Nothing Sweeter Than a Repeater - Sandpipers Take on the World for the 2nd Straight Year
The FINA Swimming World Championships is an elite event second only to the Olympics. The best swimmers in the world race their way through qualifications to earn their spot on their nation’s team. The difference between Worlds and Olympics? The World Championships are held every two years, not four.
Ten Sandpipers qualified to compete at the 2022 Phillips 66 World Championship Team Trials held April 26-30. To make the World Championships team, swimmers must place either first or second in individual events, top six for relay events... The same procedure as the Olympic Games. In incredible fashion, Bella Sims and Katie Grimes repeated their Olympic Games feat and punched their ticket to Budapest as part of the U.S. World Championship team.
They weren't the only Sandpipers to qualify for the World Championships either. Fellow Sandpipers Claire Weinstein and Abby Dunford earned their way to representing their country as well. Bella, Katie, and Claire earned their spot through their performance at the US Team Trials held in Greensboro, North Carolina. Abby qualified to represent Team Canada at the Canadian Trials in Victoria, British Columbia April 5-10. And if that wasn't enough, our own Head Coach Ron Aitken, was named as an Assistant Coach for BOTH the Pool and Open Water United States teams.
Not to be forgotten, Sandpiper Alumni Brennan Gravley and Dylan Gravley also earned their spots on the USA Swimming World Championship team. They secured their positions in Fort Meyers, Florida, April 1-3, where the USA open water trials were held. Grimes added to her busy schedule in Budapest by way of representing team USA in the 10K race as well. On the Canadian side, Dunford earned her Open Water spot via her pool swims.
Though our team is competing 6,000 miles away, you can still watch and cheer for them at home! Pool racing kicks of Saturday, June 18 and concludes Saturday, June 25. All prelims sessions will be streamed live on Fina.org at 12:00am PST. Finals coverage will air live on the Olympic Channel at 9:00am PST.
You can also tune into NBC June 26 at 10:00am for a highlight show with American commentary.
Below is the event schedule. Be sure to tune in and cheer on our Sandpipers and their fellow US Teammates!
Sunday June 19: Women’s 1500 Freestyle prelims: Katie Grimes, Abby Dunford
Monday June 20: Women’s 200 Freestyle prelims and semi-finals: Claire Weinstein; Women’s 1500 Freestyle finals
Tuesday June 21: Women’s 200 Freestyle finals
Wednesday June 22: Women’s 4 x 200 Freestyle Relay prelims and finals: Claire Weinstein, Bella Sims
Saturday June 25: Women’s 400 IM prelims and finals: Katie Grimes
Sunday June 26: Open Water Mixed 4 x 1500 Relay
Monday June 27: Men’s 5-kilometer Open Water: Brennan Gravley; Women’s 5-kilometer Open Water: Dunford
Tuesday June 28: Women’s 10-kilometer open water: Grimes, Dunford
Wednesday June 29: Men’s 10-kilometer open water: B. Gravley, Dylan Gravley
