USMS Topics - Recent Threads

RE: Updates on the Spring Nationals Eligibility Review - Main Thread

Marieke — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:06:23 GMT

I have competed at the local, the national, and the world level and have never been asked for any testing. Birth certificates from some locations, even other countries, can have an altered gender to match the gender identity of the individual without having any marks that indicate that it has been altered. So a document could be presented to the USMS that could be interpreted such that a trans woman is a biological woman. The policy on transgender doesn't require documents until they are questioned for national recognition, but the documents that are required don't necessarily show the sex at birth. The FINA policy gets past the documentation loophole without preventing people from competing.

As I understand it, the individual who competed in Spring Nationals of 2025, had competed more than 20 years earlier in the USMS as a male, comes from a place where birth certificates can be altered to match gender identity and shows male characteristics, showed documentation to the USMS to allow them to determine her sex at birth was a woman, but refused the FINA tests so was banned from FINA competition and had their records erased from the FINA records.

The self determination by documentation is a good start, but biological testing to resolve a dispute is the only way to determine the sex of an individual and the advantage that a biological male identifying as female would have over the rest of the field.

Updates on the Spring Nationals Eligibility Review - Main Thread

Kyle Deery — Fri, 09 May 2025 15:39:45 GMT

USMS is monitoring media reports, comments on these forums, and responding to member inquiries on the allegations regarding the eligibility of one of our members. We felt it might be helpful to provide updates in one place and this thread will serve that purpose.

Over the past week, USMS has received several formal eligibility review requests. In keeping with our published policy, the eligibility review panel was convened late last week to gather and assess the facts. Those with standing who have requested an eligibility review have been notified and will receive updates directly from the panel as appropriate. The panel will make a final determination based on the evidence presented. Speculation or commentary outside the review will not be part of the decision.

Many members have contacted us with questions and suggestions about our transgender eligibility policy. After the eligibility review is complete, USMS leadership and relevant committees will take time to reflect on member input and other details that emerge from the process to determine whether updates to the policy are appropriate and in line with USMS’s mission and values.

We ask for your patience as this process continues, and we thank you for being part of a community that values thoughtful and respectful dialogue, integrity, and the shared love of swimming. (5/9/2025)

6/3/25 Update

U.S. Masters Swimming’s Board of Directors and Rules Committee have initiated a review of USMS's transgender swimmer policy, which addresses the eligibility of transgender athletes to earn official times and other forms of recognition (places, records, and Top 10 rankings) at USMS events. USMS remains committed to ensuring members of all backgrounds feel welcome in our programs, while also recognizing the importance of fair competition in our events.

USMS will proceed thoughtfully and respectfully in evaluating the policy and will incorporate input received from members, applicable World Aquatics policies, and the various and rapidly changing state and local regulations that make creating a national policy complex.

The final policy will be communicated to members.

Furthermore, USMS is addressing two other related issues:

USMS has received requests to confirm the eligibility of two swimmers who competed at the 2025 Spring National Championship. The established review process is underway.
USMS has received a letter from the Texas Attorney General’s Office requesting documentation related to the 2025 Spring National Championship in San Antonio and is cooperating with the Texas Attorney General’s Office to respond accordingly.

We appreciate your patience and engagement as USMS works through these matters with care.

Sincerely,

Dawson Hughes, CEO of U.S. Masters Swimming, and Ed Coates, President of U.S. Masters Swimming

6/16/25 Update

On June 9, U.S. Masters Swimming's Board of Directors approved the adoption of an Interim Policy on Participation in the Male and Female Competition Category and Eligibility for Recognition Programs to replace the current Policy on Transgender Swimmer Inclusion. This interim policy was modeled after applicable portions of the World Aquatics Policy on the Eligibility for the Men's and Women's Competition Categories and will go into effect July 1.

The board and Rules Committee developed the interim policy while weighing the feedback of USMS members. It reflects USMS’s commitment to inclusion, fairness, and the integrity of competition, values that have defined our organization throughout its 55-year history.

You can learn more about the interim policy on our FAQs page.

