Katie Shanahan has made regular appearances on senior
international teams since winning the individual medley double at the European
Junior Championships in 2021 - recently culminating in selection for Great
Britain at her maiden World Aquatics Championships this summer.
The University of Stirling athlete sealed her place on the
team in Fukuoka by going under the qualification time for the 200m Individual
Medley at the 2023 British Swimming Championships – a competition where she
took gold in the event, alongside a further gold and silver in the 200m
Backstroke and 400m Individual Medley respectively.
Shanahan’s breakthrough senior international year with Great
Britain came in 2022 at Rome’s European Championships, where she took a
sensational silver medal in the 200m Backstroke final. This was preceded by an equally impressive time at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with Team
Scotland, which saw the Steven Tigg-coached athlete take bronze medals in both
the 400m Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke.
The 2021 European Junior Swimming Championships were
Shanahan’s first taste of international podium-topping success. Following a
bronze medal at the 2019 edition of the championships, two golds, three silvers and one bronze in Rome two years later saw her steal the show at the Foro Italico and serve as an indicator for future success.