LONDON, April 20. BRITISH Swimming has unveiled a squad of 46 athletes who will go head-to-head with the rest of Europe at the European Swimming Championships in Budapest this summer. Commonwealth champions such as Caitlin McClatchey, Becky Cooke, Chris Cooke, David Carry, Liam Tancock and Ross Davenport will headline the strongest team Britain has sent to a long-course European Championships in years.<\/p>\n
For the vast majority of those selected it offers another opportunity of a major international long course meet for the year following a very successful Commonwealth Games where swimmers from the British nations accrued a combined medal haul of 36. British Swimming National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham is excited about the unique prospect of facing another international challenge this season and the benefits he believes it will bring.<\/p>\n
"This is a great opportunity for our swimmers. To be able to contest a European Championships and Commonwealth Games in the same year is a real bonus," said Sweetenham. "There is no doubt the European Championships will be a much stronger and more challenging meet but it provides us with a chance, once again, to develop both coaches and swimmers in a competition environment."<\/p>\n
British Swimming will be taking the largest team possible to Budapest with an emphasis on strengthening the athlete\/coach relationship.<\/p>\n
"We will be offering all coaches the opportunity to attend Budapest to coach their own swimmer all the way through the process. They will be in charge of their athlete's preparation from the trials until the championships," explained Sweetenham. "This usually doesn't happen because of restrictions on numbers but due to the size of the team, and the allowance of four entries per nation, per event, it enables us to select a sizeable coaching group to work with the athletes."<\/p>\n
Sweetenham sees the opportunity for nations to send a maximum of four athletes per event as having a massive knock-on effect in regard to the standard of the meet.<\/p>\n
"These recent changes are going to make this particular meet very tough. You're going to see swimmers from the same country having to race each other hard in the morning heats as only two are able to progress to the semi-final of an event," said Sweetenham. "This is going to push the standard on without a doubt and increases the challenge both swimmers and coaches will face. It will help us tremendously in our Olympic preparation. We have to make sure we swim fast in the morning heats and actually race each other, and Budapest will help us to work towards this strategy."<\/p>\n
Sweetenham is confident the team selected will be able to continue the good work witnessed at the Commonwealth Games last month.<\/p>\n
"There is no doubt the team is a very good team. It's a mixture of senior as well as younger, less experienced athletes but they're all podium focussed."<\/p>\n
The European Championships take place in Budapest, Hungary from July 26 to August 6. Swimming will take place at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex.<\/p>\n
Here is the British squad:<\/p>\n
Name Club Current Coach
\nAmy Smith Loughborough Steve Bayley
\nCaitlin McClatchey Loughborough Ben Titley
\nCassie Patten Plymouth Leander Jon Rudd
\nElizabeth Simmonds Lincoln Vulcans Marc Spackman
\nFrancesca Halsall Co Liverpool Colin Stripe
\nHannah Miley Garioch Patrick Miley
\nJessica Dickons Bo Stockton Graeme Antwhistle
\nJessica Sylvester Nova Centurion Bill Furniss
\nJo Jackson Derwentside Dave McNulty
\nJulia Beckett Loughborough Ben Titley
\nKate Haywood Loughborough Ben Titley
\nKatherine Wyld Nova Centurion Bill Furniss
\nKaty Sexton Portsmouth Northsea Chris Nesbit
\nKeri-Anne Payne Stockport Metro Sean Kelly
\nKerry Buchan South Aberdeenshire Gary Paterson
\nKirsty Balfour Co Edinburgh Fred Vergnoux
\nMel Marshall Loughborough Ben Titley
\nRebecca Adlington Nova Centurion Bill Furniss
\nRebecca Cooke Co Glasgow Stephen Hill
\nRebecca Shaw Loughborough Ian Armiger
\nRos Brett Loughborough Ben Titley
\nStephanie Proud Loughborough Kevin Renshaw
\nTerri Dunning Co Birmingham Adam Ruckwood
\nAndrew Hunter Stirling Swim Chris Martin
\nChris Alderton Wear Valley Chris Nesbit
\nChris Cook Co Newcastle Ian Oliver
\nChris Cozens Loughborough Steve Bayley
\nCraig Houston Stirling Swim Chris Martin
\nDarren Mew Bath University Kim Swanwick
\nDavid Carry Co Aberdeen Ian Turner
\nDavid Davies Co Cardif Dave Haller
\nEuan Dale Loughborough Ian Turner
\nGregor Tait Co Cardiff Dave Haller
\nJames Gibson Loughborough Ben Titley
\nJames Goddard Stockport Metro Sean Kelly
\nJames Kirton Co Sheffield Russ Barber
\nJoe Roebuck Loughborough Ian Armiger
\nKris Gilchrist Co Edinburgh Fred Vergnoux
\nLewis Smith Warrender Ian Wright
\nLiam Tancock Loughborough Ben Titley
\nMatt Bowe Loughborough Ben Titley
\nMatt Clay Swansea Perf. Bill Pilczuk
\nRobbie Renwick Co Aberdeen Eileen Adams
\nRoss Davenport Loughborough Ian Turner
\nSimon Burnett Wycombe District Frank Busch\/Bob Pay
\nTodd Cooper Stirling Swim Chris Martin<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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