2023 BRITISH SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, April 4th – Sunday, April 9th
- Ponds Forge, Sheffield
- LCM (50m)
- World Championships Qualifier
- World Championships Selection Criteria
- Draft Entries
The 2023 British Swimming Championships are on the horizon, with the action kicking off from Ponds Forge on Tuesday, April 4th
The initial draft entries have been published which means we have a glimpse into the lineups key swimmers will most likely be taking on over the course of the six-day competition.
As a refresher, these Championships represent the sole qualifying opportunity British swimmers have to etch their names onto the nation’s roster for this summer’s World Championships. We reported how British Swimming has set very stiff times for its automatic consideration standards, with several even sitting inside the current national records.
British World Championships Qualification Times Are Faster Than National Records
We noted in our QT post that, as in the past, the British Swimming brain trust can still select swimmers for the Fukuoka roster at their own discretion.
Closer to the start of the meet we’ll present the top races to watch, as well as all the links you’ll need to follow along. In the meantime, below are the draft entries for high-profile contenders on the women’s side. The initial review doesn’t reveal anything too shocking or out of place, although there are some individual programs to consider.
- 13-year-old budding star Amelie Blocksidge is taking on a monster schedule, including both IM events, the 200m fly, as well as the 400m, 800m and 1500m free races. Blocksidge is the surging freestyle ace who keeps getting faster and faster with seemingly every swim. Most recently at the Swedish Grand Prix, the teen posted British Age Records of 4:15.06 in the 400m, 8:39.14 in the 800m 16:31.16 in the 1500m free. As quick as those results are for her age, Blocksidge and other distance freestylers will need to hit QTs of 4:02.16 in the 400m, 8:19.00 in the 800m and 16:56.86 in the 1500m in order to be automatically considered for Fukuoka.
- Holly Hibbott is sticking to the 100m and 200m butterfly events and isn’t entered in any freestyle. She earned 400m freestyle silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was also a member of England’s bronze medal-earning 4x200m free relay there on the Gold Coast. She raced both the 200m and 400m freestyles individually at the following year’s World Championships, however, in the past couple of years she has narrowed her focus to the fly events. At last year’s Commonwealth Games she earned a 7th place finish in the 100m and a 5th place finish in the 200m, while at the European Championships, her highest place came in as 9th in the 200m fly.
- Abbie Wood is not listed among the 200m breaststroke competitors despite representing Great Britain’s 2nd fastest performer ever in the event. The reigning national record holder Molly Renshaw has since retired, so the door would be open for Wood to slide into the top spot for Fukuoka. Wood’s first event of the 200m freestyle appears on the competition schedule for day one while the 200m breast is on the agenda for day two, so there wouldn’t be an overlap of these events.
- Leah Schlosshan is looking to make her mark on the senior level after somewhat surprisingly taking the European Junior Championships gold in the 200m IM last summer. Entering the meet in Romania her 2IM PB sat at 2:15.17 so her winning effort of 2:13.49 there knocked off well over a second. We’ll see what the 17-year-old has in store in this event, keeping in mind she’s currently entered in a packed schedule of both IMs, both breaststrokes and the 200m free.
Freya Anderson – 100m/200m free
Amelie Blocksidge – 200m/400m IM, 200m fly, 400m/800m/1500m free
Lilly Booker – 200m IM, 100m/200m breast
Imogen Clark – 50m /100m breast, 50m free
Freya Colbert – 200m back, 400m IM, 400m/800m free
Lauren Cox – 50m/100m back
Leah Crisp – 400m/800m/1500m free
Kathleen Dawson – 50m/100m back
Kara Hanlon – 50m/100m/200m breast
Medi Harris – 50m/100m back, 100m/200m free
Holly Hibbott – 100m/200m fly
Isabella Hindley – 50m/100m free
Lucy Hope – 100m/200m free
Anna Hopkin – 50/100m free
Emily Large – 100m/200m fly
Fleur Lewis – 400m/800m/1500m free
Keanna Macinnes – 100m/200m fly
Leah Schlosshan – 200m free, 200m/400m IM, 100/200m breast
Katie Shanahan – 100m/200m back, 200m/400m IM
Laura Stephens – 100m/200m fly
Abbie Wood – 100m/200m free, 200m IM
Wonderful
Wonder how Leah schlosshan would have done if like every swimmer her age she hadn’t been allowed to train in covid ? Her own pool and her own coach while all her competitors were stuck at home not swimming? Hardly fair?
Freya colbert’s programme is odd. No 200 IM, No 200 Free? 200 Back and 800 Free are unlikely qualifiers. The 400 time is outrageous so she’s essentially depending fully on the400IM to qualify for worlds?