What the Interim Policy Does

Continues to allow all members to participate in the competition category that aligns with their gender identity
Establishes updated eligibility criteria for competitive recognition programs that include event rankings, Top 10, All-American status, and records
More closely aligns USMS with the applicable parts of the policy of World Aquatics, swimming’s international governing body that USMS a member of

Why Now?

We moved swiftly to thoughtfully develop this policy in response to our members’ concerns, as well as a recent inquiry from the Texas Attorney General’s Office. Please know that this decision was made with care, respect, and recognition of our members’ range of perspectives.

Creating a policy that balances our organizational values of inclusion and fairness of competition, the diverse range of our members’ perspectives, applicable World Aquatics policies, and various state and local regulations is challenging. We know this update will be welcomed by some and disappointing to others, but we feel this is the best decision to balance our organizational values and an evolving legal framework.

What's Next?

There are still numerous operational issues to address as we work to finalize the interim policy in the coming months. This may include adjustments to member and event registration forms, updates to procedures, and providing guidance to administrators and officials.

As USMS transitions from this interim policy to a permanent one, we’re committed to continuing to hear your feedback. Please refer to our FAQs page and email eligibility@usmastersswimming.org to share your perspective, suggestions, and any other questions you may have.

Thank you for being a member of USMS.

Sincerely,

Dawson Hughes, CEO, U.S. Masters Swimming
Ed Coates, President, U.S. Masters Swimming

7/18/25 Update

The Texas Office of the Attorney General notified U.S. Masters Swimming on May 19 that it was conducting an investigation into policies pertaining to transgender athlete participation in USMS competitions. USMS has been cooperating fully with the investigation and has been working with the Texas Office of the Attorney General to hopefully reach an agreement about the policy. USMS implemented an interim eligibility policy on July 1 in response to feedback from our members and the Attorney General's office and in line with our partnership with World Aquatics, which USMS is a member federation of.

USMS surprisingly learned yesterday via social media that the Texas Office of the Attorney General filed a lawsuit against USMS and the five LMSCs that operate in the State of Texas. USMS is currently reviewing the allegations.

To be clear, under USMS’s policy (which aligns with World Aquatics policy), trans women are not eligible to receive records, Top 10 times, or awards in the women’s category at all USMS-sanctioned events, and trans men are eligible for those competitive recognition programs in the men's category. Moreover, trans women swimming in the women’s category do not displace other women from participating or receiving recognition in any USMS event. USMS policies referenced have been publicly posted on our website since 2012 and are outlined in our annually published Code of Regulations. More information about USMS’s interim eligibility policy can be found in our FAQs.

USMS is a national nonprofit community of adult swimmers focused on health and fitness. It is deeply disappointing to see our organization and individual members publicly targeted in a lawsuit that appears to be more about generating headlines than seeking justice.

USMS will continue to cooperate fully with the Texas Office of the Attorney General and to uphold the values that have guided our community for more than 50 years.

For further updates, you can come back to this thread. Due to the ongoing nature of this lawsuit, USMS will not respond to individual questions.

Sincerely,

Dawson Hughes, CEO, U.S. Master Swimming
Ed Coates, President, U.S. Masters Swimming

8/22/25 Update

Under U.S. Masters Swimming’s Policy on Transgender Swimmer Inclusion that was in effect until July 1, 2025, swimmers in the same gender category, same age group, and having participated in the same event during the same season may request an eligibility review of another swimmer at any time before the times submission deadline for that season. Pursuant to this policy, an Eligibility Review Panel reviewed an eligibility determination request regarding another swimmer’s eligibility for official forms of recognition at USMS events.

Under the USMS Eligibility Review Procedures in place until July 1, 2025, the swimmer whose eligibility was challenged submitted documentation to the Eligibility Review Panel regarding her eligibility to participate in the female competition category and for official forms of recognition, including documentation reflecting her sex assigned at birth and her gender identity, including a birth certificate, passport, and U.S. citizenship documents. The Eligibility Review Panel also met with the swimmer and her counsel and reviewed a personal statement she submitted. The documents the swimmer submitted all demonstrate that she was assigned the female sex at birth and that she identifies as female, although she swam in the male category at USMS events 2002-2004. Even though it was not required, the swimmer voluntarily provided past and current medical documentation corroborating the information contained in the documents she submitted and corroborating her eligibility in the female category.

