After months of announcements from smaller crown dependencies, the biggest shoes have begun to drop for the 2018 Commonwealth Games that will be held on Australia’s Gold Coast in April.
England, who finished 2nd on the medals table at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, has announced the remainder of their roster on Friday. 24 new swimmers join the 15 announced on October 4th to make up the largest contingent we’ve seen out of any portion of the UK or its entirety in quite some time.
This meet will be one of two priority events for British swimmers in 2018 – combined with a Scottish-hosted European Championships later in August.
England, who competes independently at the Commonwealth Games but as part of Great Britain in most circumstances, won 10 events in 2014. This year’s roster will look significantly different, though: only 5 of the 9 individual gold medals will be defended, while only Adam Peaty returns from the winning 400 medley relay.
Peaty has accomplished almost everything there is to accomplish in the 50 and 100 breaststrokes in his career – but 2018 will offer an opportunity for a new conquest: a 50 breaststroke Commonwealth gold. While he won the 100 in 2014, former World Record holder Cameron van der Burgh won the 50 by a hair (.02 seconds). Peaty now holds the World Record in that event, and frankly nobody in the world is even close to him, and so he’ll be favored in both the 50 and the 100 meter distances.
Ben Proud is the only returning double champion for England, having won the 50 free and 50 fly in 2014. Also returning from the top of the podiums is Oliver Hynd(200 IM, SM8) and Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (200 IM). O’Connor won 6 medals in Glasgow in 2014.
Among the new additions are Aimee Willmott, who withdrew from last summer’s World Championship team and, after funding for thevteam at the London Aquatics Centre Performance Programme was cut, jumped to train in Scotland with the University of Stirling. She, along with fellow British swimmers, have been training in the warmth of Australian summer since Englands Winter Championships in December.
Also added to the roster on Friday was Loughborough’s Abbie Wood, who was 20th at Worlds in the 400 IM; James Wilby, who was 18th in the 200 breaststroke; Joe Litchfield, who joins his brother Max (previously named) on the roster; and 4-time Paralympic medalist Jonathan Fox.
Athletes selected on 5 January
- Abbie Wood (Loughborough University)
- Aimee Willmott (University of Stirling)
- Alice Tai (NPC /Bournemouth Collegiate School)
- Anna Hopkin (Ealing SC)
- Anna Maine (Woking SC)
- Cameron Kurle (University of Bath SC)
- Chloe Golding (City of Manchester Aquatics)
- David Cumberlidge (Edinburgh University)
- Eleanor Robinson (Northampton Swimming Club)
- Elliot Clogg (Loughborough University)
- Jacob Leach (Cockermouth SC)
- Jacob Peters (Poole SC)
- James Wilby (Loughborough University)
- Jarvis Parkinson (Loughborough University)
- Jessica Fullalove (University of Bath SC)
- Jessica Jackson (Plymouth Leander SC)
- Joe Litchfield (City of Sheffield)
- Jonathan Fox (NPC /City of Manchester Aquatics)
- Laura Stephens (Plymouth Leander SC)
- Lewis White (City of Derby Swimming Club)
- Oliver Hynd (Nova Centurion SC)
- Rosie Rudin (City of Sheffield)
- Thomas Fannon (Plymouth Leander SC)
- Thomas Hamer (NPC / City of Manchester Aquatics)
Athletes selected on 4 October
- Adam Peaty (Loughborough University)
- James Guy (Millfield School)
- Ben Proud (Plymouth Leander SC)
- Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (University of Bath SC)
- Molly Renshaw (Loughborough University)
- Eleanor Faulkner (City of Sheffield)
- Andrew Willis (Bracknell & Wokingham SC)
- Max Litchfield (City of Sheffield)
- Lizzie Simmonds (Edinburgh University)
- Freya Anderson (Ellesmere College Titans SC)
- Sarah Vasey (Loughborough University)
- Luke Greenbank (Loughborough University)
- Jocelyn Ulyett (Loughborough University)
- Holly Hibbott (Stockport Metro)
- Emily Large (Newcastle Swim Team)
Interesting – Some missing, some surprise inclusions.
British swimming seem to feel Greenbank in a potential big improver – Got a discretionary spot at last years worlds, and a surprising ‘early pick’ back in October.
Two *very* strong breaststroke groups. The men could be looking to sweep, and the ladies will be around the podium spots in every race. Likewise IM groups – Provided Max Litchfield overcomes niggles this winter, IMs could return a very health maul of golds. Men’s butterfly will be competitive, and at this point Team England will be looking for a medal in every men’s fly race. Men’s free will be hit & miss – Some very hit, some very miss. Male backstrokers could well… Read more »
Re Clark, I think it’s also because GB swimming, and sport in general, prioritise the Olympics above all else, and the 50 breaststroke, her strongest, isn’t an Olympic event. She has a decent 100 (I think her best is 1:07-mid or so) but hasn’t brought her best in that event to qualifying meets. Definitely one to watch for the future, maybe even the Europeans later this summer…
That is absolutely the reason!
