World Aquatics announced the competition schedule for the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on Friday, with one key change made relative to last year’s edition in Budapest.
Pool swimming will return to its traditional place in the second week of the 17-day competition, having been bumped up to the first week last year in Budapest.
The World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka were initially scheduled to run in May 2022, but after COVID-19 caused the meet to be postponed until July 2023, World Aquatics (then FINA) announced the addition of the Budapest World Championships in the summer of 2022.
After pool swimming took place in the first week and diving was in the second week of the competition in Budapest, the two marquee sports are back in their traditional spots in Fukuoka.
The World Championships will run from July 14-30, with artistic swimming and diving getting underway on the opening day (July 14) and pool swimming following one week later on July 23.
The pool swimming schedule now directly conflicts with the TYR Pro Championships (July 26-29), a new competition added to USA Swimming’s domestic calendar this year.
Competition Dates (July 14-30)
- Diving: July 14-22
- Artistic Swimming: July 14-22
- Open water swimming: July 15-20
- Water Polo: July 16-29
- Pool swimming: July 23-30
- High Diving: July 25-27
Competition Venues
- Diving: Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A
- Artistic Swimming: Fukuoka Prefectural Pool
- Open water swimming: Seaside Momochi Beach Park
- Water Polo: Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall B
- Pool swimming: Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A
- High Diving: Seaside Momochi Beach Park
In terms of the event-by-event lineup in the pool, the schedule remains the same as it was in Budapest, with the men’s 400 IM notably having shifted to the opening day last year.
FULL SWIMMING SCHEDULE
In terms of start times, prelims will be at 10:30 am and finals at 8:00 pm local time in Fukuoka. That converts to prelims being at 9:30 pm the previous night in the Eastern time zone, and finals running at 7:00 am the next morning.
High diving will also return to the World Aquatics Championships for the fifth time after it was not contested in Budapest.
“It’s with immense pleasure that we are able to confirm the competition schedule for the World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka 2023,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam.
“We have been eagerly awaiting our return to competing in front of the aquatic fans from Fukuoka, Japan, and the rest of the world. This competition schedule is an important step in preparing the showcase for aquatics athletes to shine.
“The flexibility and resolve that Fukuoka has shown to host these championships, following the global pandemic, has been extremely impressive and has been of great benefit to our sports and our athletes. We are once again looking forward with eager anticipation to seeing aquatics sport take center stage again in Fukuoka.”
This will be the second time Fukuoka will host the World Aquatics Championships, having first done so in 2001, a competition that featured several memorable performances including Ian Thorpe setting new world records in the men’s 200, 400 and 800 free, Grant Hackett establishing a new world record in the men’s 1500 free (14:34.56) that would stand for a decade, and Michael Phelps winning his first world title with a new world record in the men’s 200 fly.
wonder if Kaylee will actually do with the 200im/100back double this time
Same with MOC doing the 100 back/200 free. I would prefer her finding half a second in her 50 free to just do that as her 3rd event though.
m400IM on day one, so rolling the carpet out for Marchand’s 4:01.
So I guess they’re permanently moving the 400 IM over to day 1.
While Covid’s effects on FINA swimming timetables continue to be seen, Fukuoka is only 6 months away. And, we should see some superb times, esp. after SC Worlds in Australia was such a smashing hit!!!
I just tried to figure out a possible schedule for McIntosh and it broke my brain
4Free, 2Fly, 4IM with option of 8Free lookin pretty nice
Based off all her podcast interviews over the past year or so, I don’t get the sense that the 8Free is something she is really looking to continue doing.
She could qualify for the team in the 2Free, 2IM as well. She’s definitely going to swim the 2Free at Trials to make the relay, so I guess if she comes top 2, she’ll have to decide whether to decline the spot.
surely she’ll also choose the 200free (instead of 200IM, due to scheduling) as well.
I think she’ll do the 2fly/2free double.
Day 1
Heats – 400 free
Finals – 400 free, 4×100 free
Day 2
Heats – Nothing
Finals – Nothing
Day 3
Heats – 200 free
Finals – 200 free
Day 4
Heats – 200 fly
Finals – 200 free, 200 fly
Day 5
Heats – Nothing
Finals – 200 fly, 4×200 free
Day 6
Heats – Nothing
Finals – Nothing
Day 7
Heats – Nothing
Finals – Nothing
Day 8
Heats – 400 IM
Finals – 400 IM
This seems like a great lineup. Just curious how much she/her coaches/Team Canada are focusing on getting on the podium vs # of individual events re: 200 Free or possible 200 IM.
Canada might want her fresh for relays (I think lot of countries approach relays a little more cautiously than USA because they typically don’t have the depth and flexibility USA does and if they have relay success, it could mean taking more swimmers/coaches/staff to big meets in the future).
If she pursues over 3 individual events though, it would feel very Phelpsian, both in terms of the events themselves and # of splashes w individuals + relays
4Free, 2Free, 2IM, 2Fly, 4IM are all events she’d be favored to win or medal in I think. Plus at least the 4×2 and 4×1 free relays. That’s a tough schedule, I’m really curious if she’ll go after the 2Free or 2IM since either adds extra semis swims without the near guarantee of a gold like the 2Fly.
She’ll also likely contest 100 free for 4*1 relay duty. She dropped 53 splits at Commonwealth Games last ‘summer’!