The Eligibility Review Panel concluded that the evidence submitted by the swimmer demonstrates that she was eligible for competition in the female category.

For clarity:

The USMS Policy on Transgender Swimmer Inclusion and review procedures that were in effect at the time of this protest were materially different than the World Aquatics Policy on Eligibility.
World Aquatics Policy instructs ‘Member Federations (e.g., U.S. Masters Swimming) to adopt its own sex and gender policy ... that respects the inclusion of all Aquatics athletes’ and ‘recommends that organizers of recreational (non-competitive or non-elite) Aquatics events consider their local circumstances and goals in their determination of whether or not separate sex competition is necessary for them’.
The USMS interim eligibility policy effective July 1, 2025, only allows for recognition in the female competition category based on sex assigned at birth, but allows for participation in the female category (as defined in the policy) based on gender identity.
USMS has recently updated its membership registration process to ensure the integrity of the interim eligibility policy.

We appreciate our members’ patience during this thorough review process as the complexities of the matter were exacerbated by the outside legal and media attention received. USMS also wants to encourage our members to treat each other with dignity, kindness, and respect as outlined in the USMS code of conduct.

This concludes the Eligibility Review Panel’s review.

3/12/26 Update

USMS has updated its interim eligibility policy to comply with state and local laws and ensure we can continue sanctioning events nationwide.

How Is Eligibility Now Determined?

The changes to USMS’s interim eligibility policy only apply in states and local jurisdictions that require that members be eligible for local recognition based on the nondiscrimination laws that cover gender identity and/or gender expression. In these places:

For local recognition programs in the women’s category (such as event awards and points scored), members will be eligible based on gender identity and/or gender expression in applicable jurisdictions. Anyone is eligible for local recognition programs in the renamed men’s/open category.
Eligibility for national recognition programs (such as Top 10 times, USMS records, and All-American and All-Star honors) continues to be determined by sex assigned at birth in the women’s category. Anyone is eligible for national recognition programs in the men’s/open category.

Events will follow either the national recognition procedure or the local recognition procedure, depending on the applicable law where the event is held.

All members remain eligible to participate in events regardless of location, gender identity, and/or gender expression. The update to the interim eligibility policy only affects eligibility for some local recognition programs.

How Will This Affect Events?

For most events, state law will determine how local recognition will be handled. Some municipalities also have applicable laws that must be followed, and facilities may have regulations that need to be adhered to.

USMS is implementing additional procedures for event sanctioning to ensure events follow the proper recognition procedure, and that event registrants understand which procedure will be used.

Eligibility determinations are handled administratively by USMS. Event directors, volunteers, officials, and facility staff are not responsible for verifying eligibility at events.

If you are a member and have questions about these changes, see the updated interim eligibility policy and FAQs. You can also direct questions to eligibility@usmastersswimming.org.

Sincerely,

Dawson Hughes
CEO, U.S. Masters Swimming

Ed Coates
President, U.S. Masters Swimming

Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

9EKK5 — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:13:16 GMT

I want to sponsor some local seniors meets for non-elite senior swimmers. How would I do that?

Many seniors serious swimmers, but have just begun swimming in their elder years. We are still good swimmers, better than most teenage recreational swimmers, but do not have the decades of experience necessary to be included in Master's meets. I got denied to race because of my slow time, relative to the experienced seniors in the race. Former olympic and national collegiate swimmers lap me. Ok. But the seniors I swim with could still outswim many of the local highschool swimmers. There is no place for us in meets however due to administrative overload and lack of lanes. I would love to sponsor some fun races for seniors in my local area. It would give us motivation to:

• Train harder and more confidently

• Enjoy the shared experience of swimming together

And frankly… seniors love fins and snorkels so I would include those in some fun events.

