British Swimming has revealed its selections for the organisation’s World Class Programme (WCP) for the 2021/22 season.
A total of 55 athletes were chosen based on their past performances and gauged podium potential for future Olympic and World Championships. British Swimming says that the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic was taken into account during its decision-making process.
Athletes named on the WCP are also eligible to benefit from key competition opportunities and training camp experiences throughout the season in which they are selected, as well as getting access to comprehensive support from the world-class British Swimming performance and support staff, and national Institute of Sport programmes across the UK’s Home Nations.
British Swimming National Performance Director Chris Spice said: “This is an exciting time for the programme after an incredible year, which culminated with our swimmers making history at the Olympic Games, claiming four golds and eight medals in total – testament to the outstanding work they and the staff across British Swimming and our Home Nation partners continue to put in.
“There was also a best-ever return from the Europeans in Budapest, and more promising signs from our younger athletes against some of the best in the world at the European Junior Championships.
“The 2021/22 season will feature a World Championships in Fukuoka, European Championships in Rome and a Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and as ever, we will be looking to move things on again with our WCP athletes. For some of the younger ones, they will be on a longer-term journey toward Paris, and we look forward to working with them in that as they develop towards 2024 and beyond.
“But for every athlete on the programme, the next Olympic Games are now less than three years away, and the build towards that begins now.”
Among the Podium tier is breakout swimmer Lucy Hope, the 24-year-old multi-medal winner at the 2020 European Championships. Hope had been training at the University of Edinburgh; however, she has since moved to train at the University of Stirling, home of multi-Olympic medalist Duncan Scott and more.
As far as her move Hope told SwimSwam this week, “I’ve been at Edinburgh for 7 years, I have decided to move just as the Olympic cycle has concluded and I have completed my university studies at Edinburgh.
Podium
Freya Anderson, Bath NC (England)
Kathleen Dawson, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Tom Dean, Bath NC (England)
Luke Greenbank, Loughborough NC (England)
James Guy, Bath NC (England)
Lucy Hope, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Anna Hopkin, Loughborough NC (England)
Calum Jarvis, Bath NC (Wales)
Daniel Jervis, Swansea University (Wales)
Max Litchfield, Loughborough NC (England)
Adam Peaty, Loughborough NC (England)
Ben Proud, University of Bath (England)
Molly Renshaw, Loughborough NC (England)
Matt Richards, Bath NC (Wales)
Duncan Scott, University of Stirling (Scotland)
James Wilby, Loughborough NC (England)
Abbie Wood, Loughborough NC (England)
Podium Potential
Jonathon Adam, Bath NC (England)
Angus Allison, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Will Bell, Loughborough University (England)
Kieran Bird, Bath NC (Wales)
Kyle Booth, City of Cardiff Swimming Club (Wales)
Cameron Brooker, Wycombe District Swimming Club (England)
Charlie Brown, City of Sheffield Swim Squad (England)
Freya Colbert, Nova Centurion Swimming Club (England)
Evelyn Davis, Bromley Swimming Club (Scotland)
Alice Dearing, Loughborough University (England)
Harvey Freeman, Northampton Swimming Club (England)
Archie Goodburn, Loughborough NC (Scotland)
Lucy Grieve, South Ayrshire Swim Team (Scotland)
Medi Harris, Swansea University (Wales)
Charlie Hutchison, Loughborough NC (Scotland)
Evan Jones, Millfield School (Scotland)
Harriet Jones, City of Cardiff Swimming Club (Wales)
Cameron Kurle, University of Stirling (England)
Emily Large, Bath NC (England)
Joe Litchfield, Loughborough NC (England)
Keanna MacInnes, University of Stirling (Scotland)
James McFadzen, Loughborough University (England)
Ed Mildred, Bath NC (England)
Eva Okaro, Sevenoaks Swimming Club (England)
Hector Pardoe, Montpellier (Wales)
Jacob Peters, Bath NC (England)
Sienna Robinson, City of Sheffield Swimming Club (England)
Toby Robinson, Loughborough NC (England)
Emma Russell, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Katie Shanahan, City of Glasgow Swim Team (Scotland)
George Smith, Ellesmere College (England)
Laura Stephens, Plymouth Leander (England)
Kayla Van Der Merwe, Winchester City Penguins (England)
Tamryn Van Selm, Millfield School (England)
Sarah Vasey, Loughborough NC (England)
Jacob Whittle, Loughborough NC (England)
Cassie Wild, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Brodie Williams, Bath NC (England)
Does anyone know what has happened to Lewis Burras?
Honestly, I hope he’s well. He became very erratic on social media during the pandemic, and then it all disappeared.
Well, it seems we might never know.
Another question. I like Ben Proud, he always comes across as a very pleasant young man, but the 50 free is such a specialst event with the margins for poduim so tiny, that despite his talent I do wonder whether funding another olympic cycle is value for money. If I were a UK selector I’d be saying we will fund you on the provisio you’ll also give us a decent leg on the 4×100 free …
British swimming won’t fund people who train in America, which is why Alicia Wilson is not on it but they put somebody on it who trains in France??? Also the Head of talent pathway Tim Jones’s son is now on it, think somebody like Alicia deserves it more than him.
James Wilby on podium lol
James has missed the boat i’m afraid. May medal at CG however…
Where’s Alicia Wilson?
No Alys Thomas? Bit of a weird decision considering she’s now an olympic finalist even if she’s into her 30s now.
They said she was too old absolutely disgusting in my opinion and Tim Jones son is on now along with most of the last European junior team slight bias there as most of them are saying they are only on it as Tim wanted his son on it
No Aimee Willmot either