The lack of a site suitable to host a state swim meet during the time of a global pandemic that limits the number of people in the building has resulted in the KHSAA opting to have a semi-state level and no state meet.
The KHSAA Board of Control voted Wednesday to adopt the one-year modification in order to keep from reducing the number of participants who advance out of the region meet.
Under the current format, the top two swimmers and relay teams in each event advance to the state meet with the next 22 fastest times advancing as an at-large entry. That puts the total number of swimmers at approximately 325 boys and 325 girls who advance to state.
The KHSAA has stressed that it did not want to cut the number of swimmers that advance to a state meet or similar culminating event even if that meant having no fans in attendance.
The University of Kentucky, the proposed site of the 2021 state swim meet, will only allow 65 spectators and 160 swimmers at the pool due to COVID-19 guidance through the state.
The board of control voted to have a semi-state round at three different locations in the state following the region meet. There would be no state meet with the semi-state times used to determine a state champion in each event. Each event would be a timed final with no preliminary rounds held much like the format for the state track and field meet. No locations were mentioned as hosts of the semi-state rounds.
The region meet will be held the week of April 5 with the semi-state round held the week of April 19. These events would be live-streamed on video to allow fans to watch virtually.
KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett said swimming is the one sport that “does not have a workable solution” to have a state meet with fans in attendance.
