by posted 06/23/2008

USA Swimming 2008 Olympic Trials Schedule and Olympic Trials TV Schedule

Qwest Center Omaha Hosts the USA Swimming 2008 Olympic Trials 29 June - 6 July

The best swimmers in the USA will be at the Qwest Center in Omaha Nebraska, from 29 June through 6 July, trying to finish in the top two spots to qualify for the US team swimming at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The order of events for the 2008 USA Swimming Olympic Trials is the same as the event schedule that will be used at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. There is a difference, though - in Beijing the Preliminary sessions will begin at 6:30PM, the Finals at 10:00AM.

Events that are 200 meters or shorter will have:

Preliminary (all swimmers) swim sessions
Semifinal (fastest 16 from preliminaries) swim sessions
Final (fastest 8 from semifinals) swim sessions

Events 400 meters and longer only have:

Preliminary (all swimmers) swim sessions
Final (fastest 8 from preliminaries) swim sessions

There are no relay events contested at the Olympic trials; swimmers qualify for relay spots based on their performances in individual events.

In the preliminaries, all of the qualified swimmers swim, trying to finish among the top 16 by time; those top 16 swimmers advance to the semi-finals. The last three heats of each preliminary event (the fastest 24 swimmers by entry time) will have swimmers in lanes using circle seeding, with the fastest swimmer placed in lane 4 of the last preliminary heat, then the second fastest swimmer placed in lane 4 of the second to last preliminary heat, then the third fastest swimmer placed in lane 4 of the third to last preliminary heat. The fourth fastest swimmer is placed in lane 5 of the fastest heat, the fifth fastest into lane 5 of the second to last heat, and the sixth fastest into lane 5 of the third to last heat. That same pattern of sorting the top 24 swimmers among the last three heats is followed until all of them are assigned lanes.

In the semifinals (fastest 16 swimmers from the preliminary heats), the swimemrs are trying to get one of the 8 fastest times so they can advance to the finals. The swimmers are seeded with the fastest swimmer in lane 4 of the last heat, the second fastest swimemr in lane 4 of the first heat, the third fastest swimmer in lane 5 of the last heat, etc.

In finals, the swimmers aim to get that spot on the US Olympic Team. The top two swimmers will make it, with the chance of a few more swimmers making it on the team in the 100 meter and 200 meter freestyle events as relay swimmers.

USA Swimming 2008 Olympic Trials Schedule and TV Schedule
Qwest Center Omaha
29 June - 6 July 2008

Psyche Sheet - List of Swimmers and Entered Events

Sunday, June 29
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, NBC

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals

Monday, June 30
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals

Tuesday, July 1
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals

Wednesday, July 2
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals

Thursday, July 3
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals

Friday, July 4
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, USA

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals

Saturday, July 5
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, NBC

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Semifinals/Finals

Sunday, July 6
TV Coverage: 8:00-9:00 pm ET, NBC

11 a.m. - Preliminaries
7 p.m. - Finals

USA Swimming 2008 Olympic Trials Schedule and Olympic Trials TV Schedule

Qwest Center Omaha Hosts the USA Swimming 2008 Olympic Trials 29 June - 6 July

USA Swimming 2008 Olympic Trials Schedule and TV Schedule Qwest Center Omaha 29 June - 6 July 2008

USA Swimming 2008 Olympic Trials Schedule and TV Schedule
Qwest Center Omaha
29 June - 6 July 2008