England has confirmed its swimming team for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, with the full complement of 28 named to travel north of the border in the summer.

To a large extent, the selections follow the expected pattern, but there were a few instances where the selectors have clearly taken a view on medal potential and on maximising relay representation. After all, there was little chance that England would not contest all of the relays even if, theoretically, they did not all qualify outright; of the six male and female teams, the men’s 4×200 and women’s medley team made their qualification times but were well down the qualification standings.

Here’s how the team breaks down and how it appears to have been selected. This is, in places, speculation, and for relay swimmers cases can be made either way about how they were picked. It’s also worth noting that almost certainly everyone on the team will get the opportunity to swim individually in something.

Direct Qualifiers (14)

These were the easy ones – the 14 individuals who were the fastest under the nomination standards, from Adam Ramsay‑Peaty at the top on ‑3.98% down to Cam Brooker, who was last man standing at ‑1.47% courtesy of his 50m backstroke swim. So far, so straightforward.

• Adam Ramsay-Peaty
• Ollie Morgan
• Lauren Cox
• Eva Okaro
• Freya Colbert
• Jack Skerry
• Abbie Wood
• Greg Butler
• James Guy
• Emily Richards
• Amalie Smith
• Ed Mildred
• Max Morgan
• Cam Brooker

Relay Swimmers (8)

The next batch appear to have been picked to complete the relay teams.

• Jacob Mills
• Jacob Whittle
• Gabriel Shepherd
• Max Litchfield
• Freya Anderson
• Leah Schlosshan
• Erin Little
• Gabrielle Idle-Beavers

Jacob Mills gets in through the medley relay initially, since that was the highest ranked men’s team, and is joined by Jacob Whittle and Gabriel Shepherd, who, along with Guy, made up a qualifying 4×100 freestyle quartet. Max Litchfield is then added to complete a 4×200 team.

For the women, Freya Anderson, Leah Schlosshan and Erin Little join Colbert in the 4×200, which also then completes the 4×100 freestyle team. Gabrielle Idle‑Beavers is the fourth member of the medley team and will make a senior international debut as the fastest English woman in the 100m breaststroke.

Wild card picks (6)

Here’s where it gets interesting – the discretionary picks.

• Jacob Peters
• Luke Greenbank
• Darcey Revitt
• Amelie Blocksidge
• Imogen Clark
• Tom Dean

Peters, Greenbank and Revitt were the next three swimmers in the percentage rankings, but only if you skip over Josh Gammon to get to them. He was 0.01 faster than Peters in the 50 fly, but it would appear that his Bath team‑mate’s higher placing in the 100 has given him the nod to cover the medley relays. Gammon at least has a trip to Paris for the European Championships to fall back on.

Greenbank would be expected to be in the medal hunt over 200m backstroke, while Imogen Clark does likewise in the 50m breaststroke. Revitt provides cover for the 4×100 freestyle team in addition to having made the time in the 50. Freya Colbert and Eva Okaro are likely to have busy weeks, so cover is useful there. Amelie Blocksidge is dragged up the priority list a bit but in a Commonwealth context could have an outside shot at a medal in the distance free as well as gaining valuable experience.

Which leaves Tom Dean, who missed trials through injury but was already named for Paris. He provides depth to the relays but also, if fit, a significant medal chance individually, so it’s not a massive surprise to see him on the roster.

As with all teams where there are a relatively large number of discretionary picks there are always a few surprises and inevitably swimmers who will feel harshly done by. On balance there is a logic to what the England selectors have done and this looks to be a team that will compete well in Glasgow.

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