British Swimming Announces 2016-2017 Funding Program

Photo Courtesy: David E. Klutho-USA TODAY Sports

British Swimming has named 55 athletes to its World Class Performance Programme for the 2016-2017 season. All 55 will be eligible for funding and advanced training camp, competition and sports science opportunities, but at different levels as 17 were named to the “Podium” class and 38 to the “Podium Potential” class.

“The sport enjoyed a very successful 2016 but we know that our aims and ambitions don’t end there as we now move forward to the 2020 Olympic Games,” British Swimming National Performance Director Chris Spice said. “This year’s investment is going to enable our talented swimmers to continue to achieve their performance targets as they set their sights on Tokyo. Our focus on process driven goals supporting our clear medal opportunities has delivered fantastic results in the last three years. This valuable support has helped us to achieve as a team and I’d like to thank UK Sport and the National Lottery for their continued investment.”

Unsurprisingly, Olympic medalists Adam Peaty, Jazz Carlin, James Guy and Siobhan-Marie O’Connorall qualified for “Podium,” as did other notable names like Hannah Miley and open water swimmer Jack Burnell.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is Ross Murdoch being listed as “Podium Potential.” Murdoch was the bronze medalist in the 100 breast at the World Championships last year and the European champion this year in the 200 breast, but he failed to final in the 100 breast in Rio after finishing third at Britain’s Olympic Trials in the 200 breast behind Andrew Willis and Craig Benson. Murdoch is just 22 but will have to settle for less funding for at least the next year.

Dropped from the list altogether was freestyle stalwart Robbie Renwick, who got a relay silver medal from Rio but was dropped from the 800 free relay finals squad. Two-time open water 10k World Champion Keri-Anne Payne also loses funding, as does backstroker Liam Tancock.

Read the full release from British Swimming here.

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