How to qualify for swimming at Paris 2024. The Olympics qualification system explained
Swimming has a long and rich history in the modern Olympic Games, having first been featured in Athens in 1896. Women’s competitions were added in Stockholm in 1912, where female competitors competed in only two events.
At Paris 2024, women and men are eligible to participate in the exact same programs as was the case at Tokyo 2020.
Find out everything you need to know about the qualification path below.
How many athletes will compete in swimming in Paris 2024?
All in all 852 Athletes will swim at maximum in Paris 2024 26 odds for males and 26 for females available to any NOC. In both the men’s and women’s competitions, each NOK is entitled to a maximum quota of two athletes per individual competition and one relay team per relay competition.
At this time, the number of Universality spots has not been determined, but it is understood that all NOCs who compete and participate in the FINA World Championships will have the opportunity to compete in Paris 2024.
Quota places are allocated by name to athletes in individual competitions and NOCs in relay competitions.
What is the qualifying path for Paris 2024?
A four-tier ranking has been established for qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games:
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All athletes with Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT)
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Athletes in Relays (Relay Athletes Only)
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places of universality
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Invited athletes who have achieved an Olympic Consideration Time (OCT).
Individual qualification
For all individual events, the Olympic Qualifying Time and the Olympic Reflection Time are taken into account, the latter being slightly easier to achieve.
Regular admission times can only be achieved from March 1st, 2023 to June 23rd, 2024 based on a calendar of events set by FINA.
Athletes who achieve the OQT in a given event will immediately qualify for the Paris 2024 event provided the maximum quota per event for their NOC has not been exceeded.
NOCs can enter two athletes for an event, but only if both athletes have achieved the OQT.
After the end of the qualification period and in the event that the total of 852 athletes is not reached according to the first three categories of the above order of priority, athletes who have reached or exceeded the OCT will be invited to participate in the games up to the full quota of 852 is reached.
Read the individual qualification section of the IOC website for a full breakdown of the invitation process.
relay qualification
A maximum of 16 qualifying teams will take part in each Paris 2024 relay race, with each NOC only being able to enter one team for each relay race.
Three NOCs per relay event will qualify for the corresponding event in Paris 2024 based on the final results of the 20th FINA World Championships 2022 in Fukuoka, Japan in July 2023. In the event of a tie for third place, all NOCs involved in the tie will be invited to compete in Paris 2024.
The remaining 13 teams per event will be allocated based on the results of heats at the 21st FINA World Championships 2024 in Doha, Qatar, excluding teams that have already qualified for the 20th FINA World Championships 2022. In the event of a tie for third place at the 20th FINA World Championships 2022 in Fukuoka, only 12 teams from the 21st FINA World Championships 2024 participating in the event will be invited to participate in Paris 2024.
In the event of a tie for third place at the 21st FINA World Championships 2024, all teams involved in the tie will take part in a swimming competition to determine the final invitation.
All athletes entered in individual competitions may be fielded in relays even if they have not achieved the OCT for the appropriate beat and distance of the relay for which they are entered.
places of universality
NOCs without a qualified athlete or relay team may enter a maximum of two athletes – one woman and one man – for each event. In addition, NOCs without athletes who have achieved an OQT or athletes invited by FINA via the OCT may enter a maximum of one woman and one man, provided the athletes have competed in one or more of the 2022 and 2024 World Championships.
NOCs with a qualified athlete of one gender (by OQT or OCT) may report a universal swimmer of the opposite gender. In addition, athletes with an achieved OCT who were not invited via the OCT due to reaching the maximum quota can be invited via Universality Places.
Olympic Qualifying Time and Olympic Reflection Time standards for Paris 2024
What is the format and schedule of the Paris 2024 swimming competition?
The Paris 2024 swimming competition will take place from July 27 to August 4, 2024 at the Paris La Défense Arena. A total of 35 events will be contested, divided into heats, semi-finals and finals.
