Hello!
Last year I became pretty frustrated with USMS' timeline for the release of NQTs. I was returning to swimming competitively for the first time since high school, and was very interested in going to nationals. But with the shift in timeline on 2024 nationals due to Olympic trials, and the subsequent pushback of the release of the top ten list, NQT release was delayed until seemingly well after the start of SCY meets in my area. As a result I had a few swims at the beginning of the short course season, where I didn't know the qual times I was shooting for. I though I had made some based on the previous years times, only to find out that I had actually missed them when the official times dropped.
Because of this, I got interested in the process by which the times were released, which lead me to how they are calculated. I ended up painstakingly putting together a spreadsheet to calculate all the times, as somewhat of a passion project. But looking up all the times from the top ten lists, was tedious and slow. So I wanted to look into implementing a webscraper to do that hard work for me and came up with some, probably bad, python code which uses the top ten times database for 2023, and 2024 but uses the meet results database found here for 2025. It's smart enough to remove times from 2024 nationals and swims from the same swimmer from the results it pulls from the meet database. You can find the github repo for the code here.
I make no claims that this is going to be 100 % accurate, as I am sure there are times from the meet database that will not be included in the top ten for this year. There will certainly be discrepancies, but this is mostly for perspective first time qualifiers, or those who've been away from the sport for several year, to get a sense of what it might take. I know this is less of a big deal for seasoned vets, but it was important to me last year which was my first year trying to qualify for nationals after several years away from the sport, in an age group featuring many that are freshly out of college and quite a bit quicker than myself.
I'm thinking I may update this if there is an interval between when the 2025 top ten times drop, and when the official national qualifying times are released, which would likely match 100 %, but this did take several weeks to automate, so who knows if I'll have the time.
If you have more of a background in programming (I'm merely an amateur with very little experience) let me know where there might be opportunities to improve, or other features you might like to see, please let me know below, I'd be happy to hear!
Without further ado, here are my best predictions for the 2026 SCY national qualifying times!
