Following a trials meet that exceeded most expectations in terms of the quality in the pool Britain’s selectors have named a team of 28 swimmers in the first round of Olympic selection, with 24 swimmers added to the four swimmers already named. Bill Furniss and Chris Spice have played a straight bat, sticking to the formula outlined in the selection policy, while leaving themselves flexibility to add more swimmers in due course.
The size of the team would potentially still allow a further 7 swimmers to be added if performances at May’s European Championships, two of the Mare Nostrum meets and the Glasgow International Meet were to warrant it. British Swimming did note in their announcement, however, that this would principally be around supporting relay squads.
The trials results had shown that 22 swimmers had made individual consideration times, with one more in the mix courtesy of the relay selection rules, to add to the preselected Duncan Scott, Adam Peaty James Wilby and Luke Greenbank. This announcement confirms that position, while adding Calum Jarvis as cover for the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay and also means an Olympic trip for 16 year old Jacob Whittle.
The full team is as follows:
- Freya Anderson – Upton (The Wirral), Bath National Centre
- Kieran Bird – Bicester, Bath National Centre
- Kathleen Dawson, Warrington, University of Stirling
- Tom Dean – Maidenhead, Bath National Centre
- Luke Greenbank – Cockermouth, Loughborough National Centre (pre-selected in January 2021)
- James Guy – Bury, Bath National Centre
- Anna Hopkin – Chorley, Loughborough National Centre
- Calum Jarvis – Wadebridge, Bath National Centre
- Dan Jervis – Neath, Swansea University
- Harriet Jones – Cardiff, City of Cardiff
- Joe Litchfield – Pontefract, Loughborough National Centre
- Max Litchfield – Pontefract, Loughborough National Centre
- Ross Murdoch – Balloch, University of Stirling
- Adam Peaty – Uttoxeter, Loughborough National Centre (pre-selected in January 2021)
- Jacob Peters – Poole, Bath National Centre
- Ben Proud – London, Bath University
- Molly Renshaw – Mansfield, Loughborough National Centre
- Matthew Richards – Droitwich, Bath National Centre
- Duncan Scott – Glasgow, University of Stirling (pre-selected in January 2021)
- Alys Thomas – Swansea, Swansea University
- Sarah Vasey – Derby, Loughborough National Centre
- Jacob Whittle – Alfreton, Derventio Excel
- James Wilby – York, Loughborough National Centre (pre-selected in January 2021)
- Cassie Wild – Chester, University of Stirling
- Brodie Williams – Street, Bath National Centre
- Aimee Willmott – Middlesborough, University of Stirling
- Alicia Wilson – Tadworth, Guilford City
- Abbie Wood – Buxton, Loughborough National Centre
Who do you think might still make the team? Holly Hibbott must be looking to get the QT for 400 Free, but also needed if a 4×200 relay has any chance of making Tokyo? Is SMOC out all season or might she also be given a late chance on the same relay? What has happened to Lewis Burras? Hannah Miley in the 400 IM, possibly . A case for taking Georgia Davies as relay cover,, unlikely.
I think that there’s very little likelihood of taking Davies for relay cover unless she drops significantly. If she goes, she has to swim something and other than chucking her in the heats of the 50 free there’s not much there.
Think the most likely to be taken for relay cover is Laura Stephens to cover the fly leg in the medley relay.
My instinct (or possibly hope) is that they will select both women’s free relays. That adds another c. 3-4 swimmers to the team.
Other than that, unless someone like Clogg or Lelliott gets the CT I don’t think there’ll be others