British Swimming Continues “Smaller is Better” Policy in 2014 Euro Selection Policies

British Swimming has released their selection policy for the 2014 European Long Course Championships, one of two major swimming events on the year for the country, and they will continue with the “smaller, more focused teams” that they announced when selecting their 2013 European Championship roster.

The Brits will cap their European Championship roster at 24 swimmers, according to the official selection document. Up to 24 swimmers from the two genders combined may be selected, subject to funding and “the complete discretion” of the GB Head Coach and Head of Performance Pathway.

The meet will run from August 13th-24th in Berlin, Germany.

See the full selection document here.

The Brits rarely shy away from complex selection procedures, and under the new administration of Bill Furniss, that hasn’t changed. Six meets will be used for selection for the 2014 European Championships:

• Scottish Gas National Championships, Glasgow, 3rd– 6th April 2014
• British Gas Swimming Championships, Glasgow, 10th – 15th April 2014
• Mare Nostrum series; Monaco 7th/8th June, Canet 11th/12th June, Barcelona 14th/15 June 2014
• British Gas International Swim Meet, Manchester, 24th-28th June 2014

Selections will be made on July 1st, 2014.

Senior and Junior athletes will have two different selection criteria. For senior athletes, the best time from the listed meets will be ranked, and the swimmers ranked closest to the top 3 European ranked times for 2014 as of that point of the year will be chosen. So, if Adam Brown is closer to the top three by percentage in the 50 free than is Hannah Miley in the 400 IM, Adam Brown will be chosen before Hannah Miley. There is no set number of senior athletes, but there are several caveats about “uncompromised commitment” that gives Furniss some pretty large power to deselect athletes, including doing so after the Commonwealth Games. The focus is heavily weighted towards medalists at this meet.

“Junior” athletes, which for this meet are being described by Great Britain as males up to the age of 20 and females up to the age of 18 as of December 31st, 2014. To be considered, junior athletes will have to meet a separate time standard, and then be left to the will of the British Swimming coaching staff.

There are four wildcards available for relay only swimmers and “discretionary” picks as well.