Front-Runners For At-Large 2020 Olympic Relay Bids

By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

This past summer lined up the 12 nations in each relay who are locked in to 2020 Olympic relay berths, but it also set up the front-runners for the 4 remaining at-large bids.

Here’s a look at the qualifying process:

Qualifying Criteria

• The top 12 teams from the heats of each relay at the 2019 World Championships automatically qualify for the Olympics. This means if a team is top 12 in prelims, but DQs in the finals, they still are qualified for Worlds, thus relieving any “safe start” pressure and producing a truer final.
• The next 4 best teams at FINA-approved qualifying events from March 1st, 2019 to May 31st, 2020 (including the World Championships) will join them to make 16
• If any qualified teams, including those placing top 12 at Worlds, decline their spot, then the next-best teams from the March 1st, 2019 to May 31st, 2020 qualifying period will go to the Olympics. In other words, if a top 12 team from Worlds declines their spot, it doesn’t automatically go to team number 13 from Worlds.

Current Qualifying Outlook

Here are the teams who are locked in in each relay, plus the next four top times over the qualifying period. These will effectively serve as the times to beat for unqualified nations over the next 9 months.

Women

Men