5 British University Swimmers to Watch Going Into 2016

Jay Lelliott World University Games 2015

Photo Courtesy: Gwangju Summer Universiade Organizing Committee

By Sophia Chiang, Swimming World College Intern

The annual British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) national meet is the fastest national collegiate championship in the United Kingdom. Each year, it features some of the UK’s best young swimmers. The competition is expected to be especially fierce this coming year with the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro approaching. Many swimmers will be in top form prepping for the British Swimming Championships (which will double as Olympic Trials) in April.

The first test for these athletes will be the 2015 BUCS Short Course National Championships, held in Ponds Forge Sports Centre in Sheffield, England. More than 1,400 swimmers from around the UK are expected to compete November 11-14.

Here are some of the BUCS’s best hopes for the 2016 Olympic team:

1. THE VETERAN: Rebecca Turner, Sheffield Hallam University

Photo Courtesy: Emma Studd, Sheffield Hallam University

Twenty-three-year-old Olympian Rebecca Turner from Sheffield Hallam will be attempting to make her mark again after finishing 17th in the 200m freestyle and fifth in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2012 London Olympics. In 2014, she captured two relay medals for England at the Commonwealth Games and swam at European Championships. She displayed a strong showing at the 2014 BUCS Short Course Championships, winning gold in the 200m freestyle (1:57.47), silver in the 50m freestyle (25.59) and the 100m freestyle (54.83), and fifth in the 50m butterfly (27.89). There is no doubt Turner will be looking to defend her titles this November.

2. MOST LIKELY TO MEDAL (MALE): Jay Lelliott, University of Bath

Jay Lelliott World University Games Gwangju 2015

Photo Courtesy: Gwangju Summer Universiade Organizing Committee

Lelliott carries enormous depth as well as swimming potential, and proved them at the 2014 BUCS Short Course Championships where he won the 200m butterfly (1:56.14), 400m freestyle (3:46.06), 1500m freestyle (14:58.67) and captured third in the 200m freestyle (1:46.66). Selected to represent the BUCS conference at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, Korea, Lelliott took home gold in the 400m freestyle (3:48.84), silver in the 800m freestyle (7:50.97), and fourth in the 1500m freestyle (15:08.84). His 400m freestyle time cracked into the World’s Top 10 and he broke the 800m freestyle English record. After finishing the 2014 Summer British National Championships with three personal bests, two golds, and a silver, Lelliott will definitely be looking to represent the UK in his first Olympics, and will surely make his mark at the 2015 BUCS Short Course Championships.

3. MOST LIKELY TO MEDAL (FEMALE): Rachael Kelly, University of Loughborough

Photo Courtesy: Stephen Bayley, University of Loughborough

Rachael Kelly has been having a fantastic year. After capturing the 100m butterfly title at the 2014 Scottish Gas Championships and setting a best time, Kelly went on to place fifth in the 100m butterfly at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. At the 2014 BUCS Short Course Championships, Kelly swept gold in the 100 fly (58.41) and helped lead Loughborough’s medley relay (1:52.53) to another first place finish alongside teammates Emma Wilkins, Laura Kinley, and Hannah Rogers. A combination of pure talent and serious work ethic, Kelly will be looking to make her mark at the 2015 BUCS as she did in 2014.

4. THE DARK HORSE: Craig Benson, Stirling University

Photo Courtesy: Craig Benson/ Stirling University

After being out touched (twice!) and taking home bronze in the 100m and 200m breaststrokes at the 2014 World University Games, Benson will certainly be hungry for redemption at BUCS, especially in the 100m breaststroke, where he was out touched by fellow Brit James Wilby of Loughborough University for silver. In 2012 he swam at the London Olympics in the 100m breaststroke but fell short in the semifinal, and at the time was the youngest member of the Olympic team. Benson finished fourth in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and began attending Stirling this past year. Watch out for what this guy can do.

5. THE RISING STAR: Lucy Hope, University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh sophomore Lucy Hope emerged onto the world swimming stage in 2014 when, as a freshman, she was selected for Team Scotland’s 4x200m relay in the Commonwealth Games and has been on a continuous rise ever since. Hope also took home two silvers at the 2014 Scottish Gas National Championships and placed top at the 2014 BUCS short course championships, grabbing silver in the 200m backstroke (2:11.48), bronze in the 200m freestyle (2:00.16), seventh in the 100m freestyle (57.01), and ninth in the 100m backstroke (1:03.76). Hope will be hungry for more podium positions this year, and as her meteoric rise these past two years can indicate, she has a lot more room for growth these next three years.

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5 British University Swimmers to Watch Going Into 2016

1. THE VETERAN: R​ebecca Turner, Sheffield Hallam University

2. MOST LIKELY TO MEDAL (MALE): J​ay Lelliott, University of Bath

￼3. MOST LIKELY TO MEDAL (FEMALE): ​Rachael Kelly, University of Loughborough

4. THE DARK HORSE: C​raig Benson,​ S​tirling University

5. THE RISING STAR: L​ucy Hope, University of Edinburgh

1. THE VETERAN: Rebecca Turner, Sheffield Hallam University

2. MOST LIKELY TO MEDAL (MALE): Jay Lelliott, University of Bath

3. MOST LIKELY TO MEDAL (FEMALE): Rachael Kelly, University of Loughborough

4. THE DARK HORSE: Craig Benson, Stirling University

5. THE RISING STAR: Lucy Hope, University of Edinburgh