British Swimming Name 54 Swimmers To 2023-2024 World Class Programme
A total of 54 swimmers have been invited on to British Swimming’s World Class Programme (WCP) for the 2023-2024 season, with a little under nine months to go until the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The athletes on the WCP – from multiple Olympic champions and world-record holders to potential Olympians of the future – are named off the back of a thorough selection process, including an in-depth assessment of their capability to be successful at future Olympics and World Championships.
Matt Richards, Tom Dean, James Guy and Duncan Scott are among the gold medallists from the 2023 World Championships on the Podium list, which also features triple Olympic champion Adam Peaty and fellow Tokyo champions Kathleen Dawson, Freya Anderson and Anna Hopkin.
Also moving on to the Podium programme are Katie Shanahan – fourth in the 200 back at the Fukuoka worlds – and Freya Colbert, fifth in the 400IM.
Several athletes make the Podium Potential programme for the first time, including Amelie Blocksidge who added European junior 5k open water gold to her senior British title in the 1500 free – which she claimed on her 14th birthday – and 800 silver.
Joining her is Lauren Cox who became the first woman to win a medal at a global long-course meet in seven years when she took 50 back bronze in Fukuoka.
British Swimming Performance Director Chris Spice said:
“With a set of impressive performances under their belts from the previous season, the challenge for our swimmers now is to move on from that and make the improvements required as we move into an Olympic year.
“We’ve had tremendous success in the years following the last Olympics in Tokyo, and we’re in a great position to build on that heading towards Paris next summer, with the commitment and technical abilities of our athletes supported by world-class coaches and staff at all levels.
“With the 2023-2024 season presenting the added hurdle of a World Championships to contend with, the focus is still very much on managing our swimmers’ loads and ensuring that we get the very best out of those that will step on the blocks at the Olympic Games.”
Swimmers invited onto the 2023-2024 British Swimming World Class Programme (WCP)
Podium
Freya Anderson, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Lewis Burras, Loughborough University (England)
Freya Colbert, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Kathleen Dawson, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Thomas Dean, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Luke Greenbank, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
James Guy, Millfield School (England)
Medi Harris, Loughborough Performance Centre (Wales)
Lucy Hope, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Anna Hopkin, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Daniel Jervis, Swim Wales High Performance Centre (Wales)
Joe Litchfield, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Oliver Morgan, University of Birmingham (England)
Adam Peaty, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Jacob Peters, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Benjamin Proud, University of Bath (England)
Matthew Richards, Millfield School (Wales)
Duncan Scott, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Katie Shanahan, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Laura Stephens, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Jacob Whittle, Bath Performance Centre (England)
James Wilby, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Brodie Williams, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Abbie Wood, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Podium Potential
Jonathon Adam, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Amelie Blocksidge, City of Salford SC (England)
Cameron Brooker, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Charlie Brown, Loughborough Performance Centre (England)
Skye Carter, Basildon & Phoenix SC (England)
Alexander Cohoon, Loughborough University (England)
Phoebe Cooper, City of Sheffield (England)
Lauren Cox, Loughborough University (England)
Evelyn Davis, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Evie Dilley, Millfield School (England)
Lucy Grieve, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Kara Hanlon, Edinburgh University (Scotland)
Robbie Hemmings, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Charlie Hutchison, Loughborough Performance Centre (Scotland)
Evan Jones, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Blythe Kinsman, Mount Kelly (England)
Emily Large, Millfield School (England)
Keanna MacInnes, University of Stirling (Scotland)
Jack McMillan, University of Stirling (Northern Ireland)
Tyler Melbourne-Smith, Loughborough University (Wales)
Edward Mildred, Bath Performance Centre (England)
Eva Okaro, Repton (England)
Alexander Painter, Millfield School (England)
Hector Pardoe, Loughborough University (Wales)
Sienna Robinson, Loughborough University (England)
Reuben Rowbotham-Keating, Loughborough University (England)
Leah Schlosshan, City of Leeds SC (England)
George Smith, University of Stirling (England)
Matthew Ward, Bath Performance Centre (Scotland)
Elliot Woodburn, Millfield School (England)
Lily booker and Josh Gammon both snubbed for podium potential funding.
Didn’t realise Jacob Whittle was at Bath