How would I start a senior Master team in my area in order to provide an opportunity to pool our resources, support one another, and gain the confidence to participate in swim races—primarily for fun, and occasionally for ranking?

The Current Problem for Seniors at Master’s Meets?

Without a senior-focused local team, we currently have very limited opportunities for meaningful competitive swimming or spectator camaraderie at meets.

1. Masters Meets Are Not Truly Senior-Focused

USMS Masters meets technically include 55+ age groups on paper (55–59, 60–64, 65–69, etc.), but in practice:

• Heats are combined with swimmers of many different ages

• Men and women may swim together in the same heat

• Seniors often feel pushed to the side in huge events

• Fun events are often missing due to time constraints

This is administratively understandable, but seniors do not receive a true senior-centered racing experience. It seems that only seniors with decades of competition experience are included in meets.

2. Qualifying Standards Can Be Unrealistic

Qualifying times for many Masters meets are unrealistic for anyone but highly experienced competitors. Unexperienced local seniors would benefit tremendously from being able to compete at our own level, but opportunities are limited—especially without a team presence.

3. Competing Alone Is Intimidating

While individuals can attend Masters meets unattached, it is very intimidating to do so alone—especially if:

• You are not nationally ranked

• Your times are slower compared to senior swimmers with decades of competition experience

• Space and time constraints bump slower swimmers

I was not allowed to compete in the last meet I registered for a Masters race due to my relatively slow time. This was very discouraging, because I can swim a 100 IM without being disqualified at 67, and I have come back to swimming in my elder years, and have trained for 3 years. 1 minute 40 seconds is good for me right now, but I can get better if I am motivated by future racing. Right now, there are no opportunities. For the record, I am faster than some of the teens and college age people in the pool and many could never even make it through the 100 IM.

4. Seniors Cannot Compete Equally With Younger Athletes

We are good swimmers—often more fit than the general public—but seniors cannot realistically compete with younger swimmers due to age, especially octogenarians. Swimming is extremely beneficial for us, and a team would provide encouragement, fun, and motivation. Race training provides even more motivation and fun.

5. Senior Swimming Opportunities Are Limited in the U.S.

In England, there are more meet opportunities geared toward seniors. In the U.S., this type of senior-specific swimming is very limited. We want to race within our age group, not in mixed-age heats.

That’s fun.

What Novice Seniors Want

We want to:

• Race locally with swimmers in our appropriate age and gender group

• Have senior-accessible meets

• Include “fun events” using fins and snorkels

Am I wrong?

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

Elaine Krugman — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:21:55 GMT

Congratulations! It's great to hear you enjoyed your first meet after so many years. There are a lot of Masters meets in Florida, so don't hesitate to sign up for them. They are open to ALL levels and ages of swimmers. I know, because I, too, am a 64 year old average swimmer, and I have never felt like I didn't belong, even when I always come in last place in the 200 Butterfly!

I joined USMS in 2010 after 31 years out of the water, and all the meets I have competed in have been a lot of fun!

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

XSTEVEX1 — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:33:05 GMT

I just competed in the Polk County Senior Games - my first competition since 1981!

I've been bitten buy the bug, and I'm itching to compete again!

I am 64 years old, and a pretty good swimmer (NOT elite!) I took 2nd in my age group for the 100 yd freestyle(1:16) and the 50 yard freestyle (0:33)

I live in Central Florida. And would LOVE to see more events for us older, average swimmers!

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

robinmsmith — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:23:40 GMT

Masters meets are different from USA Swimming meets. USA Swimming meets have entry time requirements and their rules require session time limits.

Masters meets don’t have entry time requirements (except for USMS Nationals), and the time limit of the meet is based on the permit for the meet at the facility. We swim in heats with others of similar speed and ability (based on entered times), and results are reported by age group and sex, not by where someone placed in their heat. We have swimmers enter our meets from 18 yrs up to 100+ yrs of age. Everyone is welcoming and helpful, especially to those who are swimming in their first meet.

