European Games champions Holly Hibbott and Abbie Wood will spearhead a young British Swimming team set to compete in Hungary for the European Junior Championships this summer.
The team of 26 will compete in the city of Hodmezovasarhely from 6 to 10 July for continental honours.
Following an impressive 2015 season on the junior circuit, British Swimming Head of Performance Pathway Tim Jones is looking forward to seeing the level of progress that has been made.
“This will be the largest team we have taken to these Championships in recent years, and it is littered with quality and experience,” said Jones. “The change in female age groups this year will see a number of past gold medal winners, including Holly Hibbott and Abbie Wood, compete for the third year in succession, and this will provide invaluable experience to the team.”
The European Junior Championships are a key development opportunity for young British athletes and Jones fully expects his latest contingent to continue the success of their predecessors.
“We always judge the success of our junior programme on the number of athletes who manage to successfully convert to the senior ranks, so we take great pride in seeing Duncan Scott, Georgia Coates and Cameron Kurle recently named in the Rio Olympic Team,” said Jones.
“We hope and fully expect to see some of this latest crop of 26 swimmers push for their own Olympic selection in Tokyo in four years’ time, and this summer will provides a great opportunity to continue their journey.”
The European Junior Championships take place in Hodmezovasarhely, Hungary from 6 to 10 July 2016. The British team comprises:
Edward Baxter – Cockermouth
Ryan Brown – City of Glasgow
Elliot Clogg – City of Sheffield
Tom Derbyshire – Royal Wolverhampton School
Thomas Fannon – Plymouth Leander
Nathan Hughes – Hatfield
Joe Litchfield – Doncaster DARTES
Craig McLean – University of Stirling
David Murphy – City of Oxford
Freya Anderson – Ellesmere College Titans
Layla Black – City of Leeds
Emma Cain – Millfield
Amelia Clynes – City of Leeds
Hannah Featherstone – Sedgefield and District
Isobel Griffiths – City of Birmingham
Holly Hibbott – Southport/Stockport Metro
Emily Large – Newcastle Swim Team
Anna Maine – Woking
Tazmin Pugh – Ellesmere College Titans
Ciara Schlosshan – City of Leeds
Laura Stephens – Plymouth Leander
Abbie Wood – National Centre, Loughborough
Lewis Clough – City of Salford
Jamie O’Connor – Thanet
Brodie Williams – Millfield
Alex Wray – Deepings
Press release courtesy of British Swimming.