The Great Britain Swimming Squad for the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia has been announced. The selection, which was delayed due to the World Championships selection, includes five male and two female swimmers.
Three of the athletes have experienced the World University Games previously, having been part of Team GBR in Bangkok 2007. Matthew Clay (University of Bath) returned home from Bangkok with a Bronze in the 50m Backstroke. Clay was a Gold medalist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and will look to impress in Belgrade this year. Matthew Bowe (Loughborough University) is another athlete to enjoy his second consecutive World University Games after finishing 8th in the B Final in 50m Butterfly last time round. Robert Holderness (Florida State University) was the 2008 World Youth Games bronze medalist in the 200m Breaststroke and has been a European Junior Finalist in 2007 and 2008. Michael Jaimeson from Telford College finished 3rd in the 2008 British Olympic Trials in the 200m Individual Medley and will look to perform well in Belgrade. The final male competitor, Andrew Hodgson, is one of three swimmers in the Great Britain squad who studies in Florida, USA. Hodgson represented Great Britain U23s in the Tri Nations Cup in 2008.
Stephanie Proud (Florida University) finished in 3rd place at the 2008 British Olympic Trials and has been selected to represent Great Britain. At the World University Games 2007, in Bangkok, Proud didn’t make it past the preliminary rounds and will be hoping for an improvement in Belgrade. Rachel Lefley (Loughborough University) finished 3rd and 4th in the World Trials in 2008 in Sheffield for both 100m and 200m Backstroke respectively.
The swimmers are due to arrive in Belgrade later today and begin competition on Sunday 5 July.
The swimming competition commences on Sunday 5 July. For more information visit www.bucs.org.uk/belgrade.
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For more information, please contact Hannah Marshall, Press Officer – Team GBR at Hannah.marshall@bucs.org.uk +381 65 406 0599 or Jenni Anderson in the BUCS office on 0207 633 5088 jenni.anderson@bucs.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
The World University Games or Universiade was established in 1959 and since then has grown to become the third largest multi-sport event in the World. The 25th Games in Belgrade runs from 1 -12 July 2009 and is made up of 15 sports.
Team GBR will compete in 11 sports: archery, artistic gymnastics, basketball (women), diving, fencing, football (men & women), judo, swimming, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball (men and women).
7,000 athletes and officials from 130 nations will be present in Belgrade, including 190 athletes, officials, medical staff and volunteers from Great Britain.
For more information and to find out who is competing for Britain, please visit the BUCS website at: www.bucs.org.uk/belgrade
Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) is the Government backed world class further and higher education based talent development programme for sportsmen and women. Each year an average of 1000 athletes, from 47 sports, aged between 16 & 28, receive £3500 worth of sport related support services to enhance their sporting potential, whilst continuing their academic development. TASS is a partnership between the HE & FE sector & the National Governing Bodies of sport and has a network of 84 HE & FE Institutions, who have a commitment to flexible learning, which deliver the sports support services to the athletes.
