2021 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – RICHMOND
- January 14-17, 2021
- Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Richmond, VA
- Start Times (Eastern Time): Women’s Prelims: 9:00 a.m. / Men’s Prelims: 90 minutes after women’s prelims (between 11:30-12:00) / Finals: 7:00 p.m.
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Info (Both Sites)
- Schedule/Initial Timelines
- Live Stream (USA Swimming)
- Psych sheets
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2021 TYR Pro Swim Series – Richmond”
13-year old Claire Weinstein has become the youngest qualifier for the 2021 US Olympic Swimming Trials.
Weinstein finished in 5th place on Thursday evening in the women’s 800 free in Richmond, Virginia – one of two sites for the split-location Pro Swim Series meet this weekend. The Westchester Aquatic Club trainee swam a best time of 8:45.34. That dips well under the Olympic Trials cut of 8:48.09.
Weinstein beat her previous best time of 9:06.85, done in February of 2020, by 21 seconds. That improvement is not a huge surprise given her drops in other races since returning to racing. She has swum a long course meet, the Richmond stop of the US Open series, since then, but only raced the 200, 400, and 1500 freestyles at that meet.
USA Swimming doesn’t maintain all-time single-age rankings, but since 2010 that swim ranks Weinstein as the 6th-fastest 13-year old in the event.
Top 10 American 13-Year Olds, January 1, 2010 through Present, Women’s 800 LCM Free
- Claire Tuggle, Clovis Swim Club, 8:37.27
- Katie Grimes, Sandpipers of Nevada, 8:37.46
- Bella Rongione, The Fish, 8:39.09
- Becca Mann, Clearwater Aquatic Team, 8:41.64
- Jillian Cox, Austin Trinity Aquatic Club, 8:44.20
- Claire Weinstein, 8:45.34
- Madelyn Donohoe, The Fish, 8:46.11
- Summer Finke, St. Petersburg Aquatics, 8:48.68
- Courtney Harnish, York YMCA, 8:49.13
- Maddie Homovich, North Carolina Aquatic Club, 8:49.49
In spite of still being on the younger half of the age group, Weinstein is now the 46th-fastest 13-14 in history in the event. She ranks just behind Lola Mull, Erika Hansen, and current US National Teamer Erica Sullivan, who is the top seed tonight at the meet’s other site in San Antonio.
Presuming USA Swimming leaves the time standards in-tact for the coronavirus-delayed Olympic Trials, Weinstein becomes the 60th American to hit the standard so far in the qualifying period. All of those qualifiers won’t necessarily race the event at Trials, but by comparison, 81 swimmers entered that event in 2016.
US National Teamer and 2021 confirmed US Olympian in open water Ashley Twichell won the event in 8:35.16. Caroline Pennington of the TAC Titans was 2nd in 8:40.50.
Other swimmers in that race who hit new Olympic Trials standards include 15-year old Cavan Gormsen, who was 4th in 8:43.87; 16-year old Claire Dafoe, who was 6th in 8:46.94; and 16-year old Emma Hastings, who was 7th in 8:47.30. Gormsen was already qualified for Trials in the 400 free, while for Hastings and Dafoe this was also a first qualification.
Congrats to Claire – that’s an amazing feat!
But commenters aren’t just making this up… Swim Swam ran an article about 2021 TYR pro series cuts being set at OT time standards.
https://staging2.swimswam.com/pro-swim-series-time-standards-set-at-olympic-trials-cuts-for-2020-2021-season/
At some point thereafter USA Swimming decided to change this and invite swimmers in a non-transparent (and obviously subjective) way. Clearly a lot of swimmers were not invited even though they had faster times. Not a great way to build trust in your governing organization- where the process simply changed without notification to swimmers. The invitation criteria should have been based more fairly on times.
Wow that’s MOVING!
I thought only Olympic Trials qualifiers could swim at the TYR Pro Series. No disrespect to Claire. Congrats! But I was just wondering how some people got into the meet without a trial cut beforehand.
I’m guessing her new pb in yards qualified her 🙂
It specifically stated only trials qualifiers could get into the meet. There are a lot of people who didn’t qualify.
I’m looking through the documentation, and it does not say that. It just says “invitation only from USA Swimming.”
And do you know how to get an invitation? A lot of faster swimmers didn’t get invited but others did.
I can explain – There’s a new USA Swimming rule (CLA-2021) that there has to be a certain number of athletes named “Claire” at Pro Series meets. So when Curzan scratched, Weinstein was next up on the “Claire list” (which is luckily arrange reverse alphabetical by last name).
she has the trial cut for the 400fr long course she goes a 4:16
I was wondering the same thing. How did these swimmers get into this meet without Trials cuts? Can someone explain this?
Trials cuts were not a requirement for an invitation.
Can you explain an “invitation” besides the obvious National and Jr. National Team members? Thanks!
USA Swimming has not made that process public, unfortunately.
USA swimming said previously that they could change the Trials cuts for new qualifiers after the new year. Has anyone heard if they were planning on making adjustments?
https://staging2.swimswam.com/50-more-men-23-women-have-qualified-for-olympic-trials-post-quarantines/
Congratulations Claire & Cavan! Metro LSC well represented!
@seeger33 Couldn’t have said it better. I am so proud of my Metro people! Keep shining, ladies !
Congrats Claire!!