Manchester plays host to the cream of world disability swimming this weekend as the fourth annual Paralympic World Cup hits the city.

Swimmers ranked top 10 in the world will be in action at Manchester Aquatics Centre on Saturday (10 May) for the daylong event showcasing 13 of the most competitive events on the Paralympic programme.

A 20-strong British squad will be defending its table-topping record in the pool, having won more medals than any other nation for the last two years running. Last year alone the British team took seven gold, six silver and five bronze medals.

World Champions Dave Roberts (Swim Swansea), Sascha Kindred (Leominster) and Natalie Jones (Colchester Phoenix) are joined this year by Sam Hynd (Nova Centurion) and Rhiannon Henry (Swim Swansea) as they look to continue their impressive results at the Paralympic World Cup.

British Head Coach Lars Humer believes the World Cup provides the swimmers with the perfect opportunity to showcase their talent before the Paralympic Games.
 
“This event gives us an excellent opportunity to measure ourselves against the rest of the world,” Humer said. “Anytime we can compete internationally is valuable for us. The competition gives us the chance to give our swimmers high-level race exposure.

“Everyone is getting back into hard training after British Championships and the International Championships and this competition ensures the element of speed in their training. It is really important to get our swimmers racing in the build up to Beijing and I would like to see them get some good times this week.”

Swimming is one of four sports at the Paralympic World Cup, which officially kicked off on Monday with wheelchair basketball. More than 300 athletes are expected to take part during the week of competition.

British swimmers competing in Manchester are as follows:

James Anderson (Broxburn)
Claire Cashmore (Kelly College)
Emma Cattle (Luton)
James Crisp (City of Sheffield)
Gareth Duke (Swim Swansea)
Jonathan Fox (Newquay Cormorants)
Rhiannon Henry (Swansea Performance)
Sam Hynd (Nova Centurion)
David Hill (Kelly College)
Liz Johnson (Swim Swansea)
Natalie Jones (Colchester Phoenix)
Sascha Kindred (Leominster Kingfisher)
Rachel Latham (Bolton Metro)
Nyree Lewis (Leominster Kingfisher)
David Roberts (Swim Swansea)
Anthony Stephens (Swim Swansea)
Matt Walker (Marple)
Louise Watkin (Kelly College)
Fran Williamson (Colchester Phoenix)
Matt Whorwood (Newquay Cormorants)

The following events are scheduled:

Male:
S2 50m Freestyle.
SM6 200m Individual Medley
SB11 100m Breaststroke
S9 100m Backstroke
S7 50m Freestyle
S5 200m Freestyle
S8 400m Freestyle

Female:
SM6 200m Individual Medley
S8 100m Backstroke
S10 100m Backstroke
S3 50m Backstroke 
S9 100m Freestyle
S13 100m Butterfly

-ENDS-

For details of the Paralympic World Cup log onto www.paralympicworldcup.com

For more information contact British Swimming media assistant Gemma Field on 01509 632238, 07917 726431 or email gemma.field@swimming.org

British Swimming is the National Governing Body for Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Open Water in Great Britain.  It is responsible internationally for the high performance representation of the sport. The members of British Swimming are the three Home Countries national governing bodies of England (Amateur Swimming Association), Scotland (Scottish Amateur Swimming Association) and Wales. (Welsh Amateur Swimming Association)  British Swimming seeks to enable its athletes to achieve gold medal success at the Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
www.britishswimming.org