Cutting to the Chase: What Happens If The 100 Breast ‘A’ Cut Isn’t Hit?

2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 27 – July 1, 2023
• Indianapolis, IN
• Indiana University Natatorium
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet (updated version, 6/26)
• Live Results
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• How To Watch
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

MEN’S 100 BREASTSTROKE — HEATS

• World Record: 56.88, Adam Peaty (GBR) — 2019
• American Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew — 2021
• U.S. Open Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (USA) — 2021
• Championship Record: 58.14, Michael Andrew (USA) — 2021
• World Aquatics ‘A’ Cut: 59.75
• 2022 U.S. Trials Top 2 Time: 58.51
• 2022 Worlds Medal Time: 58.65

Top 8:

1. Nic Fink (MAAC) — 59.94
2. Jake Foster (RAYS) — 1:00.07
3. Josh Matheny (ISC) — 1:00.15
4. Matt Fallon (ABSC) — 1:00.22
5. Noah Nichols (CA-Y) — 1:00.29
6. Cody Miller (SAND) — 1:00.57
7. Charlie Swanson (NOVA) — 1:00.64
8. Mitch Mason (LSU) — 1:00.71

It doesn’t happen often, but on Friday evening, the U.S. men’s team may run into an issue where the 2nd-place finisher in the men’s 100 breaststroke final isn’t under the World Aquatic’s ‘A’ cut time of 59.75, which is required to send two swimmers to the World Championships next month.

The only other time in recent memory where this happened was at the 2021 US Olympic Trials, where Jake Mitchell swam a memorable and emotional 400 free time trial after finishing 2nd in the event final, but missing the cut. Mitchell hit the Olympic Qualifying Time in that time trial and, amid one of the most energetic crowd reactions in swimming history, booked his spot for Tokyo.

Not one of the swimmers seeded into tonight’s A-final swam under the ‘A’ cut this morning and Nic Fink was the only one under the one-minute barrier. Among the top eight headed to finals, only Nic Fink and Josh Matheny have been under the ‘A’ standard inside the qualifying period (which opened on March 1st, 2022). Fink swam 58.37 at the U.S. International Team Trials last year, while Matheny clocked 59.44 at the 2022 Summer Nationals (per World Aquatics Calender this event is a qualifying event)

Cody Miller owns a lifetime best of 58.87 from the 2016 Olympic Games, but his fastest time inside the World Aquatics qualifying period (03/01/2022 – 06/11/2023) is 1:00.04 from the Westmont Pro Swim in April.

Below we will go through some of the scenarios and answer some questions regarding the possible outcomes of tonight’s final.

Path of Least Resistance

The top two qualifiers, whomever they may be,  both swim under the ‘A’ cut of 59.75. Barring roster size restrictions for Priority # 2, (second-best finishing Available Swimmer in Olympic Events, excluding 100 and 200 free) both would be selected to the team.

A Little Murky

If Fink and Matheny finish in the top two, regardless of order and time, they both qualify for the team (dependent upon roster availability) per rule 1.3.4 (a) as laid out in the USA Swimming Athlete Selection Procedures which states:

Subject to the application of the Priorities described in Section 1.3.3 and the other rules set forth in this Section 1.3.4, it is generally anticipated that the two fastest times among Available Swimmers from the Finals in each Individual  Olympic Event at the Qualifying Competition will qualify for the Team and will be given the opportunity to swim the corresponding Individual Olympic Event at the Championships …  However, World Aquatics has a requirement that, for two U.S. athletes to compete in an Event at the Championships, both athletes must have swum an “A” Time Standard. Note:  the “A” Time Standard does not have to be achieved at the Qualifying Competition but, if not achieved at the Qualifying Competition, must otherwise meet the requirements of the “A” Time Standard as defined in these Selection Procedures, within the time period set by World Aquatics

Fink’s 58.37 and Matheny’s 59.44 were both swum within the time period and at qualifying competitions so they both would apply.

