The Brits, like most of Europe, are choosing to send much more loaded squads to the World Championships than are their overseas counterparts.
This lineup includes 16 Olympians, among them Michael Jamieson, who was a surprise silver medalist at the Olympics in the 200 breaststroke, and truly the Olympic highlight for the British team.
Also on the squad is Fran Halsall, the owner of 4 World Short Course medals already from 2008; her 2010 meet was cut-off by ankle surgery. In the IM group, Hannah Miley will lead the way, but she’s going to be joined by a big sleeper of this squad: Sophie Allen. Alllen has already broken the English Record in the 200 IM in short course this year, with a 2:08.78 (remembering that Miley is Scottish). That could be a race where the Brits see two swimmers into the final, at least.
Other big names include Olympic finalist Robbie Renwick, junior breaststroke phenom Craig Benson, and the next in line for Britain’s backstroking throne Georgia Davies and Georgia Hohmann.
The biggest names missing from the list is Olympic medalist Rebecca Adlington, who has taken time after the Olympics to explore other interests after months of intense media focus.
This could be a very good team; though overall they didn’t earn as many finals and medals as they probably would have liked in front of a home crowd a few months ago, the talent is deep.
- Craig Benson – Warrender Baths
- Daniel Fogg – British Gas ITC Loughborough
- Michael Jamieson – British Gas ITC Bath
- Matthew Johnson – City of Sheffield
- Ieuan Lloyd – City of Cardiff
- Roberto Pavoni – British Gas ITC Loughborough
- Robbie Renwick – City of Glasgow
- Chris Walker-Hebborn – British Gas ITC Bath
- Andrew Willis – British Gas ITC Bath
- Sophie Allen – British Gas ITC Stockport
- Jazmin Carlin – British Gas ITC Swansea
- Georgia Davies – British Gas ITC Swansea
- Eleanor Faulkner – City of Sheffield
- Francesca Halsall – British Gas ITC Loughborough
- Georgia Hohmann – Nova Centurion
- Jemma Lowe – British Gas ITC Swansea
- Hannah Miley – Garioch
- Elizabeth Simmonds – British Gas ITC Bath
- Rebecca Turner – City of Sheffield