Korean Clash – GB Selection Tracker

2019 sees a typically tough set of selection standards for the world championships taking place in Gwangju, Korea later this year. Swimmers will be measured against these standards at the British Championships in Glasgow this week and once again we’ll be keeping tabs of how the team is shaping up based on the results and the published GB selection policy.

Note this is only our interpretation of how the policy will be applied. Beyond those who make the automatic qualifying times, selection is not an exact science and subject to selector discretion, particularly given the inclusion of wildcards. The final team selected may hence differ for a variety of reasons.

For all the expectation on the 200m freestyle, it was Luke Greenbank in the 200m backstroke who recorded the standout swim of the final session of the British Championships. The Loughborough man smashed his PB with 1:55.89 to secure an individual consideration time.

The 200 freestyle produced a great battle between Duncan Scott and James Guy, the former taking the spoils in 1:45.63 – his third automatic qualifying time of the week – with runner up Guy getting a consideration time. Behind them was a big PB for Tom Dean in third and Calum Jarvis rounded out the relay candidates in fourth. Expect another name or two to be added to the squad for worlds.

There were no other qualifiers; Alys Thomas and Jocelyn Ulyett winnning the 100 fly and breaststroke respectively but outside the required standards. Those results also meant that the women’s medley team didn’t make the consideration time, leaving Georgia Davies on a selection knife edge as to whether she goes for the mixed medley team; on paper the fastest quartet has Greenbank on the backstroke leg.

Duncan Scott provided the first really big moment of these trials in the last final of the session as he sprinted away from the 200IM field to book an automatic individual place at the world championships should he want it. Not only that, buoyed by a superb breaststroke leg he came home in 1:56.65, just 0.01s away from the British Record. Tom Dean in second just missed out on a consideration time but has the 200m freestyle to come.

Earlier in the session, Ben Proud had posted a consideration time over 50m freestyle, in what was for him a relatively pedestrian 21.50. He’ll hope for much more come Gwangju. The only other swimmer to confirm their potential for selection was Siobhan-Marie O’Connor who snuck under the consideration time in the 200IM with a 2:10.34

Meanwhile, after a solo swim in the 400m freestyle final Holly Hibbott missed out in 4:08.50, while there was a maiden voyage under 8 minutes for Samuel Budd in the 800 free – he posted 7:59.72.

James Wilby booked his seat on the plane to Korea with a huge PB swim in the final of the 200m breaststroke. He posted 2:07.49, just 0.19 off the British record to secure his place. Behind him, Ross Murdoch swam his fastest time since the 2017 world championships with 2:07.97 to comfortably best the consideration standard.

Freya Anderson won the 100m freestyle within the consideration standard with 53.79, dragging Anna Hopkin to a PB of 54.02 – the Ealing swimmer missing the consideration time by just 0.07s.

James Guy didn’t manage to confirm his individual berth in the 100m butterfly but his time of 51.97 did mean that the men’s medley relay team will make the trip to worlds so he should find himself on the team.

Daniel Jervis kickstarted a much improved third night at the British Championships as three swimmers confirmed their places on the world championships team. Jervis posted 14:46.51, the third fastest time in the world this year so far, to win the 1500m freestyle that opened events and secure his place. He was joined on the team by Duncan Scott who cracked the 48 second target in the 100 free with a swim of 47.87 – breaking his own British Record in the process.

The final confirmed place went to Max Litchfield who made it through in the 400IM with a swift 4:10.94. Alys Thomas, meanwhile, recorded a consideration time in the 200 fly, in 2:07.40 and was chase hard by Laura Stephens who carved over a second off her PB in runners up spot, but fell just 0.07 shy of the consideration standard.

Molly Renshaw was the pick of the bunch on day 2 in Glasgow as the only swimmer to put themselves in contention for the world championships. The Loughborough swimmer posted 2:23.42 to sneak inside the consideration standard. The other highlight came form Luke Greenbank who broke through 54s for the first time over 100 backstroke, taking the national title in 53.92. While that wasn’t good enough for individual selection, it puts him with one foot on the plane to Korea as part of a medley relay quartet which is highly likely to make the grade.

Adam Peaty was the only event winner to make an automatic qualifying time on the opening night of finals at the 2019 GB championships. He comfortably met the required standard in the 100m breaststroke in 57.87, with James Wilby in second also making the automatic cut in 58.66, but now having to wait for selection under the consideration standards. Aimee Wilmott also made the consideration time in the 400IM, but there will be no trip to Korea in that event for Hannah Miley who came home third behind Abbie Wood – both ladies off the required pace for selection.

One thought on “Korean Clash – GB Selection Tracker”

  1. It was interesting to hear the chat on live stream about the importance of relays at Worlds (ie qualification for OG).
    I think most if not all wildcard picks will be relay swimmers, I suppose time will tell

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