After a swift revision to their selection policy when things didn’t look to be going too well at the 2023 British Championships, which acted also as selection trials for this year’s world championships, British Swimming have now named a squad of 29 swimmers for that meet.
It’s headed by the 5 swimmers who made the automatic qualifying times, guaranteeing Freya Anderson, Freya Colbert, Katie Shanhan, Matt Richards and Dan Jervis their slot, and unsurprisingly everyone who made the consideration times has also been given the nod for the trip to Japan, adding 10 further names.
From there, with the limit of 8 wild cards lifted in the selection policy revision, 14 further names have been added. That group reflects a relay focus, given Olympic qualification is available, but all those on the team will now be able to swim individual events they are eligible for if the coaches allow.
On the women’s side, Medi Harris, Lauren Cox, Kara Hanlon and Keanna MacInnes are named, giving the medley relay the chance to swim, while Lucy Hope is added, confirming that at least one, if not both, of the freestyle relays will race in Japan.
For the men’s team, the 4×200 squad is bulked up with Joe Litchfield and Jack McMillan (although the latter comes with an asterisk pending his change of nationality being ratified), while Jacob Whittle is added for the 4×100 freestyle. Medley relay duty is confirmed with the addition of triple backstroke champion Ollie Morgan, with Cam Brooker, who also cracked the the 54s barrier in Sheffield alongside, and James Wilby and Greg Butler included for breaststroke.
The final two picks were Luke Turley, who won the 400m freestyle in Sheffield and Brodie Williams, who would expect to get a go in the 200m backstroke, as well as providing further backup for the medley relay.
There was no dramatic wildcard selection for Adam Peaty, who sat out the trials to protect his mental health, while Luke Greenbank also misses out having been off colour in Sheffield.
Full team
Automatic qualifying times:
- Freya Colbert, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Daniel Jervis, Swim Wales High Performance Centre
- Matt Richards, Millfield
- Katie Shanahan, University of Stirling
- Laura Stephens, Loughborough Performance Centre
Consideration times:
- Freya Anderson, Bath Performance Centre
- Lewis Burras, Repton
- Tom Dean, Bath Performance Centre
- James Guy, Bath Performance Centre
- Anna Hopkin, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Emily Large, Millfield
- Jacob Peters, Bath Performance Centre
- Ben Proud, Bath University
- Duncan Scott, University of Stirling
- Abbie Wood, Loughborough Performance Centre
Discretionary picks:
- Cameron Brooker, Bath Performance Centre
- Greg Butler, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Lauren Cox, Loughborough University
- Kara Hanlon, Edinburgh University
- Medi Harris, Swim Wales High Performance Centre
- Lucy Hope, University of Stirling
- Joe Litchfield, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Keanna MacInnes, University of Stirling
- Jack McMillan, University of Stirling
- Oliver Morgan, University of Birmingham
- Luke Turley, Bath Performance Centre
- Jacob Whittle, Loughborough Performance Centre
- James Wilby, Loughborough Performance Centre
- Brodie Williams, Bath Performance Centre
Banner Image: Georgie Kerr/British Swimming
Thanks, as ever, for your coverage Pullbuoy … It does seem inviting to think that they have selected 29, as opposed to the 30 ‘quota’, with a view to one last minute addition. When does the final team nomination have to be submitted to the organisers? Could the selectors be holding one spot open for someone to change their mind [Peaty] or show a return to form [Greenbank]?
Yes the fact it’s 29 and not 30 does leave either of those prospects open… we shall see. They have until 11th June to make changes to the team to meet WA’s timelines.
Thanks for the reply… Interesting to note that a British Swimmer [it seems no one dare mention his name] raced the 400 free in Stockholm in a time that would have won the trials … I guess the reason he was not in Sheffield is ‘complicated’… any thoughts?
Just watched your podcast with SwimSwam… the women’s 4×200 relay, with the addition of Freya Colbert, could be quite competitive … but do you think there are any potential swimmer[s] who might have a breakout 100 Free to add some depth to the 4×100 …
Finally, Jacob Whittle seems to have hit a slight plateau.. any thoughts?
I believe the situation with “he who shall not be named” is complicated, but I don’t know details.
Agree about the W4x200 free; I think it would be great to see Evie Davis or Eva Okaro make strides this year to deepen the 4×1 pool, but there are a few others in the 55 mid range who could come into contention for that team.
As for Jacob his 100 free heat was pretty solid, so I don’t think there’s a major issue there, we’ll see as the season progresses.