There are also Senior Games Swimming Event meets. Senior Games are for participants aged 50 yrs of age and above. The Swimming Events are for both USMS and non-USMS members. SPMS will offer the Pasadena Senior Games and the Silver State Games (Las Vegas, NV) Swimming Event meets during the summer and fall. We will post the information on our LMSC website when we receive the dates and entry details from the organizers.

One more thing, there are several Masters swim teams in your area. You can use the USMS Club Finder for more information if you want to check them out: https://www.usms.org/clubs

Happy Swimming!

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

9EKK5 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:54:10 GMT

I will check your website thank you. I understand that the administrative aspect of running meets prevents everyone from getting everything we want, but I was hoping to have a way to limit a race to seniors who are not elite. I will check out your site for meets.

Thanks!

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

9EKK5 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:52:52 GMT

youre right i did sound a little contradictory- i did not mean swim team highschoolers, i meant highschoolers in general. thanks for catching that.

Sounds like you have a wonderful background in swimming. I wish i would have started younger!

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

9EKK5 — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 01:50:54 GMT

This is really helpful! Thank you!

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

robinmsmith — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:15:46 GMT

Hi Laura,

I am the Sanctions Chair for the Southern Pacific LMSC. We have Masters meets hosted in different parts of our LMSC to accommodate our members and everyone is welcome to participate. We have lots of unattached swimmers who enter and swim in our pool meets and open water events.

We do seed the regular USMS meets by entered time, sexes and ages combined to manage the timelines. Our LMSC Championship multi-day meets do have women and men swim separate events, all ages combined. And many of our meets will have fun events and fun relays offered for all participants.

Have you checked our website for upcoming meets? https://www.spmasterswim.org/meet-schedule/

We have two SCY meets coming up in March - one in San Luis Obispo and one in Mission Viejo. Hope you can find something that will work for you.

Robin Smith (coachrobinsmith@gmail.com)

https://www.spmasterswim.org/

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

Elaine Krugman — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:53:59 GMT

According to her profile, Laura is from Santa Clarita Valley, CA.

Britta, I agree with you. As you know, I am slow, especially at 200 butterfly, but I have never been told I couldn't "race" it. Perhaps the meet situation is different in California, because of more competition?

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

ForceDJ — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:16:52 GMT

I’m a USMS member, and at 65 years old, I’ve been an avid swimmer since right after h.s. Yet I’ve never been part of a coached team, or participated in pool meets. I’ve always trained for open water, and triathlon events. So, I don’t know what the answer is. But I’m pretty certain someone will chime in with some good recommendations. But, there are a couple comments in your post that caught my attention.

First — “But the seniors I swim with could still out swim many of the local high school swimmers.”

If they’re swimming that fast, then I’d think they’re good enough to be participating in USMS age group meets. I was probably at my best, youthful, physical condition in my late 20s/early 30s. I was on active duty in the Navy, and no one ever finished ahead of me in our 500yd fitness tests. In triathlons, I was usually one of the first people out of the water. And still, when I’d be in the pool while the local h.s. team practiced…even the slower kids on the team would blow past me with ease while they were doing their warmup, and I was in the middle of intervals.

Secondly — “We are good swimmers—often more fit than the general public—but seniors cannot realistically compete with younger swimmers due to age…”

That’s contradictory to the first comment.

I’m sure there is a solution to this. I have lots of swimming friends who are in the retirement years and DO participate in USMS meets regularly, matched against others in the same age group. And I’ve seen their results so I know it’s possible. Hopefully an elder with more USMS meet experience can offer some info.

Dan

RE: Few Senior Race Opportunities for Unranked Non-Elite Swimmers

Britt03 — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:05:42 GMT

I don't know what LMSC you are in but it feels wrong to exclude slower swimmers, regardless of age. USMS is an inclusive organization and unless it is a state, zone or national championship, there should be very little limitations to who can swim. You most likely run into limitations how many people can register for longer events but that has nothing to do with age.

