Burgeoning swimming talent set for European Juniors

Olympian Jacob Whittle and several medallists from last year's European Juniors are part of a team that blends podium experience at this level with swimmers looking to gain valuable arena experience for the first time on the European stage.

The event - which will take place at the Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex between 5th-10th July - follows hot on the heels from the World Aquatics Championships - and athletes competing in Bucharest will be hoping to continue their progression towards those top-level senior competitions by putting in some season-best swims and making the most of every competitive challenge against international counterparts.

Eva Okaro (Sevenoaks), Leah Schlosshan (City of Leeds), Harvey Freeman (Northampton SC) and Evan Jones (Millfield) all earned medals at the European Juniors in Rome in 2021, and they are part of the cohort boarding the plane to Romania in eight weeks' time. Among the other swimmers involved are rising youngsters Ashleigh Baillie, Phoebe Cooper (both City of Sheffield) and Iona Colbert (Nova Centurions), who all enjoyed eye-catching meets at the British Swimming Championships last month.

The full team has been named following those successful British Championships, which featured more than 1,500 swimmers, many of them juniors, across 18 sessions. This year’s 42-strong contingent is one of the largest ever British junior teams to participate in Europe’s premier age-group competition.

Speaking on the team selection and looking ahead to the European Junior Championships, British Swimming Head of Performance Development Alan Lynn said: "There were many outstanding swims from our junior athletes at the British Championships, which was even more impressive given the lack of competition opportunities many have had over the past two years. 

"It means we have been able to select a team with great potential for Bucharest, which we know will be a hugely valuable learning experience for every swimmer involved. Top-level racing against the best juniors from across the continent will be a significant challenge for our young team, as will the chance to experience that moment of competing for an international medal in the cauldron of an intense, unfamiliar arena.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the outcomes from this meet, two years out from Paris and with others targeting continued progression along the journey to LA in 2028."

The swimming programme at the European Junior Championships will immediately precede the diving programme, hosted on this occasion at the same venue. The British Junior Diving team for that event will be announced in due course.

British Swimming team for the 2022 European Junior Championships, Bucharest (5th-10th July):

Ashleigh Baillie, City of Sheffield

Andrew Bertoli, City of Leicester

Charlotte Bianchi, City of Sheffield

Oscar Bilbao, City of Hereford

Alexander Casey, City of Leicester

Iona Colbert, Nova Centurions

Phoebe Cooper, City of Sheffield

Emma Croker, South Lincolnshire CSS

Evie Dilley, Borough of Stockton

Kaden Edwards, City of Cardiff

Max Elkin, Swansea Aquatics

Lucy Fox, Wycombe District

Harvey Freeman, Northampton Swimming Club

Calvin Fry, Mount Kelly

Anna Green, Warrender Baths

Chloe Harris, Royal Wolverhampton

Robbie Hemmings, Poole Swimming Club

Toby Hill, City of Manchester Aquatics

Laura Hodgson, Newcastle Swim Team

Evan Jones, Millfield

Sophie King, Woking

Livia Kingsland, Nova Centurion

Caitlin Lansom, City of Manchester Aquatics

Erin Little, Mount Kelly

Jonathan Marshall, FAST

Holly McGill, Heart of Midlothian

Tyler Melbourne-Smith, City of Liverpool

Eva Okaro, Sevenoaks

Alex Painter, Millfield

Darcy Revitt, Guildford City

Sienna Robinson, City of Sheffield

Antonio Rodriguez, Swansea Aquatics

Reuben Rowbotham-Keating, City of Manchester Aquatics

Leah Schlosshan, City of Leeds

George Smith, Leamington

Lara Thomson, City of Leeds

Matthew Ward, Mount Kelly

Jacob Whittle, Loughborough National Centre

Hollie Widdows, Mount Kelly

Cameron Williams, Dartmoor Darts Aquatic

Elliot Woodburn, Millfield