SAVE THE DATE: AWL & USADSS Partner to Host Open National Swimming Championships in November

Athletes Without Limits (AWL) and USA Down Syndrome Swimming (USADSS) are uniting to host America’s first Open National Championship for swimmers with Intellectual Impairments including Intellectual Disability, Down Syndrome and Autism. This Short Course Meter (SCM) event will be held November 7-10, 2024 at the Rosen Aquatic Center in Orlando, Florida. 
Interest Form & Event Email List Signup:
All interested athletes, coaches, volunteers and donors, please complete the form below to ensure you are included in upcoming email communications about this event:
Event Interest Form & Mailing List Signup
About the Meet:

The meet will be professionally timed and officiated by USA Swimming, World Aquatics and/or World Para Swimming licensed officials. Sanctioning of the event is being sought through Virtus, the International Federation for athletes with Intellectual Impairment, opening the event up to swimmers around the globe and making results valid for international records and rankings.

Competition Groups:

There will be three Internationally recognized competition groups for Intellectual Impairment that include athletes with Intellectual Disability, Down Syndrome and Autism (see below). Classes will be further divided by gender and age.

  1. Virtus II1 Group: Intellectual Disability or Autism with Intellectual Disability
  2. Virtus II2 Group: Down Syndrome (or Intellectual Disability with Additional Functional Impairments)
  3. Virtus II3 Group: Autism Open (those not in II1 group above)
  4. Please see our Virtus Eligibility Information and Application page for more details.
Who’s eligible?
  • U.S. Athletes who have applied for National level Virtus/Paralympic eligibility through Athletes Without Limits are eligible to compete in the National Championships (Virtus II1, II2 or II3 groups).
    Click here to apply for AWL Eligibility.
  • U.S. Athletes with Trisomy 21 Down Syndrome who are registered with USADSS are eligible to compete in the National Championships (will compete with athletes in the Virtus II2 group – note that athletes who want to compete in future AWL Trips to Virtus events will need to apply directly to Athletes Without Limits for formal Virtus II2 Confirmation)
    Click here to register with USA Down Syndrome Swimming.
  • Individual International athletes who have eligibility through their Virtus Member country (II1, II2, II3) or the Down Syndrome International Swimming Organisation (DSISO II2) in their country are also eligible to compete in the Open championships.
Time Standards:

The format for the event is short course meters. Swimmers must meet a minimum qualifying time standard MQS in at least one event to participate. (See Table Below)

 

More information will be posted closer to the event — be sure to complete the Interest Form to receive updates by email.