36th European Junior Swimming Championships 2009
8 to 12 July 2009 - Prague
A squad of 57 of Britain’s top junior swimmers are finalising their preparations as they bid to take on Europe’s best next week for international honours.
The British Gas swimmers will face tough competition from large squads from Russia and Germany as they aim to continue the steady rate of improvement that British Junior athletes have shown on the European stage.
The 57-strong squad is the largest ever contingent of British swimmers to compete at the European Junior Championships and because only two athletes can progress past the heats swimmers will face an added level of competition to post faster times to reach the finals.
“With such a large team of athletes it will prove to be a big test for them as there are four athletes entered into events and it will be interesting to see who steps up and achieves their semi and final places,” Martin said. “There can’t be any complacency within the squad as they will have to fight for those spots.
“We have to use to our advantage the fact we have a big team. We have to promote competition within our own ranks to get as many athletes as possible to finals.”
Athletes qualified for the event at the British Gas Swimming Championships in Sheffield in March and Head Coach Chris Martin was impressed with the performances as the swimmers stepped up to be counted.
“From where I sat it was fantastic to see some new athletes step onto the pathway at the British Gas Swimming Championships,” Martin said. “In making the standards I was a little bit nervous that not enough swimmers would make it onto our programmes. But I couldn’t have been more wrong as the GB swimmers and coaches ran right up to the bar and grabbed it with both hands.”
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The British Gas squad consists of:
Adam Harrington Crawley
Adam John Stockport Mo
Anthony O'Driscoll Plymouth Leander
Braxston Timm Co Sheffield
Calum Jarvis Plymouth Leander
Cameron Brodie Kelly Coll
Craig Hamilton Warrender Baths
Daniel Mills Nova Cent
David Gregory Plymouth Leander
Douglas Scott East Kilbride
Jak Scott Stirling Swim
James Burden Co Coventry
James Gibson Stockport Mo
James Harrison Co Leeds
Josh Walsh Gallica
Karl Botha Millfield
Lewis Coleman Team Ipswich
Luke Wood Co Salford
Mark Conroy Plymouth Leander
Matthew Allison Bo Stockton
Richard Butler Kingston u Hull
Roberto Pavoni Brentwood
Russell Smith Stockport Mo
Thomas Allen Swim Flint
Thomas Parris Hastings
Tsubasa Nakagawa Co Leicester
Aimee Willmott Middlesborough
Ann Morris Nova Cent.
Anne Bochmann UEA Norwich
Bethany Coggins UEA Norwich
Carmella Kitching Harrow & Weald
Catriona Bruce Bo Stockton
Charlotte Bell Northampton
Corrie Scott East Kilbride
Danielle Stirrat Co Cardiff
Eleanor Faulkner Co Sheffield
Ellis Jackson St Felix School
Emma Graham Co Leeds
Emma Saunders Horwich
Francesca Marr Hillingdon
Georgia Hohmann Nova Cent
Hannah Wardle Co Leeds
Jessica Powell Stockport Mo
Jessica Thielmann Co Newcastle
Kirsty Harkness Portsmouth NS
Laura Dawson Co Newcastle
Lucy Ellis Stirling Swim
Lucy Titchin Millfield
Mai Alland Burl Hill & Hay
Rachael Kelly Newcastle Staffs
Rachel Williams Trowbridge
Sara Hamilton South Aberdeenshire
Sara Lougher Bridgend City
Sian Morgan Co Bradford
Sophie Drake Canvey Island
Stephanie Blakeburn Billingham
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