A squad of some of Britain’s most exciting swimming prospects will test themselves against the sport’s best youngsters from around the globe at the FINA World Junior Championships in Mexico.
The event, only the second one within its short history, is seen as an important step for the advancement of international swimming as it targets young athletes worldwide and prepares them to become national, international and Olympic champions of tomorrow.
Britain’s squad of 22 is far bigger than the team two years ago as the event has grown in terms of stature as well as numbers that make up a strong international field as it’s seen as an ideal way to provide athletes with their first taste of a major competition.
Leading Britain’s group of swimmers will be Head Coach Dave Champion (Ipswich) who is confident the team will be very competitive against a talented field.
“It’s a bigger team this time around and contains some of the best juniors that we have in Britain,” said Champion. “We’ll be looking to see what they can do against the rest of the world and I’m sure they’ll do very well.
“Britain has a history of good results at the European junior events, which are very established, but measuring themselves against the rest of the world and taking themselves out of Europe will be a good test.
“The pool looks fantastic, it’s indoor and looks quick. What we’re basically asking our swimmers to do is simply swim fast, it’s no more complicated than that.”
Champion believes many of the British squad have both the ability and the motivation to target the London 2012 Olympics and he feels the event provides a firm foundation on which they can build.
“The team was selected around the relays to get experience at world level as we look towards 2012,” said Champion.
“Hopefully we’ve brought a group of swimmers that will feature in the London Olympics and they’ll gain a real international experience that will be an ideal education ahead of the London Games.”
The principle behind the relays focus is to continue efforts to provide strength in depth within British Swimming with 2012 in mind.
The event in Mexico begins a busy summer of international events for Britain with the Olympics very much at the top of the 2008 programme.
From 30th July to 3rd August a large group of swimmers will travel to the Serbian capital of Belgrade to compete in the European Junior Championships.
This event also provides a valuable opportunity for young swimmers to compete internationally as they look towards the next four years and the London Olympics.
Director of World Class Programmes John Atkinson has seen Britain develop a rich tradition over recent years and he’s excited once again about the prospects.
“It’s the largest ever team we’ve taken to a European Juniors but there is also a great deal of quality within the squad whether we look at the relays or as individuals. It’s an exciting generation of swimmers,” said Atkinson.
A squad of Britain’s more experienced athletes will compete at the same time at the US open, from 29th July to 2nd August while a British team will go head-to-head with Canada and France at a specially organised Tri-Meet in Canada.
The event, from 1st to 2nd August, will provide competition for the slightly older group of swimmers (22 and under) just a week out from the Olympic Games. Many of the swimmers will have competed at the World Junior Championships so will be looking to continue to swim fast.
“With these four events, as well as the Olympics of course, it’s safe to say there have never been as many athletes and coaches competing internationally in such a time frame,” said Atkinson.
“What these collectively provide is a great springboard for the preparation of all involved with the sport into the next four years where the London 2012 Olympics await.”
-ends-
The 2nd FINA World Junior Championships take place in Monterrey, Mexico from 8th to 13th July 2008.
The British Swimming squad comprises:
Emma Wilkins (Plymouth Leander)
Sasha Matthews (Arnold)
Jenna Turner (Ealing)
Liesje van de Velde (Beckenham)
Zoe Hester (Plymouth Leander)
Lauren Collins (City of Birmingham)
Emma Bird (Bramcote Swimming Club)
Charlotte Barnes (Trowbridge)
Rachel Haigh (City of Newcastle)
Lucy Worrall (Stockport Metro)
Robyn Matthews (City of Edinburgh)
Rebecca Turner (Ealing)
Chris Dart (University of Bath)
Daniel Sliwinski (Preston)
Robert Holderness (Millfield)
Robert Bale (Carnforth Otters)
Jack Dunn (City of Sheffield)
Ryan Bennett (Preston)
Daniel Scott (Glenrothes)
Chris Walker-Hebborn (Offshore Centre)
Thomas Parris (Offshore Centre)
James Doolan (Offshore Centre)
For further details contact Dave Richards, British Swimming Media Manager, on 01509 632237, 0778 992 6136 or email dave.richards@swimming.org <mailto:dave.richards@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.
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