In Georgia, we welcome everyone and have had some 100+ age group swimmers compete in the past. That men and women are mixed is an argument you most likely won't win on a local level. That is done to run the meet efficiently for everyone. To be blatantly honest: no one wants to watch a 10min 100 freestyle heat for men where you have maybe 4 swimmers compete just for it to be followed by yet another 10min 100 freestyle heat for the women that is not a full heat when both of them can be combined.

recognized meets or developmental meets (hand-stopwatches are used, times do not count for top 10 or records) are great ways to host smaller meets that you could run as a "senior-accessible" meet. Georgia hosts multiple ones every year.

regarding your fun events: as soon as a meet is usms recognized or sanctioned, you are not allowed to offer fun events. Join GUS and you can do all of that fun and more. But USMS is dictating a lot what can and cannot be done at USMS meets.

RE: Projected National Qualifying Time Standards for Spring 2026 (SCY)

Jim Clemmons — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 17:58:33 GMT

Official NQTs have been posted on the 2026 Spring Nats on the pool nationals space.

Projected National Qualifying Time Standards for Spring 2026 (SCY)

Greg G — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 04:31:04 GMT

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

RE: Projected National Qualifying Time Standards for Spring 2026 (SCY)

Y79SN — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:16:58 GMT

Thank you for doing this. Last year I met the NQT for one event on Oct 21 and then 2 weeks later, the official NQT for 2025 came out and I didn't make that. It was so discouraging.

RE: Projected National Qualifying Time Standards for Spring 2026 (SCY)

Jim Clemmons — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:04:45 GMT

Greg G Your chart is very close. Formal NQTs will be posted this Thursday, Nov 20.

Jim

RE: Projected National Qualifying Time Standards for Spring 2026 (SCY)

Greg G — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:34:34 GMT

I get it for last year, where they delayed nationals so that it would line up with USOTs, and as a result they extended the 2024 scy season to account for that. The fact that this year is still taking just as long is bewildering. I haven't updated these since they've made a preliminary, unofficial version of the top ten times available. I may get around to it before they release the official Qual times, or I may not.

RE: Projected National Qualifying Time Standards for Spring 2026 (SCY)

6NHJ5 — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:30:50 GMT

I wish they would put the times out there sooner. It’s mid Nov, we have already had meets. I already booked my flight for nationals, but it would be nice to know what actual events I have qualifying times in.

RE: Swimsuits Not Lawsuits: We're focused on our mission and members

Allen Stark — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:38:15 GMT

I would like to know the truth also, but I see no reason at this time to believe the expose' over USMS. If USMS says they got the documents I tend to believe them.

Swimsuits Not Lawsuits: We're focused on our mission and members

Daniel Paulling — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 18:41:16 GMT

We’ve always believed that swimming has the power to change lives. That belief fuels our mission to empower adults to improve their lives through swimming.

But in recent weeks, USMS has come under scrutiny from politicians, state officials, and other outside organizations over competition eligibility policies. They don’t understand who we are and what we do. And we need your help setting the record straight as part of our newly launched #SwimsuitsNotLawsuits campaign.

The Background

This situation began with rumors about one member’s performance at our Spring Nationals in April in San Antonio. An external organization fueled online speculation about this swimmer’s eligibility, which led to protests from fellow members and an investigation by the Attorney General in Texas.

After hearing from members, discussions with the Texas Office of the Attorney General, and other external stakeholders, we adopted an interim eligibility policy. The policy clarifies participation and recognition criteria in a way that reflects our mission, our values, and operational considerations specific to Masters Swimming.

Even after announcing the changes, the Florida Attorney General is asking us to further restrict eligibility. And despite everything we did, we still got sued by the Texas Attorney General.

Here’s How You Can Help

Read the facts below. We address some of the speculation and inaccuracies here but also encourage you to read the interim eligibility policy and the FAQs page to get the facts.
Share correct information when you see or hear inaccurate statements. Please help us by providing facts in response, whether it’s on social media, at the pool, or in your local community. Your voice matters.
Let others know what’s great about our organization. In the coming days, we’ll post on social media to address speculation and misleading statements. We’d like you to share those and/or comment how USMS has positively impacted your life, whether you learned to swim through an adult learn-to-swim program, you enjoy swimming every day with a special group of lanemates, or you achieved your goal at an event. Tag us in your own social media posts and use the hashtag #SwimsuitsNotLawsuits. Help others see what makes USMS great: you.

