A 12-strong group of British swimmers will head out to the state of Texas for the Austin leg of the USA Grand Prix series next week to race against some of the best athletes in the World.
The British athletes will compete at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Centre, which will see the event provide the perfect platform for them to work on their race preparation and processes ahead of the British Swimming Championships in April.
Tim Jones, British Swimming’s Head of Elite Development, identifies two primary reasons for attending the meet:
“The first is simply to go in search of the best competition in the World,” explained Jones. “There aren’t too many opportunities for our next generation to race against an elite international field, so we have to go out in search of it and the Grand Prix events deliver just that.
- Tim Jones - British Swimming’s Head of Elite Development“We want to create a level of familiarity for the swimmers so they’re prepared for when they come face-to-face with high level opposition at future World and Olympic competitions."
“Secondly the meet also establishes an excellent opportunity for swimmers to gain valuable experience and work through pre-race processes due to the event format, and the four-final format means that 32 swimmers in every event will get a second swim.
“This second swim is a key part of our athlete development and learning, aiding transition into the senior ranks.”
Athletes selected:
Kyle Chisholm
Craig McLean
David Murphy
Martyn Walton
Emma Day
Imogen Clark
Kathryn Greenslade
Holly Hibbott
Candice Hall
Katie Matts
Rebecca Sherwin
Maya Westlake