The following disciplines will be held at the next Olympic Games in Paris:
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50m freestyle (women/men)
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100m freestyle (women / men)
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200m freestyle (women/men)
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400m freestyle (women/men)
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800 m freestyle (women/men)
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1500 m freestyle (women/men)
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100m backstroke (women/men)
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200m backstroke (women/men)
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100m breaststroke (women/men)
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200m breaststroke (women/men)
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100m butterfly (women / men)
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200m butterfly (women / men)
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200m individual medley (women / men)
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400m individual medley (women / men)
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4x100m freestyle relay (women/men)
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4x200m freestyle relay (women / men)
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4x100m medley relay (women / men / mixed)
CONTINUE READING: The competition schedule for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been published
Swimmers to be seen in Paris 2024
On the women’s side, Australia put in some brilliant performances at the last edition of the Olympic Games Emma McKeon She left Tokyo with four gold and three bronze medals, including the 50m and 100m freestyle titles.
Beside her, Kaylee McKeown had excellent games in Tokyo with three gold medals in 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke and 4 x 100 m individual medley, which she complemented with gold in 200 m backstroke at this year’s world championships. Another top swimmer in the ranks of the Aussie is Ariarne Tituswho won Olympic gold in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle and 4 x 200m freestyle.
Canada’s 16 year olds Summer McIntosh won four medals at the 2022 World Championships, including gold in the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley. Also keep an eye out for America’s swimming superstar Katie LedeckyWinner of two gold medals in Tokyo 2020 and four gold medals in Rio 2016. She recently added four more to her collection at the World Championships in Budapest.
Other names to watch include Italy’s 17-year-old world champion in the 100m breaststroke Benedetta Pilato and Sweden’s multiple world record holder Sarah Sjostrom.
Among the men are veteran stars, including the seven-time Olympic champion of the USA Caeleb DresselItaly’s world champion in the 1500m freestyle Gregory Paltrinieri and Britain’s three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty are expected to all shine in Paris 2024.
However, enthusiasm for new and emerging talent like the 18-year-old Romanian is growing David Popovici – Winner of gold medals in the 100m and 200m freestyle at the last World Championships, France’s 20-year world champion in the 200m and 400m IM Leon Marchandand Hungary’s 22-year-old Olympic gold medalist in the 200m butterfly Kristof Milakwho have all shown themselves to be among the brightest stars ahead of the next Olympics.
Paris 2024 swim qualification schedule
May 2022: FINA confirms qualifying time standards for all events. Standards to be distributed to all NOCs
January 15, 2023: List of qualification events to be created, published and updated on www.fina.org
March 1, 2023 – June 23, 2024: Period of time to achieve qualifying time standards for individual events
July 14 – 30, 2023: 20th FINA World Championships 2022, Fukuoka (JPN)
February 2 – 18, 2024: 21st FINA World Championships 2024, Doha (QAT)
June 3, 2024: FINA informs NOCs about qualified relay teams
June 7, 2024: NOCs must confirm the participation of their relay teams to FINA
June 14, 2024: FINA to reallocate unused relay team contingents
June 23, 2024: End of the period to achieve qualifying time standards for individual events
June 24, 2024: NOKs confirm the FINA relay only athletes
June 24, 2024: Deadline for NOCs to submit their application for Universality Places to FINA
July 3, 2024: FINA informs NOCs about OQT athletes and invitations from OCT athletes
July 3, 2024: FINA to confirm the allocation of universality places to NOCs
July 4, 2024: NOCs to confirm the use of OQT athletes and invite OCT athletes to FINA
July 4, 2024: NOCs to confirm acceptance of Universal Places
July 5, 2024: FINA to reallocate unused invitations from OCT athletes
Until July 5, 2024: FINA to reallocate all unused quota places
Until July 5, 2024: FINA will inform the Paris 2024 Sport Entries Department of all quota places allocated
July 6, 2024: Registration deadline for Paris 2024 Sport
July 26 – August 11, 2024: Olympic Games Paris 2024
Find out more about the qualification system for other sports that will be used at Paris 2024.