This year is an important year for the swimming community. While swimming fans know the annual major international competitions, none of these events draws the attention of the general public and the acclaim of the Olympic Games.
2016 Olympic Trials
Would you like to experience, in person, the intensity of the Olympic Games without leaving the country? The U.S. Olympic Trials will be held June 26 – July 3 in Omaha, Nebraska.
While in many smaller countries, swimmers only need to achieve the Olympic qualifying time, in the U.S., everyone competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials has already swum the Olympic qualifying time. At the Olympic Trials, Americans must finish first or second in his or her event in order to make the team. In a powerhouse swimming country like the U.S., this is not an easy feat.
2016 Summer Olympics
Opening ceremonies for the 2016 Summer Olympics are on August 5 and swimming competitions are held August 6 – August 13. Check out NBC’s highlights and TV schedule or book a flight to Rio de Janeiro to be in the center of the action!
For the United States, this is sure to be an exciting year. Michael Phelps has announced he will retire (not for the first time) after the Olympics to join Arizona State University as a coach, and superstar Katie Ledecky is a favorite after her successes in 2015.
FINA World Swimming Championships
Next December, the FINA World Swimming Championships will take place in Windsor, Ontario. Just across the river from Detroit, this is another semi-local event you can watch first-hand without heading overseas.
There are many other national and international swimming events, including those hosted by U.S. Masters Swimming and USA Swimming.
