Swim Standards uses two distinct color systems across its platform – each designed for a different purpose:
Ribbon Colors — for rankings and placements
Heatmap Colors — for FINA (World Aquatics) performance points
These color systems serve different goals, but both make results easier to read and understand at a glance.
🏅 1️⃣ Ribbon Colors — For Rankings & Placement
This theme is inspired by swimming award ribbons and meet podium colors, used wherever Swim Standards displays rankings, places, or score positions (e.g., “Top 8”).
Place
Color
Meaning
1st
Blue
Traditional first-place ribbon
2nd
Red
Second-place
3rd
White
Third-place (used in many LSC award sets)
4th
Yellow
Excellent performance
5th
Black
High-level finalist
6th
Green
Solid achievement
7th
Purple
Finalist / emerging
8th
Brown
Participation / completion
9th+
Gray
Outside award range
🧩 These colors appear in Rankings, Leaderboards, and Meet Results “Top 8” views, matching what swimmers often see on award ribbons at meets.
🔥 2️⃣ Heatmap Colors — For FINA Point Analysis
When analyzing swim quality (FINA or World Aquatics Points), Swim Standards uses a heatmap-based scale that reflects performance level — from developing to record-breaking.
FINA Points Range
Color
Meaning
1000+
⚫ Black
Record-level or world-record equivalent
900–999
🔴 Red
World-class performance
800–899
🔵 Blue
National elite
600–799
🟡 Yellow
Regional / advanced age-group
400–599
🟢 Green
Developing swimmer
Below 400
🟤 Brown
Entry-level / early progress
🌡️ This palette behaves like a “heatmap” — darker colors represent stronger, higher-level performances.
🧮 Reality Check: FINA vs USA Motivational Standards
Group
Example
Approx. FINA Range
Notes
World-class
Top international swimmers
900 – 999 +
Equivalent to elite senior-level times (e.g., national team / international medalists).
National Elite
USA National or Junior National qualifiers
800 – 899
Roughly corresponds to AAAA for older teens (15–18), but for younger ages (13–14), AAAA is often only 650 – 750 FINA.
Regional / Age-Group Advanced
LSC Champs / Zone swimmers
600 – 799
Typical A–AAAA range for ages 11–14.
Developing
Club or B/BB level
400 – 599
Meets local meet standards (BB–A).
Entry-level
New / early progress swimmers
< 400
Below B level.
⚠️ Why AAAA ≈ 800 Isn’t Always True
FINA Points are age-neutral and event-based, while Motivational Standards are age-relative.
That means:
A 16-year-old AAAA 100 Free might be ~810 FINA
A 13-year-old AAAA 100 Free might be ~700 FINA
