Double European champion Abbie Wood is among 55 athletes to be selected to British Swimming’s 2021/22 World Class programme.
Wood – who was fourth in the 200IM in Tokyo in July – had not been included on the programme since 2019, instead having to rely at times on her student loan for funds.
After a difficult start to senior international life at the 2017 World Championships, the 22-year-old has been on a steep upward trajectory since late 2019/early 2020, starring for the New York Breakers at the International Swimming League.
Abbie Wood, Glasgow 2021 Photo Courtesy: British Swimming
In May this year Wood was part of the British sprint freestyle and mixed 4×200 squads that won gold at the European Championships in Budapest as well as claiming silver in the 200IM before missing out on bronze in Tokyo by 0.11secs.
The 55 swimmers are split across Podium and Podium Potential with Wood one of 17 in the former tier where she is joined by fellow Loughborough athlete and close friend Molly Renshaw, sixth in the 200m breaststroke in Tokyo.
The Podium list features nine Olympic champions, including three double gold medallists from Tokyo 2020 in the form of Adam Peaty, Tom Dean and James Guy.
Among the Podium Potential cohort are 17-year-old Evelyn Davis, who won two relay titles in Budapest, and three medals at the European Junior Championships in Rome.
She is joined by Eva Okaro, who at 14 also made three trips to the podium at the junior championships at the Foro Italico.
Open water pair Alice Dearing – who became the first black woman to swim for Britain at the Olympics when she competed in Tokyo – and Hector Pardoe are also in the Podium Potential group.
There is no place though for Holly Hibbott, a member of the British women’s 4×200 squad that won gold in Budapest, and 2014 Commonwealth 200br champion Ross Murdoch.
National performance director Chris Spice said in a British Swimming release:
James, Guy, Adam Peaty & Kathleen Dawson: Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports
“This is an exciting time for the programme after an incredible year, which culminated with our swimmers making history at the Olympic Games, claiming four golds and eight medals in total – testament to the outstanding work they and the staff across British Swimming and our Home Nation partners continue to put in.
“There was also a best-ever return from the Europeans in Budapest, and more promising signs from our younger athletes against some of the best in the world at the European Junior Championships.
“The 2021/22 season will feature a World Championships in Fukuoka, European Championships in Rome and a Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and as ever, we will be looking to move things on again with our WCP athletes.
“For some of the younger ones, they will be on a longer-term journey toward Paris, and we look forward to working with them in that as they develop towards 2024 and beyond.
“But for every athlete on the programme, the next Olympic Games are now less than three years away, and the build towards that begins now.”
Podium
Freya Anderson, Bath NC (England)
Kathleen Dawson, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Tom Dean, Bath NC (England)
Luke Greenbank, Loughborough NC (England)
James Guy, Bath NC (England)
Lucy Hope, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Anna Hopkin, Loughborough NC (England)
Calum Jarvis, Bath NC (Wales)
Daniel Jervis, Swansea University (Wales)
Max Litchfield, Loughborough NC (England)
Adam Peaty, Loughborough NC (England)
Ben Proud, University of Bath (England)
Molly Renshaw, Loughborough NC (England)
Matt Richards, Bath NC (Wales)
Duncan Scott, University of Stirling (Scotland)
James Wilby, Loughborough NC (England)
Abbie Wood, Loughborough NC (England)
Podium Potential
Jonathon Adam, Bath NC (England)
Angus Allison, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Will Bell, Loughborough University (England)
Kieran Bird, Bath NC (Wales)
Kyle Booth, City of Cardiff Swimming Club (Wales)
Cameron Brooker, Wycombe District Swimming Club (England)
Charlie Brown, City of Sheffield Swim Squad (England)
Freya Colbert, Nova Centurion Swimming Club (England)
Evelyn Davis, Bromley Swimming Club (Scotland)
Alice Dearing, Loughborough University (England)
Harvey Freeman, Northampton Swimming Club (England)
Archie Goodburn, Loughborough NC (Scotland)
Lucy Grieve, South Ayrshire Swim Team (Scotland)
Medi Harris, Swansea University (Wales)
Charlie Hutchison, Loughborough NC (Scotland)
Evan Jones, Millfield School (Scotland)
Harriet Jones, City of Cardiff Swimming Club (Wales)
Cameron Kurle, University of Stirling (England)
Emily Large, Bath NC (England)
Joe Litchfield, Loughborough NC (England)
Keanna MacInnes, University of Stirling (Scotland)
James McFadzen, Loughborough University (England)
Ed Mildred, Bath NC (England)
Eva Okaro, Sevenoaks Swimming Club (England)
Hector Pardoe, Montpellier (Wales)
Jacob Peters, Bath NC (England)
Sienna Robinson, City of Sheffield Swimming Club (England)
Toby Robinson, Loughborough NC (England)
Emma Russell, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Katie Shanahan, City of Glasgow Swim Team (Scotland)
George Smith, Ellesmere College (England)
Laura Stephens, Plymouth Leander (England)
Kayla Van Der Merwe, Winchester City Penguins (England)
Tamryn Van Selm, Millfield School (England)
Sarah Vasey, Loughborough NC (England)
Jacob Whittle, Loughborough NC (England)
Cassie Wild, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Brodie Williams, Bath NC (England)