With the wholesale removal of Australian swimmers from the 10 ISL team rosters there was a concerted rush to backfill the newly vacated slots ahead of the league’s proposed start on 16th October. This opened up opportunities for a further 9 British swimmers to join the ISL across three teams, bringing the total GB contingent to 34.
In a season starved of meaningful swimming competition the launch of the second season of the International Swimming League was a welcome distraction. there was a healthy representation of British swimmers in the squads announced; here’s where you can find them when the action starts next month.
Barcelona in 2003 saw a highpoint for British swimming as the team claimed a then record 8 world championship medals. At the vanguard of that charge was Katy Sexton, who claimed silver in the 100m backstroke before becoming the first British woman to win a world title in the 200m event.
The women’s 4×200 freestyle relay at the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka was the first swimming world title ever won by Britain’s ladies. In a refresh of a video produced for Pullbuoy’s 15th anniversary in 2015, this is the story of one of the most controversial world championship races ever, as told through the eyes of anchor leg swimmer Karen Pickering and then British National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham.
Rebecca Adlington went to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 somewhat under the radar. outside of swimming few had heard of her, despite her having a great medal chance at those games. A week later all that changed as she came home a double Olympic Champion.