Swim Poll of the Week: 69% Believe Virtual Meets Are Not the New Normal
Channel: swimmingworldtv
Date: 10/09/2020

This is the Swim Poll of the Week for Thursday September 10, 2020, sponsored by Strechcordz Swim Training Products. In our last poll, we wanted to know: Do you think the concept of virtual swim meets are here to stay?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues around the world, it has been extremely difficult for swimmers to find racing opportunities in many parts of the world. In the United States especially, club teams have found difficulties in finding racing opportunities with other teams. As high school and college seasons approach, many teams have alluded to the idea of "virtual swim meets" by racing in intrasquad style competitions but comparing results to a different team.

COVID cases are still very much at large in the United States, so it may take some time before athletes and coaches can feel comfortable swimming in meets with large amounts of people on deck. Even as the virus dies out, will virtual meets stay a part of our "new normal" in swimming to lessen the costs of travel? Or will this be a trend that dies out with the virus?

Some of the best age group swimmers in the US have done well at virtual swim meets this summer including Claire Curzan (North Carolina), Leah Hayes (Illinois) and Thomas Heilman (Virginia) as they have moved up the all-time rankings in their respective age groups. Not every club team in the US has been as lucky, but with limited practice time in a global pandemic, maybe virtual meets will still be around.