200 free clashes with 400IM on day 1
200IM clashes with 400 Free on day 5
Some interesting entries, but Freya Colbert dropping the 200fr is a head-scratcher
Clash with 400IM on day 1, although with 4 finals for each event I think she could’ve done the double.
Can’t fathom it. Top 4 in 200Fr is very achievable.
ARE GBR likely to field a W4X200 ? Whilst I think they could notionally put together a quartet that could make the final; Anderson is the only stand-out and at 1.56, she’s not really a “big-hitter”.
Their W4X100 and (on paper) W4XMED are clearly internationally competitive, if still slightly outside of medal contention, and should be certain to be fielded. The case for the W4X200 is far more equivocal. Hopefully some other names can step up and change that narrative.
British Swimming state in their selection policy that the top 4 at trials must have an aggregate time of 7:49.00 to field a relay team at Worlds. So basically without Colbert, they need Freya Anderson to be right at her best at a 1:56.0, Wood and Hope to be at their bests at 1:57.5ish, and Medi Harris to go a second quicker than the lifetime best of a 1:58.9 she did a few weeks ago. But considering they should all make the team in different events anyway, I wonder if BS will let them race that relay at Worlds anyway (although knowing them that’s likely a no).
Would suggest it is, indeed, an unlikely proposition with British Swimming’s recent track record of only pursuing those relays that are viable medal propositions or at least somewhere close to being so.
W4X200 has recently devolved down to the quartet of USA/AUS/CHN & CAN ……. then send out the search party to locate anyone else. CAN will be weakened this year with Oleksiak’s likely absence but that most likely only changes the narrative to being a clearer podium between USA/AUS/CHN rather than admitting any new players.
Their other female relays are, at least, top 5 material/potential and amongst the more likely ‘catchers’ should one of the big 3 somehow mess it up. The narrative for W4X200 is, however,… Read more »
They will likely select it for Worlds, in order to qualify the team for Paris. Whether they take it to Paris….
They may or they may not; given British Swimming’s track record.
None of the GBR women’s relays are likely to direct qualify at Fukuoka but the other 2 relays are likely to finish high enough (top 5-6) that they’re unlikely to be displaced from the list by anything that occurs in Doha
However a GBR W4X200 is probably a borderline proposition for a finals berth; thus more likely to need a trip to Doha to ensure their spot. Will British Swimming feel it worthwhile to expend the effort for what is essentially their weakest relay, one that is only marginally competitive at best ?
Not necessarily their weakest relay, with the women’s 4x100Med fighting hard for that honour.
I’d say all relays will be taken this year, with a view to easing the pressure for Doha. If they don’t make the cut, they likely rule themself out for Paris.
The lack of British female 100m butterflier is wild
Hopefully Katie shanahan would get under the consideration time
I Feel like Shanahan’s going to have a very good 200 Back at trials after that 2:08.0 a couple of weeks ago. Would not be surprised at a High 2:06 or low 2:07 from her in that.
Interestingly she chose to skip it in Edinburgh, where her 400IM improved by 2+ seconds from BUCs.
Remember that the 400IM was a morning final at BUCS though which likely contributed a bit to the improvement at Edinburgh. Very excited for her at trials though.
Olympian and European 200 Back medalist from 2021 Cassie Wild is missing from the entries, as is Commonwealth relay Bronze medalist Tamryn Van Selm.
Wild has been training in Australia and Van Selm in America so the trip + NCAA focus has probably been the factor
Although I don’t think she was on NC State’s roster for NCAAs.
British Champs start on April 4th not April 1st
The women’s side of British Swimming has been less than impressive for some time now but Amelie Blocksidge is that shining light, I think the qualifying standards are a bit too tough for this year but now the question is how much time can she shave off to set herself up for various upcoming Junior competitions.
Holly Hibbott becoming a flyer after being a promising distance swimmer in a last ditch attempt to save her career is just another example of Dave Mcnulty’s struggle to coach women. Eg Crisp, Anderson, Emily Large have all effectively regressed under his tutelage.
Shanahan and Colbert have looked brilliant so far this year but I worry with such a busy schedule they’ll tire themselves… Read more »
What do you mean by ‘Glandular fever excuse’?
She’s alluded to her poor performances at the last 3 world championships being down to having it in the lead up, sc Worlds 2021, Budapest and Melbourne 2022
McNulty coached Joe Jackson, Siobhan Marie O’Connor and Jazz Carlin.
I believe Hibbot now trains with Main anyway.
Don’t let facts spoil an opinion.
I should have specified female swimmer who didn’t have their best meet 7+ years ago
Maybe consider the swimmers, not just the coach?