Moore eyes Olympic Qualification after BOA denies invite

Madelyn Moore is mere inches away from realizing a lifelong dream.

For any swimmer, stepping to the blocks at an Olympic Games wearing your country's colors is the ultimate aspiration. Moore posses that golden ticket by way of a universality invitation but for the moment has been denied entry by the Bermuda Olympic Association.

There is more than one way to qualify for the Olympics. Casual fans in the United States who have been watching the Olympic Trials have seen athletes vie for coveted spots, provided they hit the Olympic A or B Standards. Such was the fate of Jake Mitchell who sent the swimming community and everyone watching into a frenzy with the time trial heard round the world.

However, there is a separate and far less understood avenue for a select number of athletes. The International Swimming Federation can and does issue Universality Places, a special invitation designed for smaller nationals with developing programs to be represented at the Olympics.

Both Moore and countryman Jesse Washington each met the prerequisites by swimming in the 2019 World Championships and thus, have been given the Universality Wild Card. Both Moore and Washington have also been told there's no room at the inn by the BOA.

"When we were informed of the decision, obviously I was extremely disappointed and disheartened," said Moore. "All you want from your Olympic association is support and for them to want us to go to the Olympics, but they said no.

"I just can't understand; it just seems such an odd decision. We had literally been offered a place at the Olympic Games and they turned down the offer."

There may still be hope for Moore, though.

"As far as I'm aware, our dreams of going to the Olympics are not over just yet," Moore added. "People at FINA, including Dale Neuburge, are still in contact with the BOA arguing our case as to why we should be going.

"I believe they've indicated that the offer of our universality places is still there, so hopefully the BOA will change its mind in the coming days and hope that's enough."

For now, Moore's focus turns to the Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation Championships in Puerto Rico this weekend. Representing the last Olympic qualifier for Moore on the schedule, should Moore shave a few hundredths of a second off her 50 free and 100 free times, she could very well book a ticket to Tokyo under the Olympic B cut.

"I thought I would have taken the decision a lot harder than I have, but if anything it has just given me some extra motivation," Moore said.

"Obviously, it was extremely disappointing to hear of the BOA's decision, but mentally I'm trying to focus on the excitement of competing in this meet."

Swimming for the Bears this season, Moore was unanimously voted the Western Athletic Conference Swimmer of the Year, broke her record in the 100 back at the conference championships and holds 22 all-time performances for Northern Colorado.

The senior-to-be also owns several Bermudan records in long course swimming, two of which she claimed last month while swimming in Florida.

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