Fran Halsall will lead an 11-strong British swimming team at the European Short Course Championships in Herning in December – however Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson will be absent.
Halsall was the only British swimmer to medal at this summer’s World Championships in Barcelona, winning bronze in the 50m freestyle, and will bid for further medal success in a smaller 25m pool in Denmark.
The Championships take place a matter of days before the Europe versus USA Duel in the Pool in Glasgow with Halsall set to compete at both unlike Jamieson, who is currently on fine form in the World Cup series.
Sophie Allen, Jazmin Carlin, Hannah Miley, Craig McNally, Andrew Willis and Chris Walker-Hebborn will all also double while Adam Peaty, Jemma Lowe, Aimee Willmott and Siobhan-Marie O’Connor complete the team.
And British Swimming head coach Bill Furniss insists he has selected a team to compete at the European Championships that has the potential to deliver medals in the short term as well as long term.
“This is a team which is focused on athletes that we feel can deliver medals either today or in the near future,” said Furniss.
“It continues the strategy we have adopted of smaller, more focused teams and this will continue to be a key philosophy going forward.
“Certain swimmers on the team will go to Denmark off the back of competing at the FINA World Cups and they will conclude the short course season in Glasgow at the Duel in the Pool.
“This is part of a strategy of racing more often as we want to see our leading swimmers to be competing more regularly.
“Racing regularly is something we will continue next year during the long course season. We will be racing at events between January and March, focusing on our trials in April and then competition will pick up again as we use the month of June to really define our race preparation.”
© Sportsbeat 2013