Here Are the Facts That We Need Your Help Clearing Up

Our organization is only for adults — not kids. Every one of you is 18 or older, and our policies don’t affect youth or scholastic competitions.
Men and women swim together every day — and it’s not unsafe. Across the country every day, men and women complete workouts in the same lanes as each other, and Masters events are often held with heats that mix men and women with their results tabulated by categories and age groups after the event is completed. This is similar to local 5K runs, cycling races, triathlons, and other adult recreational events. It’s commonplace and safe.
Our policy addresses concerns about fair competition. Under our interim eligibility policy, trans women are not eligible to receive competitive recognition in the female category but are allowed to participate. Everyone gets to swim. (Anyone who chooses to swim in the male competition category is eligible for recognition regardless of their sex assigned at birth or gender identity.)
Locker room access is not part of our policy — we obey the law and facility policies. Our interim eligibility policy has absolutely nothing to do with locker room or bathroom access. USMS expects all facility rules and applicable local, state, and federal laws regarding access to locker rooms and bathrooms to be followed.
Our organization has no political or social agenda — we are mission focused. We are a private nonprofit recreational swimming organization with a focus on adult fitness. We welcome all adults to take advantage of the mental and physical health benefits of swimming through workouts, events, learn-to-swim programs, and social interaction with other swimmers.
Self-certification of sex assigned at birth is the most accurate and cost-effective method for our organization. We use the same standard for verification of age and gender as local running races and pickleball leagues. We don’t want to require our members to submit to invasive medical testing just to be able to compete.

We understand that the topic of transgender competition in women’s sports evokes strong emotions and differing opinions. No policy on transgender eligibility will satisfy everyone, but ours was created to allow us to continue to pursue our mission, satisfy rapidly changing state and federal guidelines, limit the impact to as few members as possible, and save the organization’s resources, which are designed to support our members’ swimming needs, not sustained legal or political theater.

We didn’t pick this fight, but we will take it head on and continue to strive to be a welcoming organization. We want you to keep swimming and enjoying all the benefits of your USMS membership and ask that you help us correct the mischaracterizations about our organization.

#SwimsuitsNotLawsuits

Sincerely,

Dawson Hughes, CEO, U.S. Masters Swimming
Ed Coates, President, U.S. Masters Swimming

(Posted July 29, 2025)

RE: Swimsuits Not Lawsuits: We're focused on our mission and members

60645 — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 04:19:26 GMT

The US Masters Swimming Eligibility Review Committee wrote: " The documents the swimmer submitted all demonstrate that she was assigned the female sex at birth and that she identifies as female, although she swam in the male category at USMS events 2002-2004. Even though it was not required, the swimmer voluntarily provided past and current medical documentation corroborating the information contained in the documents she submitted and corroborating her eligibility in the female category."

That now appears to be a lie. The problem is that you said that we should trust you while you were lying.

RE: Swimsuits Not Lawsuits: We're focused on our mission and members

0ARU3 — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 22:53:17 GMT

I stand with you, Angie, and see through the deception accepted by the media and more.

Caldas claimed the cheek swab is invasive and expensive, stating his insurance refuses to cover the test.
From the World Aquatics Policy on Eligibility for Men's and Women's Competition Categories F1b:

"...World Aquatics may ask the athlete to provide further information and documents and/or submit to one or more medical examinations. All costs associated will be borne by World Aquatics."

Numerous sites reported Caldas' claims without bothering to verify. Sadly, some sites (Swimming World) disabled comments on social media, allowing the continued lies to go unchallenged.

RE: Swimsuits Not Lawsuits: We're focused on our mission and members

swimfastatlanta — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 21:44:03 GMT

[deleted]

RE: Swimsuits Not Lawsuits: We're focused on our mission and members

Angie Griffin — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 09:56:24 GMT

A real woman would have taken the cheek swab to put an end to the whole charade. Real women stick up for real women