Re: Clark II, I watched the BBC feed of the English Championships last month and she had about a body length lead at the 50 against a pretty good field. She just couldn’t hold it coming back though. I wish I could find her split time.
Results are here: http://swimmingresults.org.uk/swimming/results/2017/sewinter17/
31.50 at the turn. .7-1 second head of “the field”
Thumbs up emoji.
Freya should medal in the relays, it will be a tough ask in the individual although stranger things have happened, she will be up against crack Australian and Canadian sprinters
ENG should pick up 3rd money in all 3 women’s relays; albeit well behind AUS & CAN. As for which way those relays may tip between AUS & CAN is anyone’s guess. This CAN team is probably weaker than the team that will go to PP’s given the absence of its NCAA members but none of these AUS relays look bulletproof either.
Maybe a narrow lean to AUS in 4×100; 4×200 – reserve final comment until after AUS Trials and 4XMED will hinge on whose breaststroke leg delivers.
Are Cook and Ashwood back for Commonwealths? The addition of Cook and progress of Titmus should help the 4×200.
Both are back swimming but as yet we have no real reference times (esp for Cook).
As for 4X200; Ashwood is, at best, a 1.58 split so hardly a weapon. IF Cook is back to her Rio levels at both 200 & 400 then along with Titmus’ progression, there is solid back-up for the peak weapon (McKeon). As for 4th member, I’d probably be leaning towards Wilson whose backstroke has gone off but freestyle progressed to the level of a 1.57.3 flat start. An X factor COULD be C1 who has made some tentative moves towards 200 over the past year.
CAN brings in both Oleksiak and Ruck which will deliver a major lift from their 2017 Worlds showing but… Read more »
Just out of interest who is actually missing from the Canadian team as a result of the NCAA?? I don’t think I have read anything from the Canadian side to suggest that the PP’s are taken more seriously than the CG’s, if anything it is the opposite.
Think we are reading from the exact same page re this team.
Fully agree that they should dominate both male and female IMs given the absence of CAN’s peak female IMer. Likewise your reads on male free; men’s and women’s fly. ENG COULD clear sweep all male BRS golds but 200 still looks open with Murdoch in the picture and perhaps Wilson
Men’s backstroke looks well off int pace but these events (esp 100/200) will hinge on whether 2018 Larkin is the 2015-16 model or the 2017. If the former, then its daylight between he and the field; if the latter then its totally open and ENG backstrokers far less “out of it”. ENG female backstrokers are not necessarily out… Read more »
No Walker-Hebborn. Must be the first England/GB squad he’s missed for a while. Not too surprising though, he didn’t go sub 54 last year, and was beaten in the winter championships. Leaves Clogg and Greenbank as options for the medley relay lead-off. Pleased to see some of the youngsters break through.
Surprise for me is no Grainger, with Kurle ahead of him. Grainger didn’t have a good winter champs, but was excellent last year, and played a big part in the 4×200 relay team’s gold medal.
Agree RE Grainger – Bizarre decision. I can only imagine he declined… (Surely?)
Grainger didn’t swim fast enough to make the team same as CWH.
English male relays look weak. The Aussies could win all 3! I hope not though.
Concerning Anderson hasn’t raced, and Litchfied. More to it than they are letting on?
Disagree re men’s relays. Barring a break or major illness/injury decimation; AUS IS a prohibitive favourite in the 4×100 but the other two are very different matters.
The Home Nations separation of the GBR M4x200 certainly does open up what would’ve been a processional victory for GBR but instead renders it a tantalising 3 way scrap between ENG, SCO & AUS. The split does separate GBR’s “guns” (Guy & Scott) into ENG & SCO respectvely but at this point AUS doesn’t really possess any “guns” but rather a grouping of 1.46 legs with the possibility that 1-2 may sneak a sub 1.46. Maybe someone MAY break through but at this point, that is no certainty,
M4XMED will essentially hinge on… Read more »
Hence why I said ‘could’, not ‘would’…
The English 4×200 looks weak without Litchfield(High chance he won’t compete). The other 3 are not near the level required to utilise Guy with any effect. Scotland are relying on Wallace being back to his VERY best to compete with Aus- 4x 1’46 would be good enough to win IMO.
Guy on Medley doesn’t give Eng a huge advantage with the Fly leg. Any one of 3 Aussies would fancy hunting down Proud or other even with a 2.5sec deficit…
Maybe they’re also trying to send a message to Walker-Hebborn? I guess he could be headed to Euros later in the year to prove himself.