International Swimming League

ISL Tops Up Teams with GB Talent

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.

London Roar

  • Elliott Clogg
  • Kathleen Dawson
  • Emily Large
  • Scott Mclay
  • Harriet West

With the largest Australian contingent, Roar had the largest need to adjust their line up and, unsurprisingly given their links into the British Swimming system through coaches Mel Marshall and Steven Tigg, have mined their British contracts to make up their numbers.

The additions haven’t necessarily tried to replace the Australian losses like for like, with no female sprint freestylers to replace the Campbell sisters for example, but instead adds a bit more versatility to the line up.

Scott McLay notionally fills in for Kyle Chalmers, while Elliot Clogg adds breadth across freestyle and backstroke events.

Kathleen Dawson – Pic: pullbuoy/Simone Castrovillari

A like replacement is Kathleen Dawson who will cover the backstroke role vacated by Minna Atherton and Holly Barrett, with London already well served in this area. Harriet West and Emily Large are largely in, it would seem, for Emma McKeon, but add depth to the butterfly stocks.

The most intriguing addition was a non brit in the shape of Amaury Leveaux – while he has a high class SC pedigree, his form since his 2018 comeback has not scaled those heights and this looks like a wildcard pick.

NY Breakers

  • Molly Renshaw
  • Jacob Whittle
  • Chloe Golding

Three Brits are among the seven swimmers picked to balance the numbers for the NY franchise, which was shorn of 7 Australians. Molly Renshaw, the 2016 World SC champion over 200m breaststroke, could be seen as an upgrade to their roster, while young sprinter Jacob Whittle has big shoes to fill as the de facto replacement for Cameron McEvoy.

Manchester’s Chloe Golding, bronze medallist over 200m at last year’s Universiade, will now cover the backstroke events, while the Breakers have also added Matt Richard’s mentor at the Royal Wolverhampton School, Mark Spackman, to their coaching line up. Richards was named to the Breakers roster at the season launch.

Toronto Titans

  • Candice Hall

A last minute change for Toronto, who had not been badly hit by antipodean withdrawals, but who were forced to make a switch with the news that Kayla Sanchez had pulled out with shoulder injury. Her place is taken by Candice Hall who joins fellow Loughborough swimmer Jocelyn Ulyett on the Canadian team. Hall adds breadth across freestyle, fly and IM