Katie Grimes, who is already a National Team member in the 800 free, 1500 free, and the 10k. Therefore, she is ineligible for the 2022 National Junior team, but she is still able to qualify for the World Junior team.
2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships Selection
- Top two male and female finishers from the 5k Junior Nationals (14-15 age group as of December 31, 2022)
- Top two male and female finishers from the 7.5k Junior Nationals (16-17 age group as of December 31, 2022)
- Top two male and female finishers from the 10k Nationals (18-19 eligible athletes as of December 31, 2022)
Girls
- Claire Weinstein (1st place finisher in 5k)
- Abigail Miller (2nd place finisher in 5k)
- Katie Grimes (1st place finisher in 7.5k)
- Claire Stuhlmacher (2nd place finisher in 7.5k)
- Mariah Denigan (1st available finisher in the 10k)
- Summer Smith (2nd available finisher in the 10k)
Boys
- Samuel Marsteiner (1st place finisher in 5k)
- Nathan Szobota (2nd place finisher in 5k)
- Ilya Kharun (1st place finisher in 7.5k)
- Luke Ellis (2nd place finisher in 7.5k)
- Joshua Brown (1st available finisher in 10k)
- Brice Barrieault (2nd available finisher in 10k)
When will we hear more about who should make the world junior U.S. team? Like an analysis on swimswam of your thoughts for each event?
If you’re talking about world juniors in the pool, there isn’t one this year as of now. If FINA creates one to replace Kazan, the US ain’t going.
USA swimming should not make the worlds selection off of the 10K alone. For example, Bella Sims was the highest ranked American in the 5K, and didn’t contempt the 10K. Lots of swimmers have tons of endurance and speed i.e. Leah Degeorge and Bella Sims, but not the stamina to do a perfect 10 K. It seems a bit odd that we are not even taking into consideration how good Bella Sims and Leah Degeorge did in the 5K
The 10k is the Olympic event, and therefore there is more weight on it. Everyone had the opportunity to swim the 10k if they chose.
Please excuse my ignorance but what happened to Erica Sullivan?
I don’t think she finished the 10km race
she DNF the 10k , someone said she injured her shoulder
Confirmed
How are swimmers going to qualify for Portugal? Is it everyone with points so far? Ie. 1-10
Only the 6 national team athletes. Point scorers for places 7-10 have to provide their own way to Portugal if they want to compete there.
Is Cadence Fort also on the JR team? I know she was on the National team for the 10K in 2021… Non the less, doing 10K (regardless of making national team or not) us outstanding!
How does one qualify for open water select camp?
^
Pool times.