British Swimming has welcomed the continued UK Sport funding commitment for the Olympic and Paralympic sports of diving, swimming and para-swimming as part of a confirmed sports investment of £345million allocated for the Tokyo 2020 cycle.
Announced by UK Sport today, diving will receive £8,805,908 over the next four years, swimming has been awarded £21,742,914 and para-swimming will receive £11,039,019 as the sports strive for continued performance improvements and growth in readiness for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes has welcomed the renewed funding commitment which he believes is attributable to the hard work of all those involved in the sports.
“Overall this is good news for the sports and is testament to the hard work we have witnessed,” said Sparkes. “It shows improved investment in funded aquatic sports and highlights the fact we are improving as a nation.
“We’re delighted with the ongoing support from UK Sport but are under no illusion that funding comes with some tough, 2020 medal targets. However, we look forward to the challenge of achieving these and providing the nation with more off those fantastic, golden medal moments we all so enjoyed this summer.”
While the sport of synchronised swimming was unsuccessful in achieving funding to improve its Olympic standing, British Swimming will now work with other agencies to look at ways of providing support.
“Obviously we are disappointed that synchronised swimming did not receive funding but we will now be talking to the home nations and Sport England to see how together we can get synchro from a band five sport into a band three-sport – challenging for medals.”
UK Sport’s commitment to the sports comes off the back of a summer in which the aquatic disciplines reached new heights on the Olympic and Paralympic stages in Rio.
British swimming achieved its best result for over 100 years at the Rio 2016 OIympics with six medals while diving achieved a greatest ever result with three. Weeks later the Paralympic team followed up with arguably its most impressive performance in the history of the Games with a total of 47 medals.
Tokyo 2020 funding cycle
Diving - £8,805,908
Para-swimming - £11,039,019
Swimming - £21,742,914
Rio 2016 funding cycle
Diving - £7,467,860
Para-swimming - £11,756,218
Swimming - £20,795,828
Read UK Sport's full funding announcement here