Men
| Event | 18 - 24 | 25 - 29 | 30 - 34 | 35 - 39 | 40 - 44 | 45 - 49 | 50 - 54 | 55 - 59 | 60 - 64 | 65 - 69 | 70 - 74 | 75 - 79 | 80 - 84 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Free | 24.35 | 23.99 | 24.41 | 24.97 | 25.46 | 26.34 | 26.69 | 27.24 | 28.06 | 29.06 | 31.01 | 33.66 | 38.61 |
| 100 Free | 53.94 | 53.13 | 54.08 | 55.04 | 56.97 | 58.27 | 59.21 | 1:00.32 | 1:01.98 | 1:05.14 | 1:09.21 | 1:16.01 | 1:32.17 |
| 200 Free | 1:57.66 | 1:56.06 | 1:56.68 | 1:59.05 | 2:02.22 | 2:06.06 | 2:08.74 | 2:09.42 | 2:15.95 | 2:19.41 | 2:31.38 | 2:47.30 | 3:26.25 |
| 500 Free | 5:29.68 | 5:24.80 | 5:27.47 | 5:42.72 | 5:39.30 | 5:46.51 | 5:56.30 | 5:56.02 | 6:14.41 | 6:22.52 | 6:55.31 | 7:59.46 | 10:05.09 |
| 1000 Free | 12:30.89 | 11:46.63 | 11:54.86 | 12:22.55 | 12:20.86 | 12:21.43 | 12:32.86 | 12:29.18 | 13:01.84 | 13:31.62 | 14:31.24 | 17:08.49 | 26:31.76 |
| 1650 Free | 22:16.78 | 20:09.72 | 20:20.75 | 21:29.17 | 20:35.99 | 21:02.31 | 21:22.40 | 20:57.72 | 21:57.36 | 22:53.25 | 24:54.67 | 28:30.72 | 37:52.49 |
| 50 Back | 28.13 | 27.37 | 28.22 | 28.70 | 30.22 | 30.72 | 31.15 | 32.56 | 33.59 | 34.96 | 37.93 | 42.41 | 49.78 |
| 100 Back | 1:01.80 | 59.84 | 1:02.05 | 1:05.19 | 1:06.90 | 1:07.46 | 1:08.19 | 1:10.34 | 1:13.93 | 1:16.24 | 1:24.00 | 1:35.58 | 1:55.12 |
| 200 Back | 2:16.72 | 2:11.73 | 2:15.22 | 2:22.18 | 2:24.80 | 2:23.99 | 2:28.94 | 2:30.25 | 2:36.21 | 2:39.87 | 2:57.46 | 3:23.84 | 4:11.40 |
| 50 Breast | 31.14 | 30.29 | 30.98 | 31.85 | 32.26 | 32.78 | 33.91 | 34.98 | 36.07 | 37.54 | 41.51 | 44.62 | 52.70 |
| 100 Breast | 1:08.08 | 1:06.25 | 1:08.03 | 1:10.42 | 1:11.25 | 1:11.94 | 1:15.55 | 1:17.27 | 1:20.01 | 1:23.62 | 1:33.82 | 1:42.40 | 2:05.15 |
| 200 Breast | 2:29.75 | 2:24.44 | 2:30.92 | 2:35.88 | 2:36.17 | 2:35.73 | 2:45.22 | 2:48.81 | 2:58.44 | 3:01.47 | 3:25.79 | 3:38.85 | 4:37.65 |
| 50 Fly | 26.30 | 25.81 | 26.40 | 27.17 | 27.55 | 28.64 | 28.67 | 30.06 | 30.61 | 32.21 | 34.64 | 39.22 | 50.81 |
| 100 Fly | 58.84 | 57.62 | 59.18 | 1:01.42 | 1:02.11 | 1:04.13 | 1:04.42 | 1:07.48 | 1:10.73 | 1:16.33 | 1:24.62 | 1:49.08 | 2:51.76 |
| 200 Fly | 2:15.03 | 2:11.33 | 2:16.76 | 2:24.75 | 2:21.50 | 2:30.40 | 2:36.59 | 2:43.62 | 2:56.81 | 3:12.13 | 3:45.49 | 4:26.40 | 10:47.66 |
| 100 IM | 1:01.41 | 59.52 | 1:00.91 | 1:02.43 | 1:04.60 | 1:05.70 | 1:06.81 | 1:09.41 | 1:12.09 | 1:15.44 | 1:22.80 | 1:31.02 | 1:51.32 |
| 200 IM | 2:12.47 | 2:10.23 | 2:12.90 | 2:14.25 | 2:20.34 | 2:21.14 | 2:25.57 | 2:28.86 | 2:35.21 | 2:44.27 | 3:00.54 | 3:28.07 | 5:06.35 |
| 400 IM | 4:55.94 | 4:53.50 | 4:59.34 | 5:18.33 | 5:08.69 | 5:16.42 | 5:24.80 | 5:29.01 | 5:50.11 | 6:04.65 | 7:02.32 | 7:48.86 | 12:50.02 |
Women
