Quick Dip: How Do I Qualify for Counties?

A short read for the car journey

Category: Goals  | Read time: Under 2 minutes

Counties is short for the Hampshire County Swimming Championships. It is one of the first major championships many club swimmers aim to reach.

To qualify, you need to swim an official time at a licensed competition. Your time must meet the qualifying standard published for your age group and event. It must also have been achieved within the qualifying period and appear on the official rankings. Check the correct standard for a swim in a 25m or 50m pool.

Counties publishes an automatic qualifying time and a consideration time for each individual event. Achieving a consideration time allows your club to send in an entry but it does not guarantee that the entry will be accepted.

An automatic qualifying time normally means your entry will be accepted as long as it follows all the championship entry rules. If you achieve a consideration time, your entry may be accepted depending on the number of available places.

Your age group is based on your age on 31 December of the year the championships take place, not necessarily your age when you swim the qualifying time.

The times and entry rules can change each year, so check that you are using the information for the championships you want to enter. Your coach and parent or carer can help.

You do not need to chase every event. Your coach can help you identify which strokes and distances currently give you the strongest opportunity. Keep working on all four strokes because your best events may change as you develop.

Ask your coach: Which events could I work towards for Counties and what do I need to improve?

Created by Basingstoke Bluefins Coaching Team