British Swimming has announced its 2018 performance squads for Podium and Podium Potential athletes following another successful year.
Fifty-six athletes across Podium (19) and Podium Potential (37) have been selected to the World Class Performance Programme for the 2017/18 season following an extensive selection procedure. On defining nominations to UK Sport, British Swimming undertakes a thorough analysis of athletes’ current and past performances to assess their ability to win future medals on the Olympic stage.
Athletes selected on to the World Class programmes are eligible to receive advanced training camp and competition opportunities, access to world-class sports science and medicine services, and enhanced support from British Swimming performance staff and National Institute of Sport programmes across the country. Athletes will also receive targeted financial assistance from UK Sport through the World Class Performance Programme’s Athlete Personal Award (APA).
British Swimming National Performance Director Chris Spice said: “The sport enjoyed a successful 2017 but we know that our aims and ambitions don’t end there. This year’s investment is going to enable our talented swimmers to continue to achieve their performance targets as they set their sights on Tokyo 2020."“We have seen some very good performances at the World Championships in Budapest this year but the focus of the programme remains on how we develop independent resilient athletes able to perform, anytime, anyplace, anywhere."
- Chris Spice - British Swimming National Performance Director
Performing a season’s best at the major meet of the year remains the priority of our athletes at all levels. We still have work to do in this area but this year provides a great platform for moving forward. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank UK Sport and the National Lottery for their continued support of the programme. Without their help and those that buy lottery tickets, we would not be where we are now.”
British Swimming’s Head of Elite Development, Tim Jones said: “The 2017 season was all about exposing a large group of junior athletes to high-level international competition. In total 57 swimmers represented Great Britain at the season’s major junior events. Whilst it is always nice to bring home the number of medals that we did, our most important goal was to identify a group of swimmers who could successfully transition to the senior ranks and add firepower to the British team that will travel to Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”
“Selections onto the 2018 World Class Programme include a new group of swimmers who we feel possess both the potential and key character attributes to enhance the senior team throughout this next quadrennial.”
- Tim Jones - Head of Elite Development
“We have added athletes who stepped up to be counted at the World and European Junior Championships but have also shown the desire to make the important junior to senior transition.”
“Over the next 12 months we will continue to expose this group to a variety of uncomfortable and challenging experiences to ensure they are adequately prepared for the rigors of senior international competition.”
Athletes selected for the Podium programme are:
Athletes selected for the Podium Potential programme are:
* Selected up to and including the Commonwealth Games, reviewed April 2018
For more information, please contact Daniel McDermott, Communications Officer on dan.mcdermott@swimming.org or 01509 640114 / 07583681180