| Event | 18 - 24 | 25 - 29 | 30 - 34 | 35 - 39 | 40 - 44 | 45 - 49 | 50 - 54 | 55 - 59 | 60 - 64 | 65 - 69 | 70 - 74 | 75 - 79 | 80 - 84 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Free | 28.81 | 28.22 | 28.80 | 29.16 | 29.29 | 30.28 | 31.06 | 31.60 | 32.23 | 33.69 | 36.90 | 42.68 | 53.47 |
| 100 Free | 1:03.99 | 1:01.41 | 1:03.54 | 1:04.22 | 1:04.54 | 1:06.25 | 1:08.95 | 1:09.60 | 1:11.43 | 1:15.17 | 1:24.00 | 1:36.37 | 1:59.96 |
| 200 Free | 2:15.12 | 2:10.84 | 2:15.63 | 2:18.21 | 2:19.73 | 2:21.54 | 2:26.70 | 2:26.42 | 2:28.71 | 2:40.72 | 2:59.65 | 3:27.97 | 4:28.17 |
| 500 Free | 6:18.68 | 6:03.45 | 6:08.27 | 6:13.86 | 6:14.64 | 6:23.02 | 6:31.95 | 6:32.03 | 6:37.02 | 7:13.69 | 8:08.77 | 9:14.52 | 12:07.76 |
| 1000 Free | 14:25.47 | 13:08.44 | 13:01.24 | 13:06.64 | 13:02.67 | 13:40.78 | 13:48.14 | 13:34.89 | 13:49.76 | 15:15.18 | 17:14.75 | 20:03.62 | 27:46.41 |
| 1650 Free | 24:28.99 | 21:56.24 | 22:15.28 | 22:16.71 | 22:07.83 | 23:27.51 | 23:29.56 | 23:02.36 | 23:55.62 | 25:22.44 | 29:00.42 | 33:05.54 | 47:03.85 |
| 50 Back | 33.02 | 32.20 | 33.23 | 33.89 | 33.89 | 35.69 | 36.27 | 37.03 | 38.68 | 41.56 | 45.36 | 54.44 | 1:03.00 |
| 100 Back | 1:12.32 | 1:09.95 | 1:12.83 | 1:14.10 | 1:14.16 | 1:17.98 | 1:18.69 | 1:20.22 | 1:24.07 | 1:30.02 | 1:38.48 | 1:56.71 | 2:19.50 |
| 200 Back | 2:35.57 | 2:31.32 | 2:34.64 | 2:38.44 | 2:38.18 | 2:45.92 | 2:46.99 | 2:49.31 | 2:56.03 | 3:08.93 | 3:26.53 | 4:05.75 | 4:51.78 |
| 50 Breast | 37.01 | 36.57 | 38.34 | 38.48 | 37.36 | 38.81 | 39.77 | 41.63 | 43.11 | 46.00 | 50.01 | 1:00.10 | 1:14.61 |
| 100 Breast | 1:21.23 | 1:19.05 | 1:22.78 | 1:23.78 | 1:22.32 | 1:25.44 | 1:27.83 | 1:33.19 | 1:35.10 | 1:42.98 | 1:51.78 | 2:18.55 | 2:50.13 |
| 200 Breast | 2:56.99 | 2:48.88 | 2:59.71 | 3:00.50 | 2:56.61 | 3:01.12 | 3:07.65 | 3:15.94 | 3:22.38 | 3:41.56 | 4:04.99 | 4:48.85 | 7:02.42 |
| 50 Fly | 30.97 | 30.34 | 31.18 | 31.27 | 32.18 | 33.08 | 34.19 | 34.71 | 35.53 | 37.62 | 44.86 | 56.18 | 1:25.61 |
| 100 Fly | 1:08.94 | 1:08.24 | 1:10.15 | 1:11.71 | 1:12.97 | 1:15.35 | 1:20.60 | 1:21.59 | 1:23.99 | 1:33.49 | 1:59.74 | 3:31.60 | 2:48.08 |
| 200 Fly | 2:48.75 | 2:36.93 | 2:45.48 | 2:43.94 | 2:48.91 | 3:15.88 | 3:08.48 | 3:08.51 | 3:17.00 | 3:47.65 | 4:52.91 | 5:44.86 | NO TIME |
| 100 IM | 1:11.38 | 1:10.10 | 1:12.18 | 1:13.27 | 1:13.93 | 1:15.55 | 1:18.92 | 1:20.61 | 1:23.48 | 1:28.55 | 1:39.11 | 1:58.18 | 2:45.71 |
| 200 IM | 2:32.99 | 2:30.01 | 2:36.01 | 2:35.46 | 2:36.43 | 2:41.11 | 2:48.37 | 2:51.03 | 2:57.36 | 3:17.16 | 3:43.26 | 4:23.52 | 6:42.75 |
| 400 IM | 5:42.66 | 5:31.49 | 5:48.53 | 5:47.98 | 5:40.78 | 6:03.78 | 6:08.94 | 6:10.93 | 6:24.93 | 7:08.51 | 8:26.92 | 9:58.03 | 15:10.19 |
