British Swimming has unveiled its 20-strong roster for the 2024 World Championships. The lineup is an impressive array of Olympians and World Championships medalists, pointing to the fact the nation sees the Doha competition as an important stepping stone along the way to Paris 2024.
Ben Proud and Adam Peaty spearhead the lineup, with the pair representing the joint-most World Championships appearances of any current member of the British Swimming World Class Program. Each will have made six appearances once Doha is done and dusted.
Another high-profile member of the 2024 World Championships squad is Olympic finalist Max Litchfield. The 28-year-old has been missing in action on the domestic racing circuit, instead taking on training in South Africa as well as meets in Italy and Sweden.
We’ve reached out to British Swimming regarding Litchfield’s inclusion after a multi-year absence on the national team circuit.
Adam Peaty is included as well, with the 28-year-old World Record holder coming off the 2023 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup circuit. He’s been gaining momentum this year after having withdrawn from the British Championships and the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka due to mental health reasons.
According to British Swimming, the primary focus of the World Championships in Doha is securing relay team quota places at Paris 2024 for Team GB – and the make-up of this British cohort is to maximise the chances of ensuring that lanes are booked for Olympic relay heats come July, and that these groups are well-tuned in the performance arena.
British Swimming Performance Director Chris Spice said of Doha in terms of Paris 2024 preparation,
“We are all aware of the unusual challenge that a World Championships in Olympic year could pose – but our swimmers and staff are preparing for Doha as a crucial part of our build-up to Paris and, before that, the British Swimming Championships in April,” he said.
“Locking in relay places across the Olympic programme is a key focus, with our relay teams having been so successful in recent years, showing the versatility and depth of this cohort of athletes. On top of that, though, this is a great racing opportunity on the world stage and will be a serious test of our swimmers’ preparations and work over the winter months as they will still be in heavy training throughout the meet.”
British Roster for 2024 World Championships
- Freya Colbert, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Lauren Cox, Loughborough University (England)
- Kathleen Dawson, University of Stirling (Scotland)
- Tom Dean, Bath Performance Centre (England)
- Luke Greenbank, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Medi Harris, Loughborough Performance Centre (Wales)
- Lucy Hope, University of Stirling (Scotland)
- Anna Hopkin, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Joe Litchfield, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Max Litchfield, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Jack McMillan, University of Stirling (Northern Ireland)
- Adam Peaty, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Ben Proud, University of Bath (England)
- Matthew Richards, Millfield (Wales)
- Duncan Scott, University of Stirling (Scotland)
- Laura Stephens, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Jacob Whittle, Bath Performance Centre (England)
- James Wilby, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
- Brodie Williams, Bath Performance Centre (England)
- Abbie Wood, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Max litchfield was in court in October so maybe he’s been cleared of charges dropped so can swim
No idea why in court as nothing was released but he was in leicester crown court
What’s the verdict on my glorious king HIMMY Guy?
He’s going to surprise everyone in Paris
Is it not surprising given GBs focus is relays to not have a male fly swimmer included here? Will it not leave their male and mixed medley relays a little under cooked?
Scott is on the team. He can swim fly
Dont need it as already qualified for Paris.
Here are a few other teams that have been announced for Doha.
Belgium (https://www.belswim.be/en/events/world-swimming-championships-2024)
Hungary (https://musz.hu/olimpiai-a-szinteseink-uszhatnak-a-dohai-vb-n/)
Japan (https://swim.or.jp/news/35045/)
Spain (https://rfen.es/en/posts/news/345625)
Interesting that Cox, Dawson, Harris and probably Colbert are all selected for the 3 Backstrokes. I’m assuming it’ll be Cox-Dawson in the 50 and Harris-Colbert in the 200 with Harris likely getting one of the spots in the 100 too after her form in Otopeni. Intrigued in who out of Dawson and Cox will be picked alongside her though.
I would have thought Shanahan over Colbert in the 200 back? Although it does clash with the 200 IM so maybe Shanahan will swim that instead. Interested to see what Colbert does in the 200 free. Had an excellent lead-off at Worlds this year, and then snuck a surprise bronze in Otopeni.
No Shanahan in the squad at Doha.
D’oh!
It looks like Stirling have their non student athletes attending. Surprised at Hanlons omission, but she wasn’t great at in Fukuoka. May have hindered her?
If Cox does only swim the 50, then Imogen Clark would be perfectly justified in being furious to be excluded.
Pretty strong team, particularly on the men’s side. 100 and 200 freestyles particularly stacked, will be interesting to see who gets the individual swims. Is there the same clash between 100 free and 200 IM in Doha as there was at last year’s Worlds? If so they may give Whittle the second 100 free swim (alongside Richards), with Scott and Dean doing the 200 IM instead.
Notably missing male flyers and female breaststrokers, so Scott or J. Litchfield will be on fly duty for the male medley relay, with Wood on breast duty on the female side.
Can’t see a female breaststroker on the list if GB is to qualify a team for the women’s medley relay surely they a specialist ? Any shine a light on this point.
They can enter the medley, and swim Abby wood….but if they look at the entrants from the other nations and think these squads are never bettering our Fukuoka time, they will dns.
They could just use it for relay practice given it’s the final event of the meet.
Doha perhaps shaping up to be a China vs GB battle, they seem like the only two sending decent teams
Aus and USA aren’t sending their best teams but I still think Aus/USA/GB/CHN could all contend to top the medal table.
The AUS team is impressive if we exclude full aus/usa/chn teams…the Americans are sending quite a few big stars. The Chinese team will taper again, or have just never stopped this year – they had 2 Fukuoka trials, then Fukuoka, then the Universiade, the Asian games, the recent winter champs …then comes Doha, two selection meets then Paris…what!?
The Chinese selection criteria allows athletes to be selected based on times from Fukuoka and Doha so they don’t have to peak again for trials in April.
https://twitter.com/CHNswim_fan/status/1738143254301081850
Interesting and in this context necessary…only times posted in finals of world champs’ count, so the trials will still leave options for quite a few to swim a top 2 time…and then there’s the relays selections