2026 IMX Games

Every year, our team travels to the IMX Games with qualifying 14 & Under swimmers. Swimmers from all over the Eastern Zone make the trip to compete at this meet, and it's one of the true highlights of the season — a travel meet with real significance that our kids and families look forward to all year. This year's meet, hosted by Potomac Marlins, drew nearly 950 swimmers across all age groups.

This year brought an added challenge: due to a major snowstorm, the meet schedule had to be changed and moved up at the last minute. Despite the disruption, our Hauppauge families still traveled and attended — a testament to the commitment of this group.

Unlike most qualifying meets where you simply need a fast time in a certain event for your gender, the IMX Games require a bit more understanding to know how you qualify. As swimmers compete in races throughout the season, USA Swimming uses a power point calculator to assign a numerical score — called power points — to every swim. You can see this column in the USA Swimming times search, though it's often overlooked. Power points allow for an apples-to-apples comparison of performance quality across different strokes, distances, and age groups.

To qualify for the IMX Games, swimmers must complete all of the required IMX events in a given season while achieving a collective total of 1,800 power points across those swims. This structure makes the meet different from anything else on the calendar — it rewards well-rounded swimmers, not just specialists. It also serves as powerful motivation for swimmers to compete in some of the harder races they might otherwise avoid, because qualifying for a travel meet of this caliber carries real weight.

Hauppauge at the 2026 IMX Games

This year, Hauppauge brought 16 swimmers to the 2026 USAS IMX Games hosted by Potomac Marlins (January 23–25, 2026). Our swimmers competed across three age divisions — the 13-14 Sextathlon (6 events), the 11-12 Pentathlon (5 events), and the 9-10 Pentathlon (5 events). Leading the way was Luke Orioles, who finished 15th overall in the Boys 13 Sextathlon with an impressive 3,899 combined power points.

About the IMX Program

The IMX ranking is built around a series of five or six events at longer distances, depending on the swimmer's age. Once a swimmer completes the full IMX program, they can see where their combined score ranks — nationally, within their zone, within their LSC, and on their club. It's one of the best tools USA Swimming offers for measuring versatility.

IMX Events by Age Group

9 & Under, 10-year olds: 200 Free, 100 Back, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, 200 IM

11-year olds, 12-year olds: 500 Free (SCY) / 400 Free (LCM), 100 Back, 100 Breast, 100 Fly, 200 IM

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18-year olds: 500 Free (SCY) / 400 Free (LCM), 200 Back, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 200 IM, 400 IM

Hy-Tek Power Points in the SWIMS Times Database

Every swim listed in the USA Swimming SWIMS Times Database includes a Hy-Tek Power Point value. Working in collaboration with USA Swimming, Hy-Tek has developed a power point system for each age level that assigns a point value to each swim. This system allows for comparison of the quality of performances across strokes, distances, and events, as well as between age groups.

About Hy-Tek Power Points

• The power point scale ranges from 1 to 1,100 points, with 800 points closely approximating the old National Reportable Time Standard (this standard is no longer published)
• The point system uses an algorithm that is adjusted slightly for each age level — ideally, a 500-point swim at one age is equal in quality to a 500-point swim at another
• The system will not change from year to year unless a rule change creates a sudden time shift for an event or stroke (for example, the 15-meter underwater rule)
• Hy-Tek Power Points are independent of any other power point systems currently in use, including FINA power points and high school power point tables

What Can Power Points Tell You?

Beyond IMX qualification, power points are an incredibly versatile tool for swimmers and coaches alike. They open up comparisons that raw times simply can't provide.

Uses for Power Points

• Assess strengths between distances in the same stroke — compare your 100 Back vs. your 200 Back, or across several freestyle distances
• Compare the relative strength of one stroke against another, such as freestyle vs. breaststroke
• Determine the quality of short course vs. long course swims — a great way to measure progress from SCY season through LCM season
• Coaches and clubs can use combined power points in a set of events as a requirement for promotion to higher-level practice groups
• Evaluate relative performance across different maturation periods, such as 11-12 boys vs. 13-14 boys
• Evaluate the effectiveness of training or taper by looking at point improvement across different strokes and distances
• Facilitate intrasquad competitions between age groups — 200 Free results can be ranked by points instead of times
• Determine High Point Awards at a swim meet, or provide an alternative way to score team points
• Coaches can award a "Performance of the Meet" (highest point score) or "Most Improved Swim" (greatest points improvement) after each meet

Hauppauge Stroke Excellence Awards

Here at Hauppauge, we take power points a step further. We use these scores to determine our end-of-season awards at our annual dinner dance, typically held in June. The highest-scoring swimmer in each discipline receives our Stroke Excellence Award in the following categories:

Butterfly · Backstroke · Breaststroke · Freestyle · Individual Medley

It's one more reason to swim fast in every event — you never know which power point score might earn you hardware at the banquet.