Tom Dean and Duncan Scott are among a quartet of Olympic champions spearheading a 13-strong Great Britain team for next month’s World Short-Course Championships in Abu Dhabi.
The championships, which are being held from 16-21 December at the Etihad Arena in Yas Bay, represent the first opportunity to race in British colours since Tokyo 2020 when Team GB amassed a record-breaking eight medals.
Double Olympic champion Dean, Scott – who became the most decorated British Olympian ever at a single Games with four medals – are joined by fellow gold medallists Freya Anderson and Matt Richards.
Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports
Dean and Scott recorded the first British Olympic one-two for more than a century when they won gold and silver respectively in the men’s 200 free.
The pair then combined with Richards and James Guy to claim gold in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay title.
Anderson swam the anchor leg in the heats of the mixed 4×100 medley relay which GB went on to win in world-record time.
Joining them will be Olympic finalists Dan Jervis, Abbie Wood, Max Litchfield, Molly Renshaw, Ben Proud and Lucy Hope.
Ed Mildred, Katie Shanahan and Cameron Kurle round out the group of 13, with Mildred and Shanahan gaining more valuable senior experience at international level after featuring at both the senior and junior European Championships earlier this year.
It means a busy schedule for those swimmers competing in the International Swimming League with the play-offs set to be contested throughout November.
Wood, who was fourth in the 200IM, said:
“I’m really excited to get back racing on a big, international stage off the back of Tokyo with this team.
“Hopefully it will be a good kickstart to the new season for us all.”
Abbie Wood, Glasgow 2021 Photo Courtesy: British Swimming
British Swimming national performance director Chris Spice said:
“There have been so many incredible performances from our swimmers in 2021, and this World Short Course Championships will be a final opportunity in the year for them to test themselves against the world’s best.
“The short-course nature of the meet provides unique chances for the athletes to fine-tune certain race techniques and skills as we gear up for what will be a non-stop year in 2022, with World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games.
“It will also be good for this tight-knit team to come together again. One highlight of our Tokyo experience was how close the entire team were, helping each other throughout the Games – and meets like this one in Abu Dhabi play their part in building those vital bonds.”
British Swimming team selected to compete at the FINA World Short Course Championships in Abu Dhabi, UAE (16th-21st December 2021):
Freya Anderson – England, Bath National Centre
Tom Dean – England, Bath National Centre
Lucy Hope – Scotland, University of Stirling
Daniel Jervis – Wales, Swansea University
Cameron Kurle – England, University of Stirling
Max Litchfield – England, Loughborough National Centre
Edward Mildred – England, Bath National Centre
Ben Proud – England, University of Bath
Molly Renshaw – England, Loughborough National Centre
Matthew Richards – Wales, Bath National Centre
Duncan Scott – Scotland, University of Stirling
Katie Shanahan – Scotland, City of Glasgow Swim Team
Abbie Wood – England, Loughborough National Centre