Commonwealth Games Champs Carlin, Halsall, Peaty Among Brits Set For European Championships

Photo by Joao Marc Bosch

LONDON, England, August 4. BY waiting until the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games to select its team for the European swimming championships, Great Britain has created a palpable air of anticipation as the European continent has been wondering how many of the top swimmers from the Commonwealth Games would come to Berlin later this month.

Among the 23 swimmers named to the British squad today, nine of them won individual gold medals in Glasgow a little more than a week ago. The most notable names not on the squad are Hannah Miley and Dan Wallace, who each won the 400 IM with times that stand as the fastest swims among Europeans so far this year.

Commonwealth champions representing Great Britain at European championships:

Jazz Carlin (800 free), Georgia Davies (50 back), Fran Halsall (50 free and 50 fly), Siobhan O’Connor (200 IM), Sophie Taylor (100 breast), Ross Murdoch (200 breast), Adam Peaty (100 breast), Ben Proud (50 free and 50 fly) and Chris Walker-Hebborn (100 back).

Adam Barrett, who swam butterfly on England’s winning 400 medley relay, is also tapped to swim in Berlin.

At the Commonwealth Games, Great Britain’s home nations – England, Scotland and Wales – swim as separate teams. But at the European championships, all 23 Brits will have the Union Jack on their swim caps as one of the strongest teams Great Britain has sent to the meet.

British Swimming deemed the Commonwealth Games as the primary meet of the summer for its swimmers. Selection to the European championships was voluntary, meaning swimmers such as Miley could refuse to compete in the meet.

“I see British Swimming as being on the way back up but this is only the first step,” said British Swimming Head Coach Bill Furniss. “We did incredibly well and this has delivered one of our best Commonwealth Games results ever but we have to be realistic and recognise that it is not a World Championships or an Olympic Games.

“Our collective challenge now is to produce this kind of performance in a more difficult environment under increased pressure. When we can do that I will know that we’ve made a significant step forward.”

Of the nine Commonwealth champions, all but Halsall, Peaty, Proud and Taylor are the fastest Europeans in their events going into the European championships. Britain won 19 medals at the 2010 Europeans, the last fully-attended continental meet, and no medals in 2012 as many of the top swimmers stayed away to prepare for the Olympics. Halsall won the 100 free in 2010 and was part of the winning 400 medley relay.

British women’s roster

Jazz Carlin
Georgia Davies
Fran Halsall
Shauna Lee
Jemma Lowe
Siobhan-Marie O’Connor
Molly Renshaw
Lizzie Simmonds
Sophie Taylor
Rebecca Turner
Aimee Wilmott

British men’s roster

Adam Barrett
Cameron Brodie
Jay Lelliot
Max Litchfield
Stephen Milne
Ross Murdoch
Roberto Pavoni
Adam Peaty
Ben Proud
Chris Walker-Hebborn
Robbie Renwick
Andrew Willis

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