The British Swimming Championships – which double as the Olympic trials for the Great Britain team for Tokyo 2021 – will be held at the London Aquatics Centre from 13-18 April 2021.
The trials were due to be held from 14-19 April 2020 at the same venue in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – which staged the swimming programme at the 2012 Olympics and the scene of Adam Peaty‘s first 100br world record – only to be cancelled as the coronavirus wreaked havoc.
British Swimming announced the new dates on Tuesday morning with the event also due to serve as qualification for the world and European Junior Championships.
The senior continental showcase is to be held from 10-23 May at the Duna Arena, Budapest, where the ISL came to a spectacular conclusion on Sunday.
They also revealed a new format where a second heats session will be included in the daily programme while the qualification times required to compete in London will be backdated to March 2019.
Photo Courtesy: British Swimming
British Swimming said:
“British Swimming shares the concerns of the whole aquatics community during the current lockdowns and we are aware of the pressure on swimmers, coaches and clubs across the UK.
“As an organisation we are very sensitive to the frustrations the community is feeling alongside the challenges of being out of the water for so long.
“At the same time, we all thrive on competition and believe it is important to give our swimmers the opportunity now to focus their attentions on competing in our premier event in such an iconic location.
“The 2021 Championships will see an upgraded format designed to be more inclusive and allow more athletes, both junior and senior, the opportunity to compete.
“We will be introducing a second session of heats each day, ensuring the total number of swims will be significantly greater than in previous editions.
“Qualifying times will be pitched accordingly and the ‘window’ during which these times need to be achieved backdated significantly to 1st March 2019. Further information on the entry standards and wider meet conditions will be published in December.”
Commenting on the announcement, British Swimming chief executive Jack Buckner said:
“We are delighted to make this announcement today and give the aquatics community a major event to look forward to. Whilst we, as a country, still have a long way to go to beat the pandemic, we have to be optimistic that by April we can return to sport as we know it.
“Over the years this event has put on quite the spectacle, and bringing the event to London, as we planned to do in April 2020, will only add to the sense of occasion and excitement. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our partners in the capital for supporting our plans.”
Photo Courtesy: londonaquaticscentre.org
Performance director Chris Spice added:
“After more than six months of disruption, it is vital that we give our athletes something to focus on, and what could be better than a British Championships in London.
“Our elite swimmers are back working hard at our designated training centres across the UK and we’re keeping everything crossed that club programmes will be able to have some consistency leading into these Championships.
“We also fully understand the difficulties of qualification for these championships and along with our Home Nation colleagues, and with GLL and LLDC, our partners in London, we are working hard to be as inclusive as possible given the ongoing disruption to club training environments.
“Whilst this is good news for the sport, we must remain vigilant and follow the government guidelines that are in place. If we can do that, as a country and as a sporting sector, then I’m confident we can witness a fantastic celebration of swimming in April.”
Lyn Garner, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, added:
“We are very excited to be hosting the 2021 British Swimming Championships and that champions of British Swimming will be returning to the London Aquatics Centre and London in this all-important year.”
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Sian you should go!
Bob Perkins I probably still won’t be able to get back home by then 🙁 quarantines and border closures! However ?