FINA has released the official time standards for the 2023 World Championships that will take place in Fukuoka, Japan. The Championships will run from July 14 – July 30, 2023, with the swimming portion occurring from the 18th to the 25th.
The time standards, which are listed below, are fairly consistent with the cuts for the 2022 World Championships in Budapest this year.
Out of the 17 events, 15 of the women’s A cuts and 12 of the men’s have remained the same for 2023, while 14 of the women’s B cuts and 12 of the men’s remained the same.
2023 World Aquatics Championships – Swimming Qualification Standards
| Women | Men | |||
| B Cut | A Cut | EVENT | A Cut | B Cut |
| 25.92 | 25.04 | 50 freestyle | 22.12 | 22.89 |
| 56.15 | 54.25 | 100 freestyle | 48.51 | 50.21 |
| 2:02.81 | 1:58.66 | 200 freestyle | 1:47.06 | 1:50.81 |
| 4:19.34 | 4:10.57 | 400 freestyle | 3:48.15 | 3:56.14 |
| 8:56.03 | 8:37.90 | 800 freestyle | 7:53.11 | 8:09.67 |
| 17:04.20 | 16:29.57 | 1500 freestyle | 15:04.64 | 15:36.30 |
| 29.21 | 28.22 | 50 backstroke | 25.16 | 26.04 |
| 1:02.71 | 1:00.59 | 100 backstroke | 54.03 | 55.92 |
| 2:15.67 | 2:11.08 | 200 backstroke | 1:58.07 | 2:02.20 |
| 32.11 | 31.02 | 50 breaststroke | 27.33 | 28.29 |
| 1:09.71 | 1:07.35 | 100 breaststroke | 59.75 | 1:01.84 |
| 2:31.02 | 2:25.91 | 200 breaststroke | 2:10.32 | 2:14.88 |
| 27.24 | 26.32 | 50 butterfly | 23.53 | 24.35 |
| 1:00.37 | 58.33 | 100 butterfly | 51.96 | 53.78 |
| 2:13.37 | 2:09.21 | 200 butterfly | 1:56.71 | 2:00.79 |
| 2:17.63 | 2:12.98 | 200 IM | 1:59.53 | 2:03.71 |
| 4:52.91 | 4:43.06 | 400 IM | 4:17.48 | 4:26.49 |
Both the A and B time standards have gotten faster in 2 women’s events and 5 men’s events, while just the B cuts got faster in the women’s 200 butterfly, 400 IM, and 1500 free. The 1500 free change is the most dramatic change in the standards. FINA has confirmed that this change is not an error and that the listed standard is correct. There were 27 entrants and 26 starters in the women’s 1500 free at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships. Only six of the swimmers who actually raced were slower than the new “B” standard in Budapest, and only three had entry times slower than the new “B” standard, as the event adjusts to its new-found status as an Olympic event. FINA says that the standard used in Budapest 2022 was the original Fukuoka 2021 standard that was set in 2019. In 2023, the B qualifying standard is set at +3.5% of the women’s 1500m Freestyle A time.
Check out all of the changes from 2022 World Championships to 2023 below.
Women’s Events
| A Cut | B Cut | |||
| Event | 2022 Cut | 2023 Cut | 2022 Cut | 2023 Cut |
| Women’s 50 breaststroke | 31.22 | 31.02 | 32.31 | 32.11 |
| Women’s 100 breaststroke | 1:07.43 | 1:07.35 | 1:09.79 | 1:09.71 |
| Women’s 1500 freestyle | No Change | 17:24.20 | 17:04.20 | |
| Women’s 200 butterfly | No Change | 2:13.73 | 2:13.37 | |
| Women’s 400 IM | No Change | 4:52.97 | 4:52.91 | |
Men’s Events
| A Cuts | B Cuts | |||
| Event | 2022 Cut | 2023 Cut | 2022 Cut | 2023 Cut |
| 50 freestyle | 22.18 | 22.12 | 22.96 | 22.89 |
| 100 freestyle | 48.77 | 48.51 | 50.48 | 50.21 |
| 50 backstroke | 25.17 | 25.16 | 26.05 | 26.04 |
| 50 butterfly | 23.63 | 23.53 | 24.46 | 24.35 |
| 200 IM | 1:59.76 | 1:59.53 | 2:03.95 | 2:03.71 |
The events in which we see a faster A cut for 2023 are those in which the 16th place finisher in prelims at the 2022 World Championships swam faster than what the 2022 A cut was. In cases where #16 in Budapest swam faster than the A cut, the 2023 standard was updated to match that swimmer’s time in prelims.
For example, in 2022 the A cut for the men’s 50 freestyle was a 22.18 at 16th place in prelims was Alberto Mestre’s 22.12, which is the updated A standard.
That means that in every event other than the men’s 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly, and 200 IM, and the women’s 50 and 100 breaststrokes, the 16th fastest swimmer in prelims at 2022 Worlds was slower than the A cut for that meet. For example, the A cut in the men’s 200 freestyle was a 1:47.06 in 2022 and the 16th place finisher in prelims was Jordain Pothain with a 1:47.51.
In the five men’s events where the A cut got faster, the B cut has also been lowered slightly, while the women’s B cuts were lowered in the 200 butterfly, 400 IM, and 1500 freestyle despite there being no change in those events’ A cuts.