GB swimmers begin new season

A 17-strong Great Britain swimming squad will kick off the new season at the LEN European Short-Course Championships in Chartres, France on Thursday.

It will be the first competitive action since the Olympics for a number of athletes as they put the finishing touches to their preparations for the new season.

The event, which runs from November 22-25, will also feature mixed relays in international competition for the first time.

Double 2012 Olympic individual medley finalist Hannah Miley, who won silver and bronze at last year's competition in Szczecin, will be heading up the team which also includes 2012 Olympians Aimee Willmott, Siobhan-Marie O'Connor, Craig Benson, Antony James and Marco Loughran.

Missing though will be Olympians Michael Rock and Robbie Renwick.

Joining them will be the likes of Jack Burnell, Lauren Quigley and Karley Mann who are pushing their way on to the senior team and who won medals at the US Open meet in August on their senior debuts.

For Miley, the event will not only show her where she is with her training but it will also offer her vital racing - something national performance director Michael Scott pinpointed after London.

Miley said: "This competition is good because in the middle of a long season it will give me a good indication of where I am with my training and to be able to turn race mode on.

"The year after a Games is always an intriguing one with athletes changing programmes or training patterns so to see where I am compared to my main competitors is really important.

"It's going to be great to be back in a team environment. This competition is about switching back into race mode and having a decent sized team around you is important. And going up to race with the team behind you is great and I can't wait to have that support again."