A Heavy Fog

If any swimmer wins and gets under the ‘A’ cut time, but the second-place finish does not do so the situation gets a little harder to see through. Per 1.3.4 (b):

… the Available Swimmer with the second fastest time in an Individual Olympic Event in the Finals the Qualifying Competition does not achieve an “A” Time Standard, the next fastest Available Swimmer with the fastest time from the Finals in that Event at the Qualifying Competition will be eligible for Selection to the Team in place of the athlete who  does not have the “A” Time Standard, provided that the Available Swimmer has achieved an “A” Time Standard at the Qualifying Competition or within the time period set by World Aquatics, and satisfies all other requirements for Selection to the Team. [if the 3rd place finisher does not have the A cut, then it moves to the 4th, etc]

To simplify, if someone other than Matheny or Fink wins and gets under 59.75, then the highest-placed finisher between Fink and Matheny would get the second roster spot, barring roster limits.

“One Is the Loneliest Number”

If the winner of the race is someone other than Fink or Matheny, and wins with a time above the ‘A’ cut, then only one swimmer will represent the U.S. in the 100 breast in Fukuoka. Per 1.3.4 (a)

If the Available Swimmer in an Event with the fastest time from the Finals at the Qualifying Competition has a “B” Time Standard, and the Available Swimmer With the second fastest time from the Finals at the Qualifying Competition has an “A” Time Standard, the Available Swimmer finishing with the fastest time at the Qualifying Competition will be Selected to the Team and will swim that Event at the Championships. The Available Swimmer with the second fastest time would not be Selected to the Team for that Event nor would he/she swim in that Event at the Championships, even if they achieve the “A” Time Standard as defined by these Selection Procedures, within the time frame approved by World Aquatics

For example, if Foster wins in 59.99 or any time not under the ‘A’ cut and as long as it is faster than the B regardless of where Fink or Matheny place, only one swimmer will be selected to swim the event. In this case, it is very important to note that per 1.3.8 (b) if the top qualifier does not hit the ‘A’ standard “…there will not be a second U.S. swimmer Selected to the Team in that IndividualOlympic Event, nor will a second U.S. swimmer swim that Individual Olympic Event at the Championships.”

What this means is, if the top qualifier does not have an ‘A’ cut, Fink (who technically qualified via the 50 breast), Matheny (200 breast), and Andrew (50 fly) would not fill that second spot.

Chaos

If, perchance Matheny gets disqualified, and Fink places first, the second spot per 1.3.8 (d) could still fall to Matheny if the second-place swimmer in the 100 breast final does not make the team due to roster limitation, but Matheny does. The rule states,

If a Priority #2 swimmer fails to make the Team because the Team is full, then the swimmer already on the Team who has recorded the fastest time in that vacant Individual Olympic Event during the period from March 1, 2022 through and including June 11, 2023 or at the Qualifying Competition, will swim in in that Individual Olympic Event at the Championships, provided that he/she has achieved the “A” Time Standard in that Individual Olympic Event.

The process of determining the selection between Priority #2 swimmers is based on the percentage their time is faster than the ‘A’ standard so until it is known if all of the 2nd place finishers in Olympic events (excluding the 100 and 200 free) can make the team determining if there will be an opening is impossible.

FAQs:

• What about Michael Andrew?
  • While Andrew does have a faster time in the 100 breast than Matheny this season because he did not make the final he cannot qualify for a spot in the 100m Breast unless the second roster spot is left open via Priority 2 not being filled. For this to happen Andrew would need to qualify for the team in an Olympic Event (so no 50 fly). If Andrew qualifies for the team via the 50 fly alone, Nic Fink would also be qualified due to his 50 breast being faster than Andew’s 50 fly as compared to the respective ‘A’ standard and since iInk has the faster time in the qualifying period it would go to Fink.

•  What if a swimmer in the ‘B” Final swims an A cut?
  • While the rules quoted above state “Finals’, USA Swimming uses this term to only refer to the ‘A’ Final.

• What about a time trial like Jake Mitchell at the 2021 trials?
  • That was a very unique case. After the finish of the race, only Kieran Smith had the Olympic Qualifying Time and no one else in the final did. Following the procedure laid out in the section A Heavy Fog, no other swimmer in the final had the OQT. In the qualifying period for the Olympic Games, Zane Grothe had a time under the OQT, but as Trials was within that period and there were open roster positions, USA Swimming went ahead with a Time Trial. You can read more about that process here. This situation is different as there are already two swimmers under the ‘A’ cut.